Alexandra Shevchenko

Alexandra Shevchenko
Олександра Шевченко

Alexandra Shevchenko - Paris 31 Mar 2012
Born (1988-04-24) April 24, 1988
Khmelnytskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Occupation Feminist Activist
Movement FEMEN

Alexandra Shevchenko (Ukrainian: Олександра Шевченко; (literally) Olexandra Shevchenko) is a high-profile founder member of the Ukrainian feminist protest group FEMEN, which regularly makes headline news across the world for demonstrating topless against all manifestations of patriarchy, especially dictatorship, religion, and the sex industry.[1][2]

Early life

Shevchenko was born and grew up in Khmelnytskyi (in Ukraine).[3]

FEMEN

17 Apr 2010. Shevchenko (right) and Inna Shevchenko prepare for the 2010 Kiev campaign

Anna Hutsol formed FEMEN in Kiev on 10 April 2008, with her two friends from their hometown of Khmelnytskyi, Shevchenko and Oksana Shachko.[4] They initially protested about issues effecting women students, but rapidly moved on to demonstrating against the sexual exploitation of Ukrainian women.[5] It was in late August 2009 that Oksana Shachko became the first member of the group to bare her breasts during a protest, but it was not until 2010 that this approach became the usual tactic in FEMEN demonstrations, justified on the grounds that without the media attention generated by topless protests their message would not be heard.[6]

In 2011 international news agencies started to pay more attention to this unusual group of Feminist protesters,[7][8]

10 Apr 2010. Shevchenko in Kiev celebrates 2 years of FEMEN

In late 2011 Shevchenko, along with Inna Shevchenko and Jenia Kraizman, took their protest onto the international stage.[9] On 31 October 2011 they demonstrated dressed as French maids in Paris against Dominique Strauss-Kahn,[10] on 5 November 2011 they protested against Silvio Berlusconi in Rome,[11] the following day they protested against the Pope outside St. Peters,[12] and on 10 November protested against prostitution in Zurich.[13] On 9 December 2011 Shevchenko was in Moscow demonstrating against Vladimir Putin outside Christ the Saviour Cathedral.[14]

8 Jun 2012. Shevchenko (right) prepares for anti-Euro 2012 protest

In 2013 Shevchenko established a training facility for FEMEN Germany in Berlin.

On 9 February 2013 Shevchenko protested against female genital mutilation at the Berlin Film Festival - she had the words 'Stop Cutting my Pussy' written across her bare chest.

On 6 March 2013, FEMEN activists (including Shevchenko) in cooperation with French writer Galia Ackerman released their first book called 'FEMEN' published by Calmann-Lévy in French.[15]

Late August 2013 Shevchenko and fellow FEMEN-members claimed to have fled out of Ukraine ("Fearing for their lives and freedom").[16][17][18]

Bibliography

Filmography

See also

References

  1. Jeffrey Tayler (2013-03-13). "The Woman Behind Femen's Topless Protest Movement - Jeffrey Tayler". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  2. "FEMEN". FEMEN. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  3. Neufeld, Dialika (2012-05-11). "Femen Activists Get Naked to Raise Political Awareness - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  4. Garanich, Gleb. "The femen phenomenon | Photographers Blog". Blogs.reuters.com. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  5. Piotr Pogorzelski. "New Eastern Europe - Ukraine is not a Brothel". Neweasterneurope.eu. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  6. (French) Femen Les féministes venues du froid, Paris Match (18 February 2012)
  7. Bidder, Benjamin (2011-05-05). "Kiev's Topless Protestors: 'The Entire Ukraine Is a Brothel' - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  8. "Unorthodox protest in Ukraine: Indecent exposure". The Economist. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  9. "Naked ambition: Ukrainian topless protests go global — RT News". Rt.com. 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  10. "Des féministes ukrainiennes manifestent contre DSK - L'EXPRESS". Lexpress.fr. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  11. "Ukrainian Femen Protesters". Photos.independent.ie. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  12. "Bikyamasr: Ukraine woman strips at Vatican for rights, anti-Berlusconi". Kyivpost.com. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  13. "FEMEN - Zurich is not a Brothel! (NSFW)". Mizozo.com. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  14. "'Femen' Stage Naked Protest Against Putin in Moscow [PHOTOS] - IBTimes UK". Ibtimes.co.uk. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  15. "FEMEN Book (2013)". FEMEN.info. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  16. (Ukrainian) У колишньому офісі Femen відкрили книжкову крамницю In the former office Femen opened a bookstore, Ukrayinska Pravda (23 October 2013)
  17. (Ukrainian) Активістки Femen втекли з України Femen activists fled from Ukraine, Ukrayinska Pravda (31 August 2013)
  18. (Ukrainian) Femen закриє офіс в Україні, але діяльність не припинить Femen closes office in Ukraine, however, the activities do not stop, Ukrayinska Pravda (27 August 2013)
  19. "Femen Book (2013) | FEMEN / ФЕМЕН". Femen.info. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  20. "Nos seins, nos armes (2012) - Documentaire - L'essentiel - Télérama.fr". Television.telerama.fr. Retrieved 2013-09-29.

External links

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