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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism and Climate Change

271 replies

ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 22/04/2019 21:24

I've been thinking a lot about climate change recently with all the Xr protests going on. Call me naive but I really didn't realise things were that bad. I mean, I knew they were bad, but I thought we were on track to fix it. I thought we had time to fanny around with recycling and reusable coffee cups. Reading the Xr website and seeing the phrase "mass extinction event" used over and over really got to me. I thought things were going in the right direction, but it turns out we're at ground zero. My own fault for having my head in the sand and not looking deeper into it. Anyway, I was thinking about the ways this all intersects with feminism:

  1. Reproductive rights . Clearly over population is a big problem here. On the one hand, increasing access to abortion, contraception, and sex education helps with this. But any attempts to limit population growth in a more active way, such as through legislation, will necessarily infringe on women's rights. China's "single child" policy is an obvious example of this, with it's double effect of not only controlling women's reproduction but also increasing sex selective abortions/ the murder of female infants.
  1. Consumerism . Rightly or wrongly, when it comes to things like food shopping, gift buying, and fashion, women have a lot more consumer power than man. Obviously this ties into patriarchal expectations such as women being "just better" at gift buying, women doing the food shop because they're SAHPs, and pressure on women to wear the last fashion which lead to the rise of cheap "fast fashion" like Primark. Under patriarchy we earn less of the money, but in many ways have a lot more say in how it's spent.
  1. Unpaid labour . A lot of the stuff we're encouraged to do at an individual level to halt CC comes down to an increase in unpaid labour. Off the top of my head this includes sorting and cleaning things to be recycled, washing reusable nappies, researching and buying eco friendly products, and taking longer over cleaning jobs from using less effective but greener cleaning products. This increase in labour disproportionately affects women.
  1. Politics . The main green political party in this country has aligned itself against women and alienated thousands of it's female voters. Women are being excluded from women only short lists. The ability of girls to participate fully in education is being reduced. We are seeing first hand how poorly female activists are treated by the police. In short, climate change activism and feminism have a large cross over, and in many ways a lot of the power for change is in female hands, but women are being excluded at a political and social level, and being discouraged from activism. We need more power but even the small amount we have is being taken from us.

So, those were my thoughts so far. How do we re-engage women in green politics? How do we make the changes that we need to make as a society when many of those changes will disproportionately disadvantage women? How do we balance our fight for women's rights with our desire to not go extinct?

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ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 24/04/2019 23:05

I like to hope that technology might deliver but reckon it will only be adopted when our easy lives in rich countries come under direct, unpleasant threat and much damage has been done.

Not trying to make this into a trans thread, but it's basically the same problem we're having with self-ID. It won't stop until the men are inconvenienced. Same with tackling CC - we won't bother until the rich West is inconvenienced. Same story, different scale.

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Verysadpants · 24/04/2019 23:10

I wonder how reducing travel might affect women's paid work? It's fine to live near your work if you are only one person, but if you are in a couple it might be harder to find suitable jobs for two in the same location...so who will be the one to give up work, if travel costs make it uneconomic to travel to the job your not living near?

Goosefoot · 25/04/2019 03:22

"The people I’m thinking of aren’t interested in sustainable agriculture. They choose to live in the countryside for purely lifestyle reasons - thus making themselves entirely reliant on private car transport for everything - and think that keeping a few chickens and composting their veg makes them environmentally sound... "

Yeah, reliance on the car in rural communities is a problem. It used to be less of one, and I think that speaks to the directionality of it. When fewer people had cars and they were more expensive to run, communities tended to have more of their own events and resources. Fundamentally I think it's a good thing that people want to live in various kinds of communities - the problem is that we've not developed healthy communities where people can really live, they've been designed for the car, like suburbs, or hollowed out by the car like many rural areas. That has to happen for people to live anywhere sustainably.

I don't think there is any option so far as sustainable farming goes. It's an area where I don't think technology can really make the kinds of differences it tries to promise - in the end, our needs come from the Earth. That's true whether you grow meat in a lab or raise animals as part of a farm ecosystem. Tech solutions tend to be unstable as well, requiring significant infrastructure.

Goosefoot · 25/04/2019 03:29

"I wonder how reducing travel might affect women's paid work? It's fine to live near your work if you are only one person, but if you are in a couple it might be harder to find suitable jobs for two in the same location...so who will be the one to give up work, if travel costs make it uneconomic to travel to the job your not living near?"

I think this gets into rather esoteric questions like, where do jobs really come from? In the end though, don't couples and families often have to make these kinds of decisions about what makes sense for them all, with things like work, or school, or housing? People don't always end up in the work they choose either, and that seems ok to me.

amandacarnet · 25/04/2019 05:24

Many villages have changed from local people who worked and socialised locally, to people who live there and commute out for work, school and leisure. It has had a very negative impact in many villages. Because people moving in often don't want real village life, but a facsimile disnified version of it.

