Misogynistic robots take over the world?

Misogynistic robots at work!

You thought it was the patriarchy that was to blame for t-shirts with slogans “Keep Calm and Rape A Lot” being mass produced in the colours of the rainbow, packaged and then  sold on via Amazon for £14.99.  Well how wrong were you!  It was Cyberbog misogynistic robots!

Be afraid, be very afraid!!

The company, Solid Gold Bomb who produced the t-shirts inciting serial rape here deny that they did it on purpose, they take little responsibility, blame computers and minimise the impact as “ill feeling“. 

Feminist Avengers call to arms!!

Feminist Avengers as soon as we found out that these t-shirts were on sale called out to put as many reviews on Amazon – we had done this as high jinks before with the Pink Bic Pens which went viral in the summer of last year.  It became a global phenomenon see here.  This time using the reviews not to make sarcastic remarks about the “gender binary” and expose the complete nonsense that ladies need big pink pens to assist with their big bubble writing but this time to show that there is a movement against rape culture.  Within 2 hours there were 200 reviews all angry, all letting Amazon know how horrific it was to sell such products and thousands of tweets.  Amazon withdrew the t-shirts and the Solid Gold Bomb were forced to apologise.  A short but sweet social media revolt!!

Here is their “apology”

Thanks for your interest in contacting us. We have been informed of the fact that we were selling an offensive t-shirt primarily in the UK. This has been immediately deleted as it was and had been automatically generated using a scripted computer process running against 100s of thousands of dictionary words.

Any offensive items that are remaining are certainly in the deletion queue and will be removed as soon as the processing is complete. Although we did not in any way deliberately create the offensive t-shirts in question and it was the result of a scripted programming process that was compiled by only one member of our staff, we accept the responsibility of the error and our doing our best to correct the issues at hand.

We’re sorry for the ill feeling this has caused! We’re doing our best here to fix the problem.

Well the Feminist Avengers aren’t sure if we believe this statement because it is implausible and we are well aware there is a rape culture that can be commodified and marketed.Solid Gold Bomb believed there was a market to sell these dispicable t-shirts, what they didn’t realise is that there is a movement out there campaigning against rape culture and misogyny.

But as Sky News point out they are also selling a t-shirt called “Keep Calm and Hit Her” see report here, however given the furore made about the serial rape ones, Amazon removed the domestic abuse t-shirts too see report from Channel 4 news here

The Feminist Avengers have awarded Solod Gold Bomb Fuckwits of the Week and we don’t blame the computers, robots or cyborgs!!  We blame the men that designed, produced and marketed them and youse are banged to fecking rights.  .   

Amazon incites serial rape towards women. Show your protest!

Today Clara Zetkin, Spokesperson for the Feminist Avengers, raged at Amazon selling t-shirts with the slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On Raping” and calls on feminist avengers from around the world to let Amazon know how they feel.  Either write a review or phone them.  If they do not take the t-shirt that states “KEEP CALM AND RAPE A LOT” then Amazon should be boycotted!”

 Ethel MacDonald, Artistic Director for the Feminist Avengers stated: “The Feminist Avengers call for other feminists to tell Amazon that if they do not withdraw this dispicable misogynistic t-shirt then the International Federation of Feminist Avengers will call for a global boycott of Amazon. The Feminist Avengers used amazon reviews previously for the less important issue of pink Bic pens, our reviews became a global phenomeon, a bit of fun about a serious issue about “gender binary!” and the over feminisation of the colour pink but on this product we cannot see this as sexist nonsense but as hatred against women promoting the the serial rape of women and children! We call on all Feminist Avengers to take action

Rani Lakshmibai , International Secretariat of Situationist Internationale stated “the spectacle of belittling rape and sexual assault of women creates a language and a culture that means the violation and abuse of women becomes normal. Women have a human right to consent to have sex. Encouraging rape and especially serial rape by these t-shirts and by Amazon facilitating the peddling of the t-shirts is horrific. The sexual assault and rape of women can never be funny, can never be promoted by fashion and cannot be accepted within our society.  We blame the rape culture that has made t-shirts like this acceptable. We ask Amazon to reflect on the fact that rape is violence against women and children!  

