SEEING RED
Links and things from the CODE RED feminist collective. Visit our website for critical Caribbean feminist commentary.
CODE RED for gender justice | Promote your Page too
“ Everybody should be outraged when schoolgirls are sexually harassed in the street and on public transportation, when women are killed by their intimate partners, when police officers turn away rape survivors for being naked, when payments are accepted in lieu of prosecution in cases of child sexual abuse, when our legal system supports this form of injustice, when deputy commissioners of police suggest that teen girls are the ones responsible for the sexual crimes against them. Everybody should be outraged. Not just women. Not just the handful of women parliamentarians. Not just overworked and underfunded women’s organisations. EVERYBODY. And that includes men who for too long have been shamefully silent. ”
“Avoid the friend zone. Offer her a real drink.”
Caribbean advertisers use rape to sell rum to young men.
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Follow us on twitter.
6 young Caribbean women talk about what feminism means to them.
CODE RED is a Caribbean feminist collective. Find us on facebook and follow us on twitter.
Learn more about CatchAFyah and new generation Caribbean feminist organising in this AWID article, Stabroek News Guyana column and Outlish Magazine article.
Caribbean feminism is not some giant hairy man-eating monster anxious to claw its way to the top and destroy the family and society in the process. It’s a movement of ordinary diverse women (and men) like the ones I had the privilege of spending two days with: passionate, courageous and committed to being the change they want to see.
A CODE RED for gender justice! member talks about why she’s a feminist. Read the full Outlish Magazine article here.
CODE RED is a Caribbean feminist activist collective. Find us on facebook or follow us on twitter.
Protests against abortion and homosexuality in Trinidad & Tobago.
Image & Story source: Trinidad Guardian
CODE RED for gender justice is a feminist collective of Caribbean women & men. Find us on facebook and follow us on twitter.
Sign up to be a part of the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Network here.
Open Letter to Senator St. Rose Greaves
AN OPEN LETTER TO:
Senator the Honourable Verna St. Rose Greaves
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development
Dear Senator St. Rose Greaves,
We are the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Network and we are a collective of young, passionate Caribbean activists and organisations. We span the Caribbean, representing such nations as Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We are farmers, social workers, artists, social entrepreneurs, counsellors, researchers, teachers and students. We work for social and economic justice and empowerment, particularly gender equity and women’s rights. We stand against discrimination of any kind, including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
We are therefore pleased at your public show of support for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and the rights of the LGBTQ community. We recognise the tremendous courage it takes to speak publicly on issues that are controversial and that people would rather ignore. In speaking openly, you have demonstrated true leadership and a commitment to the rights of marginalised groups that far outweigh any potential opposition.
In addition, we join you in condemning the lack of adequate response to all forms of child abuse and in particular the sexual abuse of Caribbean girls and boys. We lend our collective voices to breaking the silence on this issue and we pledge to work in our communities, nationally and regionally to ensure that Caribbean children’s right to life free of abuse is made reality. This is on-going work to which we commit ourselves, in partnership with progressive political leadership in the region.
As you move forward in your social justice work, know that you are not alone. We stand in solidarity with you and we laud your courage and conviction. Always remain cognizant that your words and actions tangibly impact the lives of many Caribbean citizens. Although naysayers and detractors sometimes appear the loudest and most visible, remember that we are listening and we support you. We look forward to your continued action and leadership on these very important issues.
Yours gratefully,
CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Network
CatchAFyahNetwork[at] gmail [dot] com
Tonya Haynes (Barbados)
redforgender[at] gmail [dot] com
Sherlina Nageer (Guyana)
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Red Thread
ssnageer[at] yahoo [dot] com
Patrice Daniel (Barbados)
Rashida Beckles (Barbados)
KizzyAnn Abraham (Grenada)
Grenada National Organization of Women
Kenita Placide (St. Lucia)
United and Strong Inc.
unitedandstrongslu[at] yahoo [dot] com
Zahra Jacobs (St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago)
Addfyahandstir
Asha Challenger (Antigua & Barbuda)
Addfyahandstir
Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe (Grenada)
Groundation Grenada Action Collective
Groundationgrenada[at] gmail [dot] com
Tracey-Ann Lewis (Jamaica)
Women for Women
womenforwomen1999[at] gmail [dot] com
Amina Doherty (Antigua & Barbuda)
FRIDA Young Feminist Fund
Georgia Love (Jamaica)
BeCon
Satira Maharaj (Trinidad & Tobago)
Fatimah Jackson (Barbados & Canada)
Zahra Airall (Antigua & Barbuda)
Women of Antigua
Valerie Chadic (Haiti)
Sanyu Phillips (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
Tara Wilkinson (Barbados)
CODE RED for Gender Justice!
redforgender[at] gmail [dot] com
Ifasina Efunyemi (Belize)
ifasina@[at] gmail [dot] com
Productive Organization for Women in Action (POWA)
powa2grow[at] gmail [dot] com
Flavia Cherry
CAFRA St. Lucia
Women’s Health Advocacy Network (Barbados)
Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network
To sign on to this open letter email us at catchafyahnetwork {at} gmail{dot} com.
To sign on to the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Network visit here.
Protests against gay marriage in Trinidad and Tobago.
Image source: The Guardian
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Join us on facebook and follow us on twitter.
We recently hosted the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Grounding in Barbados. Sign on to the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Network here.
How we ah go mek dis movement move? Reflections from the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Grounding
We’ll be posting a much more serious and sober report later but here are some quick reflections from a few of the Catch a Fire participants.
On Transformation
Day 1 of our Caribbean Feminist Grounding was really (personally) transformative. Something Shifted. Something Changed. And maybe I just needed y’all to remind me *why* and to think together (creatively) through the *how’s*. Thank you sisters for re-igniting the flame! Sistrens, how we ah go mek dis movement move??!?!