Socrates11 · 25/04/2019 06:49

Faaaaaaaaantastic thread 😁 Flowers

Now ten years old, the Age of Stupid is currently on iplayer. It's still an excellent watch and looks at lots of the issues discussed in this thread. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pft7f/storyville-the-age-of-stupid

Awesome director Franny Armstrong (who previously did 'McLibel', about the equally amazing Helen Steel taking on Macdonalds) can be found over on Twitter, producing short follow up films with those involved in the original film.

I always get something in my eye with the mountain guide and the disappearing glaciers, bless his heart. Pete Postlewaite is a damn legend (follow up film is with Pete's son). Can't wait to see how Layefe has got on with her dream of being a doctor. Do watch the original film if you haven't seen it already.

Regarding flights I think the frequent flyer levy would be a good idea although I think one tax free flight a year may be a little frequent! Maybe one free every two or five years, but that would be a right mare to keep track of. And what about private plane use...anyhow link to website that explained more about the idea.
afreeride.org

I prefer trains, just wish they were MUCH better invested in. They should be far more accessible for disabled and cyclists and the fare system is a bloody ripping-off bad joke. Bloody Beeching and his damn bloody line closures grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Would say rant over lol but... what about the Green Party undermining women's rights and their current response to major safeguarding concerns?

Surely we follow the science, (as we do with geosciences and climate change) to recognise that basic reproductive biology does not change, no matter what manner of feelings, clothing or cosmetic surgery may suggest. Sex-based rights exist for a reason and undermining women and girls rights in order to include men that 'feel like' women is piss poor reasoning. And against Equalities Act.

The lack of response to major safeguarding concerns has been tragic, although sadly not without precedent in the Green Party. There needs to be full and frank engagement with the issue before I'll ever vote for them again. If there's no integrity, there's no green politics. Come on Caroline, step up like you usually do. Suspensions for party members who ask questions about safeguarding? Ffs that is some sort of dangerous bullshit that makes me want to speed-up our planetary demise 😠

Oh sod them! Someone mentioned Polly Higgins, the 'Earth's lawyer' who fought hard for the crime of eco-cide to be recognised in law. Top woman.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/destruction-earth-crime-polly-higgins-ecocide-george-monbiot

Thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning the inspirational, tenacious scientist, Rachel Carson, pioneer of the modern environmental movement with her 1962 book 'Silent Spring' about the damage done by indiscriminate use of pesticides.

An insightful review of her life from Brainpickings here.
mailchi.mp/brainpickings/rachel-carson-commencement?e=d66279de5d

Finally big up all the eco-feminists fighting all around the globe, including Berta Caceres who was murdered for her environmental activism in Honduras. Taking on the corporations isn't easy but time and again it has to be done. Now more than ever.

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/honduras-berta-caceres-murder-enivronment-activist-human-rights

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 07:24

I never buy plastic toys for my kids

I do, but sell them on afterwards or give them to charity for others.

BogstandardBelle · 25/04/2019 07:27

Many villages have changed from local people who worked and socialised locally, to people who live there and commute out for work, school and leisure. It has had a very negative impact in many villages. Because people moving in often don't want real village life, but a facsimile disnified version of it.

This has been my experience. I grew up on a farm, in a farming community in Scotland. The local village school had 30-odd pupils, the majority from farming families or related jobs - mechanics, labourers, fencers etc. Fast forward to now... 4 pupils in the school. Virtually no farming families left. In most cases, the houses and outbuildings have been separated from the land. The buildings are sold to retired doctors / lawyers / accountants, often from the South of England or high-earning professionals (our nearest big town has a major teaching hospital and a big university), then they are extended and gentrified. The land is generally leased to an agribusiness, who swoop in a few times a year with gangs of immigrant workers in minibuses to plant, then later harvest whichever cash crop is profitable at that time. God knows where they live, in caravans somewhere a lot less picturesque I imagine. The children of the high-earners get driven to the local private school in town everyday. No shops left, no pubs, no youth club, no WRI, nothing - but that's okay because everyone has a big 4x4 to take them into Tescos. And yes - they complain about the few signs of actual agricultural activity like muddy road verges, tractor noise, smell from the dung spreader.

From my perspective though, it's no different to "sustainable" anything - once we start internalising the the true environmental costs of production, the price of food is going to skyrocket (unless it is subsidised in some way along the process). New Zealand's dairy industry (where I've also lived and worked) is a good example: if the farmers had to pay some kind of subsidy or tax to make good the pollution of the lakes and waterways due to their excessive use of fertiliser (thus internalising the environmental cost to the producer), the price of milk would increase hugely - and they'd go out of business, especially if they were competing against countries which didn't require their farmers to do this.