Helen Crawford, Legal Advisor to Feminist Avengers explained “The United Nations recognises that violence against women and girls takes many forms and is widespread throughout the globe.  It includes rape, domestic violence, harassment at work, abuse in school, female genital mutilation and sexual violence in armed conflicts.  It is predominantly inflicted by men. Men’s violence and abuse is a major barrier against women’s equality and liberation. The right of women and girls to live free of violence from men’s violence and abuse is inalienable and fundamental.  Women are not commodities to be bought and sold. It is enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law.  There is a pandemic of violence and rape against women and girls; we only ask that women are not violated and humiliated by men’s violence and abuse. Excusing rape as bad manners harms all women and dismisses the fact that rape constitutes inhumane and degrading treatment and torture of women, which is a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

 “The direct actions of the Feminist Avengers are based on their anger and their struggle for women’s liberation.”

 Amazon page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Calm-Black-Jersey-T-Shirt/dp/B007DO7J6E/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_t_1_4NH4

How to make a review – click here you can either give the t-shirt one star or five stars (you can’t give none) and write a review either under your own name or create a new account.

Avengers are found on Twitter @avengerfeminist the hashtag we use is #feministavengers  

Get out our space!

Boudicca Iceni, Feminist Avenger was asked “why are you a feminist avenger?  Don’t you like men“.  And this is her response.

“Firstly, read this tumblr blog here”

“Just on this blog alone brings me to want to be a Feminist Avenger.  This is a common phenomenon women have to put up with on buses and trains, strangers, men, strange men telling us to smile and  asking us “what we are reading?”  Look no offence cupcake, we just are not that into you and we don’t want to talk to you!  No really!!  We really don’t want to talk to you, not EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last time this happened to me an elderly orthodox jewish gentleman came to my rescue by asking about my “husband” after being asked several times about my book and where was I going by a man I had never met in my life he also pressed his leg against my leg. I wanted to hit him with my kindle – I didn’t. The elderly gentleman was being helpful and knew exactly what was going on and could see I was uncomfortable by the nosey strange man..

I then found myself talking to the nice strange man about my (mythical) husband.  So I find myself talking nonsense to a nice strange man to stop the weird strange man from talking to me!  I just wanted to read my book.

Maybe the Feminist Avengers need to be riding on buses and trains like Guardian Angels of 1980s New York asking men to get out of women’s space and STOP asking them about their books!!  It’s not a mobile Book Group  AND as women we have the right to look grumpy and not to smile on command -we are not performing monkeys and leave our legs alone!

So if you see any women on a bus or train looking like this –

 then you know the FEMINIST AVENGERS have taken to the streets and creepy weirdo men with over interest in books and their male privilege and entitlement better watch out!!
You are warned!!!!

The Order of the Lady Finger to Matt Bendoris

Ha ha ha “feminist avengers” are popping up all over the place and Clara Zetkin seems to get about.  Copycat avenging is happening all over the place.  Wouldn’t it be great if feminists took action all over the world at everyday sexism, misogyny and rape culture.

Feminist Avengers received information about this action – Matt Bendoriss has been awarded a “lady finger” and certificate from the Order of the Lady Finger.

Well done that feminist avenger.

If you want to take action against everyday sexism, misogyny and rape culture take action ensuring that

1. you are safe 
2. stay anonymous – we are an underground guerrilla movement
3. don’t get into trouble – women have enough troubles without creating trouble for ourselves
4. let the Feminist Avengers know by emailing us on avengerfeminist@gmail.com or tweet @avengerfeminist and use the hashtag #feministavengers
5. take a photo

 

 

Fuckwit Friday. Fuckwit of the Week goes to Sun journalist Matt Bendoris

MATT BENDORIS IS FEMINIST AVENGER’S FIRST FUCKWIT OF THE WEEK!

Matt Bendoris, Fuckwit of the Week for everyday sexism of the highest order

Gosh!  Matt Bendoris, could you be more of a fuckwit?  Could you be more of a sexist weirdo fuckwit?  Probably you could be – sigh!  Everyday sexism reigns in The Sun and with this interview Matt Bendoris proves it.

What were you thinking when you wrote that piece of sexist drivel about Nicola Bendetti, Mr Bendoris?  The very talented violinist Benedetti? We know you work for the sun but come on!  Are you a parody of yourself?

Matt Bendoris has the privilege to interview Ms Bendetti and what does he talk about?  Rihanna!!  And then as the “Chief Features Editor” goes on to describe her tummy, long legs and sandals!  Peleeeese!!!!  Is this journalism nowadays?

He asks her stupid questions about Rihanna and then describes Benedetti as “tightly strung as a Stradivarius when pop babe Rihanna’s name crops up and when she puts a flea in his ear , she “suddenly flies off on one”.  Typical hysterical woman.

Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti

He then states “So I guess Nicola won’t be posing for the lads’ mags anytime soon. Pity, because she looks fit as a fiddle when we meet at Edinburgh’s plush Sheraton Hotel”  The poor woman – imagine having to sit and talk to him anywhere, never mind a “plush” hotel  (we think he’s saying look at me, look at me – I’m in a plush hotel – high five – with a beautiful talented woman).

Ignoring the fact that she is a world famous violinist he feels the need to describe what she is wearing “the classical musician is wearing skinny jeans which show off her long legs. She’s also busty with a washboard flat tummy, tottering around 5ft 10in in her Dune platform wedges”  WTF?  Looks like this poor woman needed the Feminist Avengers to bust into the Sheraton to save her from this creepy weirdo fuckwit!!  We are just so sorry we didn’t know!

An anteater – we like anteaters so thought we would put up a picture of one

Bendoris then goes on to insult Benedetti’s looks by stating “But Nicola doesn’t always take the bonniest photo — she’s beaky in pics sometimes, which is weird because in the flesh she’s an absolute knock-out”.  Sounds like he thought she was an anteater or something and then shock horror finds out she is a good looking woman (one only wishes that an anteater had turned up for the interview – that would have been brilliant, but the Feminist Avengers don’t see many anteaters about nowadays, more’s the pity, so maybe not).

So Matt Bendoris the Feminist Avengers think you are a FUCKWIT – treat women with respect and ditch the everyday sexism when interviewing talented women.  So on FUCKWIT FRIDAY we nominate you Mr. Matt Bendoris FUCKWIT of the week!!

Read the fuckwit’s article here

Pink pens pushing the patriarchy

Feminist Avengers take action against BIC’s pink and purple pens designed “just for her”

 Feminist Avengers mocked the pink and purple pens – why because women don’t need special pens we need to live a world without the patriarchy and special pens ain’t gonna help us do that!!

“Designed to fit comfortably in a woman’s hand” comes in an “attractive barrel design available in pink and purple”.  Ah shucks!!  It even guarantees smooth writing not bumpy boy writing but smooth lady writing.  Hallelujah women’s liberation through smooth pink writing.  One can only imagine what Mary Wollstonecraft might have achieved if only she had a BIC pink or purple pen that guaranteed “smooth writing” when writing her  300 page appeal, “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” Read it here

Mary Wollstonecraft, Feminist Avenger from the 18th Century – didn’t have pink BIC pen such was her oppression!

Feminist Avengers from all over the globe riduculed these quite frankly daft pens!!  It’s capitalism got mad, we tell you!

Website Amazon has been flooded with hundreds of reviews from women, who managed to successfully navigate their computer keyboards to express their appreciation.

One happy customer, called bookfiend, wrote: “Before these pens, I was nothing. I was a mere inconsequential woman, stumbling around writing nonsense with big pens that made me look ridiculous.

“I could barely write my name without having to sit down afterwards- it’s nine letters long and thus really takes it out of me when writing with a normal pen designed for men.

“But now… the whole world looks different. I cannot recommend this pen enough. It won’t just change your handwriting. It will change your life.”

Ingrid Moon said: “These pens actually make me feel liberated! At last my delicate feminine needs and tastes are being considered!”

One contrite reviewer, calling herself Sparklepony, said: “When I saw these I just had to have them, so I asked my Husband to buy them for me.

“He refused, as he said that owning a pen might make me Think, and then have Ideas Of My Own. Then I might start to Write, which would take time away from my wifely duties such as Cooking, Cleaning, and Bearing Children.

“Of course he was Absolutely Right, none of these tasks require a pen, and so I have to give these one star.”

Kitchenwench wrote: “I was recently given a box of these as a gift from my husband, but I have no idea what to do with them!

“They’re too thin to make a good rolling pin. I can’t ladle out my soups with them. And the tiny point doesn’t even make a dent when I try to use one to chop veggies!

“I don’t get it. If I can’t use it in the kitchen, what the hell am I supposed to do with one???”

The website section suggesting “tags” associated with the pens include “soft brained woman”, “delicate flowers”, “small lady hands” and “sexist”.

Other thoughtful users were moved to point out the pitfalls of the products.

MJ wrote: “I don’t use pens much – mostly to write the name of my crush on a piece of paper and draw hearts around it.”