On Community
I often wish I lived on a deserted island far away from people. But now, I want to live in a commune with the amazing, fiery, beautiful women of Caribbean Feminists CatchAFyah! So I’m just going to think of the Caribbean as my commune ;P Two quotes from Audre Lorde are resonating as I reflect and return to the work: “Without community there is no liberation, only the most vulnerable and temporary armistice between an individual and her oppression.” Also- “Revolution is not a one-time event. It is becoming always vigilant for the smallest opportunity to make a genuine change.” We are stronger, more effective together. 1 ♥
On Sisterhood Across Difference
Someone asked me what the other ladies at Catch A Fire were like. I said they were like me! Even though we are certainly very unique individuals, it was great to feel that sisterhood among us. And somewhere within ourselves, we are all feminists who have caught a fyah…
On Privilege
Though not necessarily individually, we were a privileged group. We were funded, had a comfortable meeting space (that was not wheelchair accessible) and among us were many a university degree. That in itself is a disconnect from large numbers of women and men our work seeks support and empower. Even those words, support and empower are problematic… Though raised, the challenge remains, how do we make it different for our next meeting? For our next project(s)? For our work? Class privilege is unwieldy dammit!
I have been in many queer positive spaces in my life. Both in the Caribbean and in North America. This was yet another one of them which was lovely. I have enjoyed straight privilege most of my life however I am mostly read as queer outside of being in a relationship with men. Many womyn in the group identified as lgbtqi and spoke to their experience. However very few (myself included) spoke to their experience of straightness. I greatly appreciated a post my another member who spoke to this silence post-meeting which so beautifully encapsulated how I feel about my own sexuality which makes me simultaneously shy away from labeling myself (b/c it’s so much more complex than any label but also want to identify/name) and speak to the privilege of straightness. (via Add Fyah And Stir. read entire post here.)
On Inspiration
This was [an] amazing 3 days. The insights, spirits, comments and inspiration to go on is willed. The time is now, the opportunity is here. … i just cant stop talking about next step. A fyah was certainly caught in Barbados. GET F’ED UP!!!!!
Thank you SISTAS
On Inter-generational & South-South Learning
The selection of participants I believe indeed contributed greatly to the grounding. The fact that participants presented on issues and assisted with managing the group over the two days. Having Dr. Antrobus and other invited guest from DAWN and Red Thread was also inspiring and added motivation as to why my involvement was one to be proud of.
On Safe Spaces
I loved the women that attended. All so powerful, interesting, and inspiring. The opportunity and space to meet like-minded persons with an interest in changing the status quo. I also deeply appreciated the safeness of the space, I love that women could be open and honest about who they are and without fear. And the food was amazing!
Visit CODE RED for gender justice on wordpress, facebook and twitter to learn more about CatchAFyah.
Delegates from Barbados and Jamaica in deep conversation.
Follow #CatchAFyah for updates on this historic meeting which brings together representatives from youth, women’s, LGBT and feminist organisations from Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Grenada, Guyana, St.Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Join us on facebook or follow us on twitter.
CODE RED member reflects on Caribbean feminist mobilisation at the 2012 AWID Forum and shares her expectations for Catch A Fire: the region’s first young feminist grounding.
Read full blog entry here.
Catch A Fire!
Ignite the imagination.
Ideas & Action for social change.
It’s not a meeting. It’s a movement.
A new generation of Caribbean feminists will meet in Barbados for two intense days to strategise on how to collaborate regionally, strengthen feminist voices and initiatives in the region as well as mobilise around key issues like sexual and reproductive health and rights.
This is just the beginning for this group which includes members of traditional women’s organisations, regional feminist organisations, LBGT and youth organisations as well as women’s health organisations.
We are social entrepreneurs, peer educators, community activists, volunteers, gender and development professionals, a doctor working on rural women’s health, the coordinator of the young feminist fund, students, teachers, advocates, artists.
We come from Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean diaspora.
We recognise the need to reach out further within our own communities and across the other territories of the English, Spanish, French and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.
Watch this space for updates and to learn how you can get involved.
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Re-blog to help us get the word out!
Caribbean women will take center stage during two engaging sessions which bring the region’s challenges and its change-agents into sharp focus. The Haitian Women’s Solidarity Roundtable will explore sexual exploitation and violence against women and girls in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Jocie Philistin, a Haitian leader, will share KOFAVIV’s work addressing survivors’ needs and explain how international solidarity is possible. “Krik? Krak!: dem cyant break we back” Narratives of Challenge and Change from the Caribbean brings together a diverse group of women from across the region for a lively conversation on security and women’s economic empowerment in the Caribbean, linking these issues to sexual citizenship and regional feminist movement-building. Come connect with the Caribbean@AWID!
A Week of CODE RED Reads
- Did a Caribbean news source really describe rape as “mounting her”?
- How strong is sexual citizenship activism in the region?
- Is it possible for another member of parliament to top the sexism of the JLP’s “jobs for the girls” comment?
- In which movement for justice are Caribbean people taking the lead?
For answers to these and more take a look at CODE RED’s round up of Caribbean links on gender, sexuality, the environment, politics and other feminist issues.
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Visit our website and find us on facebook and twitter.
“ Earlier this month a Trinidadian police officer refused to help a rape victim because she was naked. When asked if he could lend her his raincoat so that she could enter the station to report the rape, he refused. Two good samaritans then took her to her mother’s house where she dressed before returning to the station to report the rape. ”
This CODE RED article looks at rape and responses to rape around the Caribbean, showing how misogyny, heterosexism and homophobia are connected.
CODE RED is a feminist collective of Caribbean women and men. Join us on facebook, twitter or wordpress.
We really want to hear your responses to this article. What do you think?
