Feminism

12 11 2009

we can do it

This post by Achelois, or rather the comments, reminded me of the problems we encounter regarding the word, or concept of ”feminism”. There are nowadays a lot of different interpretations of what it means, and especially there is a lot of shying away from the word itself. Why is that?

It seems to me that here has been a fairly succesful attack on the concept of feminism, with the result that most women who truly are feminists in the original sense, feel constantly compelled to regularly add the comment: ”I am not a feminist”.  Sorry, but all the intelligent women I have met in Blogsphere àre feminists.
Any woman who insists she has a mind of her own, who does not want her intelligence diminished by artificial patriarchal or religious misogynism is a feminist in the true sense of the word.

Feminism stands for women’s rights.
What can be so bad about this that women who also stand for women’s rights have to denounce the suspicion that they too are ”Feminist”?

Let’s recapitulate, feminism  stands for human rights for women.
Such as:

  • the right to vote,
  • the right to be educated,
  • the right of reproduction, both having children, or using contraceptives to avoid having children,
  • the right to own property,
  • the right to be an individual,
  • the right of bodily integrity and autonomy,
  • the right to work,
  • the right to be protected against violence, abuse, sexual harassment and rape,
  • the right of equality to men,
  • the right of equal pay for equal work,
  • the right to get medical assistance,
  • the right to be protected against gender-specific discrimination
  • the right to choose religion
  • the right to speak out

These rights are still not fully established in what is generally called ”The West” and the rest of the world is way behind. Because ”The West” happen to be those societies which where most succesful towards gaining some of these humanitarian rights for women, people from other societies on the planet like to point out that these basic human rights are not suitable for their cultures or religions and that therefore they do not need to heed them. Moreover, they claim ”feminism” is an evil ”western” influence.
I beg to differ.
These ”feminist” rights are human rights, which apply to any human, any woman and any culture. When ”culture” disagrees with feminism, culture is wrong. When a religion disagrees with women’s rights, religion is wrong.
As the different cultures and religions of the ”West” were wrong when they disregarded the rights of women. As the misogynist cultures and religions of ”The West” had to give up their misogynist ways to the demands for equality and human rights by strong intelligent and organised women, so can the faults of other cultures be amended by women and men if they are strong enough.

And that’s a good thing. Not a bad thing. Feminism is a good thing.





Baghdad burning

2 11 2009

I want to share this video’s with you. Heartrending story of a woman ”Riverbend” in Bagdad, and heartrending but beautiful artwork by Danijel Zezelj. It’s narrated in German, beautifully by Sherin Zayed, but with English subtitles.





Barbarians!

1 11 2009

Another year has passed, another Barbarian festival. Last night I went with some friends to ”Muziek theater Romein” in Leeuwarden for another ”Barbaars” heavy metal concert. And this time I managed to make some acceptable photos. We were late. We had a nice dinner at M’s, and then drove to the city of Leeuwarden. So we missed the first band, and as one of the other bands didn’t turn up, we saw three bands. And Waw! Were they good!

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The first band was my fovorite; Methusalem. Great music, great musicians, and a great singer!
Check them out on mySpace.

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The next band was Wizard, also very good!

barbarian wizard

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The last band was Freedom call.
Some of their songs were “Party-Metal” they really got the crowd going!

barbarian Freedom Call

barbarian Freedom Call1

I had a great time!

Me and the singer of Methusalem.
Or the Singer of Methusalem and me…
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Today, yesterday and the day before

26 10 2009

I made these paintings.

Read all about them on my Art blog!

24 Oktober

25 Oktober

26 Oktober





A painted diary

23 10 2009

I have started a new project, I am writing a diary, only not with the pen, but with paint.
I will post these small paintings, with a short description, every day on my art-blog.

This is 23 oktober

23 Oktober





Obama sells out democracy and freedom

23 10 2009

Well, friends it seems that Obama should not have been given the Nobel price for peace, but the Nobel prize for weaseliness selling out our hardwon rights for freedom and free speech.

To my utter amazement the Obama Administration supports the sick and anti-constitutional fascist religious insane Islamic/kolonialist ”Un-resolution to ban religious blasphemy”.

Check this video from the brilliant Pat Condell





Islam versus Cristianity, The Battle

23 10 2009





I’ve made a slideshow!

22 10 2009

Yesterday I discovered I have something called  Windows Moviemaker on my computer and I have made a slideshow of my sketches!

Which you can see at you leasure at my art blog ;)

I also have my own video channel on You-tube!





Drawing at the horse fair

21 10 2009

Yesterday morning I went to the village of Zuidlaaren. Every year, people from all over Europe flock to Zuidlaaren to sell and buy horses.
When you go you should go very early in the morning, Before 07.00. And it is usually very cold so you should get all your winterstuff out and wear it in layers! I bring a fresh sketchbook and a couple of soft pencils (The soft pencils get a lot harder in the cold)
The sketches I made will be posted at my Art Blog.

When I arrived (before 07.00) it was still dark

zuidlaardermarkt Horse fair art

Check out the murderous candy! There is a fair attached to the horse fair and many people spend the whole night there, going on the rides and doing the rounds of the café’s. I always preferred to sleep early and be comparatively fresh when setting out for a hard days work.

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Now there are a lot of really ugly, badly built horses. And horses which aren’t quite healthy, But then they are one of the reasons I like to sketch at the fair. And every year I fall for one of these horses! If I had some money I might actually take one home!

So… Wanna see ”The Artist at Work?”
Go to my Art Blog where I also post videos of ”The Artist at Work”

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The black Frisians are always hugely popular. But the breeding lately seems to aim at a very slender narrow horse. I don’t like it at all; I like the more compact broadly build Frisian. They always carry their head very proudly.

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Norwegian Fjord Horses. Very popular in the Netherlands for those who are not all out to ride competitions, but prefert o ramble around nature.

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After being put there since night not all horses are resigned tobeing tied down.

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There are big horses and small horses.

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Drawing a draughthorse

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The village is absolutely Packed with humans and horses. It’s a miracle no accidents happen.

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A couple of Belgian heavy draughthorses.

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Warmblood ridinghorses, all very young still, basically foals.

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Invitation

18 10 2009

I want to invite everybody to my new Art-blog!
It is getting the right shape by now and I have put up an ( I hope) interesting post on a portrait of my horse Rabhar.

rabhar-millenium halter

I plan this to be my primary blog in the future, featuring the sketch of the day, and regular updates onmy work as an artist and the work I’m doing.
Clouddragon will remain and feature weekly rants :twisted: but I am after all an artist, and I am very much better again, and I am back at work!

I hope to see you at my Art-blog.