Sparkle Kitten Girl (we suspect this is NOT her real name!) writes “Wow!! Where do I start?! I just can’t believe that I somehow managed to get by my whole life using boy-coloured pens which are made for boy hands! The BIC For Her Amber Medium Ballpoint Pen (in pink) has made such a difference to my life. Just last week I had to sign my name, but I had one of those regular boy pens, and I got all the letters muddled up and they weren’t even all on the page! LOLs! But when I tried writing my name today it was just incredible!!! All the letters were in the right order, The first letter was bigger and capitalised, they sat neatly on the line on the page, and they all fitted on the page! It took me a whole 12 minutes less too, and now I can dedicate all this spare time to cooking, hoovering, ironing, and vajazzling my noo-nah *giggles*”

Another, clearly more used to purchasing BIC razors, worried: “These are absolutely rubbish at hair removal. Would not buy again. Now my legs and pits are really overgrown and I’m worried everyone will think I’m a feminist

Feminist Avengers put the fun in fundamental.  take action against the patriarchy where ever you find it!

Just remember to tell us about it on @avengerfeminist using the hashtag #feministavengers on Twitter or email avengerfeminist@gmail.com

Read the reviews here

Rapists, Beware: Detroit Prosecutor IDs 21 Attackers in ‘Rape Kit’ Investigation

Who says there isn’t a rape culture when police in Detroit in the USA did nothing with “rape kits” when they took DNA swabs from rape victims.

It took one woman, Kym Worthy to challenge the ignoring of the rape victims – she found the kits, demanded they were dusted down and found 21 serial rapists. 

Looks like Kym Worthy is a Feminist Avenger! Well done Kym Avenger for all her industrious endevours to bring rapists to trail and hold them accountable.

Kym Worthy, Prosecutor in Detroit and Feminist Avenger

 

In one especially horrific case, Worthy says, a convicted rapist named Shelly Andre Brooks had raped and murdered five women after raping a woman whose kit was just recently entered into the database through Worthy’s initiative. If that rape kit had been tested and entered into the database sooner, the man could have been caught sooner—and five women’s lives could have been saved. “That’s why it’s so horrible, this whole thing,” Worthy says.”

Read more about the work of Kym Worthy here

 

Feminist Avengers visit George Galloway MP

Today  Ethel MacDonald, Artistic Director for the Feminist Avengers stated: “The Feminist Avengers call for other feminists to tell George that we think his attitude to rape and the sexual abuse of women stinks and invite him to “go fuck himself” and send a courgette through the post to him at his constituency office. Perhaps with a note “Excuse my sexual etiquette, but go fuck yourself, Galloway”. 

Clara Zetkin, Spokesperson for the Feminist Avengers, raged about George Galloway, RESPECT MP when he disrespectively spoke out in support of Saint Julian of Assange, and like many of his supporters, has chosen to present his arguments as a rape apologist!

Ms Zetkin today said “Feminist Avengers are  incredulous  that during Galloway’s the thirty-minute podcast ,  scarily named “Good Night with George Galloway”   stated: “Even taken at its worst, if the allegations made by these two women were true, 100 percent true, and even if a camera in the room captured them, they don’t constitute rape……at least not rape as anyone with any sense can possibly recognise it“.

He goes  on to say ‘Not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion.’  We are raging that he dismisses women’s experiences so lightly. He splits hairs that the word rape is being misappropriated in the St Julian of Assange case. After all, the claims are about inserting one’s penis into a woman’s vagina when she was asleep without a condom on. It is alleged that St Julian of Assange had consensual sex with the woman plus condom earlier on in the evening; therefore according to Mr Galloway and St Julian’s several supporters, this negates any need for consent or condom wearing in the future. Galloway went on to state that St Julian’s alleged behaviour is ” ‘something which can happen’. As a matter of fact, it precisely is not something that can happen without someone doing it! Mr Galloway accuses that using the word rape in the allegations against St Julian of Assange as ‘not rape, or you bankrupt the term rape of all meaning’. Mr Galloway’s evangelical belief in and support for St Julian of Assange, and his demeaning of women’s experiences of unwanted, non-consensual sex is completely bankrupt (sic) and harmful to all women”.

“We call on feminist avengers all over to take action against Galloway, and correct his wrong explanation of rape and sexual assault”.

Rani Lakshmibai , International Secretariat of Situationist Internationale stated “the spectacle of belittling rape and sexual assault of women creates a global language and a global culture that means the violation and abuse of women becomes normal. Women have a human right to consent to have sex. “Insertions” into their bodies, without consent – implicit or explicit – constitute rape. George Galloway the British MP has tried to play with words and in doing so has harmed women. We fully support the Feminist Avengers in their action in saying “fuck you, rape apologist”.   

