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I AM NOT A WOMAN AT YOUR DISPOSAL!

Friday, October 23, 2009



I AM NOT A WOMAN AT YOUR DISPOSAL!
by quino, published in la repubblica yesterday, 
now the symbol of massive protests against berlusconi

mafalda is a thoughtful, feminist little girl - she is argentina's best known comic character, she is concerned about world peace and social justice, and she is a fervent hater of soup. she's been around for more than 50 years, along with her gang of friends, and she came back yesterday to join thousands in protest against the outrageous sexism of italian prime minister silvio berlusconi.

in a televised debate with rosy bindi, a political leader of the opposition, berlusconi dismissed her with:

you are more beautiful than you are intelligent

she spat back:

I AM NOT A WOMAN AT YOUR DISPOSAL!

the outrage has spread quickly, with protests mounting. hats, t-shirts and other paraphernalia with bindi's phrase are becoming popular.

ireland's irish times has said that berlusconi "disturbed the slumbering dragon of Italian feminism which, for all that it was radical and outspoken in the Sixties and Seventies, has almost disappeared from the stage of public life in the last 20 years."

thanks to desobediencia y felicidad and clarín for the heads up on this. if i can find the time i'll try to dig up some more links or translate some more about this over the next few days.

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