The Occupy movement is about equality. Its primary aim is to create a more just world economically, but socially, too, for economic justice and social justice are inextricably linked. The specific focus of each local group may be somewhat different, but Occupiers share a distrust of corporations and financial institutions and concern for erosion of democracy. Globally, this movement suggests another world – another way of doing politics – is possible, as protesters visualize and plan for one.
If you think the Occupy movement has been lying low since they were kicked out of Zuccotti Park last fall, you’re wrong. They’re still going strong, helping New York and New Jersey recover from Hurricane Sandy. Occupy Sandy is a coalition from Occupy Wall Street, 350.org, recovers.org and interoccupy.net. Another off-shoot of Occupy Wall Street started the Rolling Jubilee, a project that buys debt for pennies on the dollar and abolishes it, instead of collecting it. It’s basically the people’s bailout.
If we want to see a new way of menstruating – open, without shame, like Chris wrote about earlier this week, with honest talk Heather has called for, without the the moral panic Breanne’s students reported at NWSA— we must Occupy Menstruation. Even the parts we hate. I like to think all of re:Cycling is part of the Occupation, along with #periodtalk and others who break the silence.
And it wouldn’t hurt if we followed Max’s example above, and protested the economic injustice of it as well.
Love this. For my blog I wrote on the idea of “Occupy Yourself” – a phrase that went around for a while at the height of attention on the Occupy movement. I explored the meanings given but my own personal understanding is that we should question all of our culturally-given beliefs, be vigilant and critical. For me Occupying Myself came about through coming off the pill and having this consciousness expanding and radicalizing experience as a result – I felt more connected with my “self” and more present and connected to the world than I had in years and I had my eyes opened to this massive injustice that permeated so much of my experience of life.
https://sweeteningthepill.blogspot.com/2012/01/occupy-yourself.html
Hilarious clip. I don’t watch this show – this scene was inspired.
Like Holly, I love the concept of Occupy Your Period, and how it applies to what we do at re:Cycling. Next time I tell someone about the blog I’m going to say, “Think Occupy Menstruation. That’s what we do at re:Cycling several times a week.”