PLAIN TRUTH: Is it time for us to rethink these naked protests?
NASA supporter protest along Haile Selassie Avenue on October 11, 2017 calling for reforms in IEBC. Before you strip naked out in the streets though, ask yourself if your nudity will serve a fruitful purpose. PHOTO| RAPHAEL NJOROGE
What you need to know:
- Social media and the blogs gobbled this piece of ‘news’ up. A few days later, a politician was recorded saying, ‘Kesho nataka kuona chupi za akina mama,” (Tomorrow, I want women to go out and show their under-wear) amidst cheering from his supporters.
- Traditionally, a woman stripping naked in protest was an effective weapon – often more powerful than putting up a physical fight. Recently though, both the media and the people at the helm of these protests are using women to draw attention.
- Will it further the agenda at hand or will become a side show drawing attention from the issue you are trying to draw attention to? What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve?
A few weeks ago, journalists at a local television station were caught off guard when, during live coverage of the protests that have been going on around the country, a woman suddenly pulled down her trouser and underwear and bent over, bearing her all for everyone to see.
Social media and the blogs gobbled this piece of ‘news’ up. A few days later, a politician was recorded saying, ‘Kesho nataka kuona chupi za akina mama,” (Tomorrow, I want women to go out and show their under-wear) amidst cheering from his supporters. The next day, more women taking part in the protests stripped. Again, the blogs and social media made a spectacle of them. Pictures and videos of them naked made the rounds with little mention of the issues that they were protesting about.
I think that the naked woman’s body is a powerful statement. Women know this and have, for a long time, stripped naked to draw attention to social issues such as the fight for democracy, to defend their land, in the fight for more protection for victims of gender based violence and even for their rights to show their nipples on Twitter.
Traditionally, a woman stripping naked in protest was an effective weapon – often more powerful than putting up a physical fight. Recently though, both the media and the people at the helm of these protests are using women to draw attention. Because a naked women is bound to draw attention, they welcome the idea of her stripping without minding the kind of attention this will receive, and if it will minimise the cause and turn it into a caricature.
There is nothing wrong with protests. If you feel that you aren’t being heard, then do not hesitate to speak up. Before you strip naked out in the streets though, ask yourself if your nudity will serve a fruitful purpose.
Will it further the agenda at hand or will become a side show drawing attention from the issue you are trying to draw attention to? What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve? Is stripping naked the best way for you to achieve this? If the answer is yes, then by all means, go for it.
Media attention without any tangible results to your cause is not worth stripping for. Don’t let the media and blogs use your nudity to get traffic.
Unless you can change the minds of the decision makers or get the public to come aboard your cause, stripping naked in protest is just allowing people to objectify and ogle you. Think.
