Eve Ensler and “Congo Stigmata”
We were extremely distressed to read Eve Ensler’s article The Congo Stigmata in Talk this morning. We have grave concerns about her appropriation of the physical damage and trauma of Congolese women caused by gang rape with her own experiences of cancer.
We encourage everyone to read this storify of tweets compiled Mikki Kendall which fully explains the quite serious problems with Ensler’s article. We also recommend this open letter to Ensler written by Lauren Chief Elk on the erasure of the activism of Indigenous women in Canada by the One Billion Rising campaign. Both of these are extremely important analyses of the white saviour complex and the appropriation of the experiences and lives of women of colour for publicity.
We are going to highlight a few of the major concerns we have below:
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The appropriation of the experiences of Congolese women to promote her campaign.
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The use of medical procedures as a form of entertainment.
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Consent: both in terms of wondering if Ensler had consent from the woman whose operation she witnessed and the appropriateness of consent considering the implications of power imbalances.
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The glorification of the damage caused by gang rape to the bodies of Congolese Women.
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The dehumanisation of Congolese women.
We will not end male violence against women and children by resorting to the same White Saviour constructions that have caused irreparable damages to billions of people across the world. We cannot end violence against women and children until we recognise the humanity of all of us; this article reduces Congolese women to bodies and holes. That isn’t recognising their humanity; it is replicating the same power structures of the White Supremacy.
Added by Admin 10.54am 12.12.13:
This piece has just been brought to our attention and is a must read:
One Billion Rising, Eve Ensler and the contradictions of carceral feminisms
‹ Festive police campaigns, rape and drink driving An 11 year old girl has a “romantic” relationship with a 60 year old man ›
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[…] Eve Ensler and Congo Stigmata […]
[…] Via Everyday Victim Blaming: Eve Ensler and “Congo Stigmata” http://everydayvictimblaming.com/news/eve-ensler-and-congo-stigmata/ […]
[…] First – and biggest issue – is that I am white woman living in the UK. The Black Feminists I follow are already sick to the back teeth of white people ‘analysing’ their experiences when they are more than competent to do this themselves. Their analysis would be much more powerful than anything my own gut is likely to contribute because they understand this stuff from the inside and have to live it every day. It’s their voices that need to be heard, not mine, particularly and especially since the offending tweet was posted the day after this. […]
Hear hear, Congolese women and girls are not disembodied objects to be studied and minutely dissected by Eve Enslor. Enslor is imitating men’s common belief that all women and girls are dehumanised objects and therefore can be subjected to systemic male dehumanisation and harm because ‘no human was harmed!’
Enslor’s extract is imitating mens’ pornography and Enslor sadly demonstrates she lacks even basic feminist theory.
[…] Eve Ensler and “Congo Stigmata” (everydayvictimblaming). This was a shockingly ill-thoughtout comparison. I thought so much better of Ensler. […]
[…] Eve Ensler and “Congo Stigmata” […]
[…] Eve Ensler and “Congo Stigmata” (everydayvictimblaming). This was a shockingly ill-thoughtout comparison. I thought so much better of Ensler. […]