Feature Archives

2/17: At 10pm, Until the Violence Stops, the documentary about the movement around The Vagina Monologues, aired on Lifetime.
2/14: In solidarity with the V-Day march on Ciudad Juárez, Mexico from El Paso, Texas, people gathered in San Francisco for a demonstration at the Mexican Consulate on February 13th and for a vigil at Dolores Park on February 14th. There were screenings in Sacramento and Davis of the film Señorita Extraviada. The killings have also inspired other art such as poetry. As the film shows, there are many questions about who has been killing the women in Juárez- the recent arrests of 13 state police officers lead more hope to resolution of these murders. Other California events related to V-Day.
Photos from 2/14 vigil.
Report on the march to Ciudad Juárez.

On Feb. 27th, Kate Raphael will report back on her work in Palestine and the recent women's delegation to Iraq.
1/30/2004: Some local women activists are in Iraq to bear witness to and research the ongoing occupation of that country by US military forces. Their travels take place as around the country, organizers are gathering support for the global day of action on March 20th to observe the one-year anniversary of the war and occupation in Iraq. Code Pink Alert and Global Exchange have sponsored a women's delegation to Iraq. These activists will research how women are faring under US occupation, meet with US authorities and Iraqi officials to learn how their plans affect Iraqi women. The delegation will meet with representatives of a variety of Iraqi women's organizations that are working on issues that include creating income-generating projects for women, organizing shelters for victims of domestic violence, and raising women's concerns in the writing of the new constitution. In addition to the formal meetings, the delegation will meet with women in their homes, at the university and in the markets. This trip will result in a report on the Status of Woman under the US Occupation.

It has been reported that well over 16,000 Iraqis have been killed since the start of the war , and that over 500 American troops have died in combat. As multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts go to US companies, 80 percent of the Iraqi workforce is unemployed, and over 30 percent of urban areas in Iraq lack access to safe drinking water. Evidence of the wide use of depleted uranium continues to surface, a widespread medical crisis in on its way, allegations of US troops misconduct build up, human rights groups around the world protest disappeared citizens, reports of collective punishment and the destruction of agricultural lands is mounting, and attacks on women are increasing, as well.
JOURNAL 1 | JOURNAL 2 | JOURNAL 3
On February 15th there was a reportback by women who recently were in Iraq.

Pauline Hwang and Helen Luu work with the Colours of Resistance (COR), which is a grassroots network of people who consciously work to develop anti-racist, multiracial politics in the movement against global capitalism. Chris Crass interviews them about their political experiences, lessons they have learned, and the work they are currently engaged in. Read the interview

Various organizations called for a demonstration in San Francisco on the 31st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Over 200 women and their supporters gathered at Powell and Market, and then marched to City Hall and UN Plaza for a rally. Code Pink, the Radical Cheerleaders, NOW, NARAL, and Planned Parenthood were out in force with signs, speakers, and performances.
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4  Video: 1  Audio

Activists such as Robyn Few have been drawing attention to their goal of decriminalizing prostitution. On December 17, 2003, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was observed in cities all over the world, including San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. The day honored women who were killed.by the Green River Killer. Listen to report from Free Speech Radio News.
Strippers in San Francisco say club owner greed and lax city oversight are forcing them into prostitution. "By taking prostitutes off the streets and putting them into the strip clubs, it has turned our strip clubs into brothels and massage parlors," Few says. "The men who run these joints are making all the money, and the women who want to be dancers can't. They are forced to be prostitutes." Some people believe that sex work can not empower women; however, the San Francisco Coalition on Prostitution and the Exotic Dancers Alliance would say otherwise. Keep checking SWOP-USA for information about a planned Prostitutes' Rights ballot initiative.

A woman's right to choose whether or not to end a pregnancy continues to be a big issue in the US. A young woman in the Bay Area recently died of septic shock after taking RU-486, near the end of the recommended period in which one can safely use the so-called "abortion pill." Holly Patterson, the young woman in question, took RU-486 two weeks after her 18th birthday, and her father thinks that she waited until she turned 18 to seek treatment. Mr. Patterson is calling for a state constitutional amendment that requires parental notification when a woman under the age of 18 seeks an abortion. Many people are calling for the removal of RU-486, or mifepristone, from the FDA's list of allowable drugs. Many also question the non-FDA approved alternative treatment method Holly received. She was allowed to administer misoprostol, the second drug in the medical abortion regimen, at home instead of having a medical professional perform the procedure.

In happier news, the FDA may soon remove the prescription requirement for "Plan B", which is a form of emergency contraception. This would make possible over-the-counter purchase of Plan B.

The ban on so-called "Partial Birth Abortion" (late-term abortion), which President Bush signed into law on November 5, 2003, has led to concerns that women may lose the right to have abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy. On December 17th, 2003, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Ohio's partial-birth abortion ban law. One pregnant woman's view of the federal ban. On a slightly more positive note, Bush is promoting adoption of children who are in the foster care system. The President seems to think that women should suffer through over nine months of pregnancy, followed by childbirth- which has a higher risk of death for women than abortion does- and then put their unwanted offspring up for adoption. Will women lose more decision-making power and access to health care in the 2004 election year, as Bush panders to the right even more than he did in 2003?
April 25th in Washington, DC: National March for Women's Lives (formerly the National March for Choice)

On 11/23, 'Bay Area Women in Black' gathered in front of the Bank of America building on Powell Street in SF to express solidarity with the more than 170 'Women in Black' groups worldwide. From there they proceeded to march silently through the throngs of holiday shoppers descended upon Union Square. Women in Black are dedicated to active nonviolent protest against all forms of personal and state violence and terrorism, including militarism, anti-semitism, racism and religious oppression, wherever they occur. Details | Photos: 1 | 2