World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 annually. In many places worldwide, including T&T, there is still a stigma attached to persons who have HIV and AIDS. Convener of the CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) Committee of T&T (CCoTT), Terry Ince, said the Convention has several articles … Continue reading
Tagged with social justice …
Girl Be Heard comes to T&T (January 15, 2017)
Spoken word poetry is becoming increasingly popular in allowing young people to express the challenges they face. The latest initiative in T&T is the international pilot program of Girl Be Heard (GBH), a women-led empowerment program which uses socially conscious theatre-making to develop, amplify and celebrate the voices of young women. Director of Global Partnerships, … Continue reading
He For She Campaign: 10,000 men asked to stand up against abuse of women (August 23, 2015)
Around the world, the 25th of each month is celebrated as ‘Orange Day’, as part of a call by the United Nations Secretary General for organizations to reaffirm their commitment to ending violence against women and girls by wearing orange. As part of the observation of this day in August, the Network of NGOs of … Continue reading
Hollaback! tries to end Street Harassment (August 16, 2015)
Founder of Hollaback! Trinidad, Cherry Boodhan, 28, said street harassment is a form of sexual harassment that takes place in public spaces, typically against women and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) persons. She believes “it’s gender-based violence that should be stopped as it makes the target feel intimidated and scared to walk the streets.” Street … Continue reading
Khadiha Sinanan: Helping Young People Talk About Sex (August 9, 2015)
I enjoyed doing this interview with Khadija Sinanan, in August 2015, because it was awesome to be able to show that young persons in T&T were being respected and had a voice. It was also exciting to highlight issues and topics that are important but too often are whispered about but never really spoken … Continue reading
US judge: Gay rights are human rights (June 22, 2015)
Trinidad-born, US-based Judge G Helen Whitener says the rights of LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) people are human rights and they are asking for respect and the right to be themselves without being persecuted. Judge Whitener, who is openly gay, sits on the Pierce County Superior Court, the highest trial court in … Continue reading
Rapists, Beware: Detroit Prosecutor IDs 21 Attackers in ‘Rape Kit’ Probe – The Daily Beast
We need women like this in legislatures all over the world… and especially here in T&T, people who will make a fuss until something is done. “When Worthy learned of the Detroit pileup from the colleague who discovered it by chance, she says, she demanded immediate action from the police chief at the time. “No … Continue reading
A Testimonial about Street Harassment
Originally posted on happyparadox:
It happens all the time. You don’t have to be a beautiful, voluptuous woman to have a douchebag gawk at you from across the street or be followed and constantly worry about strange men clicking pictures. Being a woman will do. Walking alone is a mini adventure of its own. Yesterday was a…
Comments on an open letter to Senator St. Rose Greaves
This open letter to Senator St. Rose Greaves was sent to Verna St. Rose Greaves by the CatchAFyah Caribbean Feminist Movement while she was still Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development and a Senator in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The Network, which is a regional group of feminists, wrote to Verna St. Rose Greaves … Continue reading
We’re all sex workers, aren’t we?
“I have sex, just like you. I just have it for money. You don’t do that? Really? So how did you get that Blackberry? That fancy car? Or that fancy dinner I heard you talking about last night?” This is an imaginary conversation that came out of a session that was held during a media … Continue reading