Femen – Toplessness as a Form of Protest

This coming Sunday is Women’s Equality Day and also, Go Topless Day. On August 26th 1920 women earned the right to vote based on Gender Equality. Today women still face gender equality issues and Go Topless Day seeks to bring awareness to inequities.  The group, Femen makes going topless, a form of protest against patriarchy. There are Femen branches throughout the world including Spain, the United States, Sweden and South Korea.

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History & Politics of Women’s Fashion

KBCS producer Yuko Kodama spoke with actress and historian, Tames Alan about the intersection of women’s fashion and politics in 19th Century.

Day 1
Tames Alan talks about fashion in the mid-19th century.

Day 2
History shows fashion and unequal laws weighed women down in the 1800’s. But determined women fought for their rights starting with their right to property. Tames Alan explains the intersection between the cloths women wore and how women were viewed.

Day 3
World War I signaled a turning point in women’s fashion. The clothes women wore to high society tea parties were no longer functional for women’s new roles as war nurses. Tames Alan discusses this big change.

Day 4
World War I had enormous influence on women’s rights. Tames Alan talks about how women’s roles in keeping a country going without a large portion of its men pushed them closer to the right to vote.

Day 5
1920’s fashion is said to be some of the most radical social expression of the 20th century. Tames Alan explains how flapper fashion was a political and social statement.

Women’s Equality Day

ENCORE BROADCAST – Women’s Equality Day is August 26th. It marks the day in 1920 when women were officially given the right to vote as part of the US constitution. This week, we revisit our conversations with local women about feminism.

• Episode 1 & 2 – University of Washington graduate,  Hamdi Mohammed speaks with KBCS Producer, Yuko Kodama about how perspectives on Feminism
• Episode 3 & 4 – KBCS News Director Sonya Green speaks with Founder of the immigrant advocacy organization, One America and a candidate for state Senate,  Pramila Jayapal about current women’s equality and rights activities.
• University of Washington Student, Monica Mendoza Castrejon shares what women’s equality means to her as a Chicana.

Music by Rushus “Magic of Fog”