Helen Crawford, Legal Advisor to Feminist Avengers explained “The United Nations recognises that violence against women and girls takes many forms and is widespread throughout the globe.  It includes rape, domestic violence, harassment at work, abuse in school, female genital mutilation and sexual violence in armed conflicts.  It is predominantly inflicted by men. Men’s violence and abuse is a major barrier against women’s equality and liberation. The right of women and girls to live free of violence from men’s violence and abuse is inalienable and fundamental.  Women are not commodities to be bought and sold. It is enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law.  There is a pandemic of violence and rape against women and girls; we only ask that women are not violated and humiliated by men’s violence and abuse. Excusing rape as bad manners harms all women and dismisses the fact that rape constitutes inhumane and degrading treatment and torture of women, which is a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is against women’s human rights to describe rape and sexual assault as poor sexual etiquette”

“The direct actions of the Feminist Avengers are based on their anger and their struggle for women’s liberation. The invitation “to fuck yourself” is indeed only an invitation but also a invitation to be more responsible in deciding to redefine rape as poor manners”

Feminist Avengers took action against comedians performing tin the Edinburgh Fringe and Edinburgh Free Fringe see https://feministavenger.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/feminist-avengers-take-to-the-fringe-2/Feminist

Avengers are found on Twitter @avengerfeminist the hashtag we use is #feministavengers

 

Do you laugh at rape jokes?

Great blog piece on rape jokes.

http://www.fem2pt0.com/2012/07/12/do-you-laugh-at-rape-jokes/

and then Russel Brand thinks it is funny calling Rape Crisis phoneline.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2008/jul/16/russellbrand

FEMINIST AVENGERS TAKE TO THE FRINGE

Angry feminists in Scotland fed up with rape jokes at the Edinburgh Fringe and Free Fringe decided to take direct action against comedians who think that making jokes about rape, gang rape, sexual abuse, sexual torture and prostitution is funny. Feminist Avengers have sent comedians who have been telling misogynistic jokes about rape a courgette, together with a note saying: “Did you ever hear about the comedian who told rape jokes? He was told to go fuck himself”.

Clara Zetkin, Feminist Avenger Spokesperson today said: “It is estimated that 1 billion women and girls on our planet have been raped –  this is not a laughing matter. Rape is never funny, it is a horrific crime of violence and violation. However we have a culture in the Edinburgh Fringe and Free Fringe; a rape culture where jokes about rape are the norm. Rape jokes are an everyday occurrence at the Edinburgh Fringe and Free Fringe. Rape jokes are told every day on Twitter and Facebook. As a group of radical feminists we have a great sense of humour; but making comedy out of violence against women makes us angry. We decided that we would take action and send the comedians a courgette with a short note suggesting they “go fuck themselves”.

Olympe de Gouge, the Director of Situationist Internationale (Scottish Chapter) stated “the spectacle of laughing at the rape of women creates a language and a culture that means the violation and abuse of women becomes normal. Women are seen to be used and abused and to be humiliated and mocked. To be bought and sold. We fully support the Feminist Avengers in their action in saying “fuck you rape apologist” and “fuck you everyone who laughs”.

Helen Crawford, Legal Advisor to Feminist Avengers explained “The United Nations recognises that violence against women and girls takes many forms and is widespread throughout the globe.  It includes rape, domestic violence, harassment at work, abuse in school, female genital mutilation and sexual violence in armed conflicts.  It is predominantly inflicted by men. It is a major barrier against women’s equality and liberation. The right of women and girls to live free of violence is inalienable and fundamental.  Women are not commodities to be bought and sold. It is enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law.  There is a pandemic of violence and rape against women and girls; we only ask that women are not violated and humiliated. Laughing at rape means laughing at the inhumane and degrading treatment and torture of women, which is a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is a breach of women’s human rights to laugh at rape.”

“The direct actions of the Feminist Avengers are based on their anger and their struggle for women’s equality. The invitation “to fuck yourself” is indeed only an invitation but also a invitation to be more responsible in deciding to make rape jokes.”

Courgettes were delivered to the following comedians

Jim Jefferies, Chris Turner, Chris Dangerfield, Paul Revill and Jimmy Carr. 

 Courgette and letter sent to comedians making rape jokes.

Further information can be found here – source Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/17/heard-one-about-rape-funny-now

Twitter account: https://twitter.com/FemAvenger