We've had a long long run of ignoring the environmental cost of our lifestyles. It's not going to be easy in a liberal democracy that depends on people making the right choices, to change this.

2rebecca · 25/04/2019 08:30

Agree the Green Party and SGP have moved away from environmentalism. The social justice (incorporating TWAW) and no borders so everyone can live in their favourite country are now regarded as more sacred as policies than environmental stuff. Few motions at the AGM are about the environment. Trying to restrict population growth was out, support for alternative medicine and legalising cannabis was in.

Amoregentlemanlikemanner · 25/04/2019 10:00

"Thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning the inspirational, tenacious scientist, Rachel Carson, pioneer of the modern environmental movement with her 1962 book 'Silent Spring' about the damage done by indiscriminate use of pesticides."

that would be a great reading group type thing for this board if anyone is interested? She didn't make the shortlist for that recent BBC "greatest person of the 20th Century" but she should have.

Antibles: - "You are probably right though gentlemanlike that changing other nations might be impossible time-wise." I do think this - but I see the value in you pointing to alternatives and better models

Amoregentlemanlikemanner · 25/04/2019 10:03

Re people living in the country, round here it's just a sign of conspicuous consumption/wealth. It's a way to have a freestanding house, to have MarieAntoinnette-type chicken-keeping hobbies, to be the one with exotic problems (the rich get to work late because it snowed on the hills; the poor get to work on time in the snow because they live in town).

No worse that wearing lots of bling but not valuable in itself.

Those who understand this stuff tell me what we want is population density - lots of people in well-designed apartments close to each other. Then forests around that.

hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 10:22

Ecofeminism has almost half a century of thinkers and writers and activists. See e.g.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecofeminism

I have not read the whole thread so apologies if this has already been covered

From your link

"Spiritual ecofeminism[edit]
Spiritual ecofeminism is another branch of ecofeminism, and is popular among ecofeminist authors such as Starhawk, Riane Eisler, Carol J. Adams, and more. Starhawk calls this an earth-based spirituality, which recognizes that the Earth is alive, that we are interconnected, as well as a community.[16] Spiritual ecofeminism is not linked to one specific religion, but is centered around values of caring, compassion, and non-violence.[17] Often, ecofeminists refer to more ancient traditions, such as the worship of Gaia, the Goddess of nature and spirituality (also known as Mother Earth).[17]"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecofeminism#Spiritual_ecofeminism

Unfortunately it is in this category where massive problems with abusive cults and the exploitation of the vulnerable has occurred and is still occurring.

See
Annie Sprinkle and her dangerous, predatory associates
Plastic shamans
Cultural appropriation and cultural genocide of indigenous peoples
Ecosexuality
The Red tent movement and its links to the promotion of sex work
sexual abuses linked to neo-tantra

some videos for your perusal

hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 10:27

shudders

Amoregentlemanlikemanner · 25/04/2019 10:28

2rebecca thank you that confirms the suspicions I think lots of us had.

Imnobody4 · 25/04/2019 10:43

We should also honour Wangari Maathai from Kenya

Nobel prize for African environmentalist
www.downtoearth.org.in/news/nobel-prize-for-african-environmentalist-12058
I look to women in Africa as an inspiration.

ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 25/04/2019 11:40

Those who understand this stuff tell me what we want is population density

There's likely to be a medical other side to that coin - communicable diseases, especially TB, increase dramatically in population dense areas.

that would be a great reading group type thing for this board if anyone is interested?

I'd be very interested in a reading group for feminism/ eco-feminism/ female environmental activists. I notice that the little people big dreams/ fantastic women who changed the world type books didn't include any environmentalists. Maybe we need a "fantastic women who are saving the planet" book.

Trying to restrict population growth was out, support for alternative medicine and legalising cannabis was in.

TGP need to really stop and have a think about what they actually stand for. This year was the first time I've not voted Green and I doubt I will again unless they have a pretty dramatic policy overhaul.

Many villages have changed from local people who worked and socialised locally, to people who live there and commute out for work, school and leisure. It has had a very negative impact in many villages. Because people moving in often don't want real village life, but a facsimile disnified version of it.

I grew up in a rural part of the south west and back when I was a child we didn't even have a proper bus route to our village. The bus came a couple of times a day and you had to walk a fair way to get to it. But we had a post office, a brilliant primary school, and a good selection of local shops.. It wasn't far to the city (a tiny cathedral city, not a real city) but most people who lived in the village worked in the village and a lot of what we bought came from local businesses. My mother lived there for 25 years until she moved to the city and in that time the local school became so popular that it closed and opened at a bigger site elsewhere - the original building got turned into luxury houses. All the shops and the post office shut down so you had to drive or order online to get essentials. Unless you're a GP, there's no work in the village anymore. They built a proper bus route but the bus still only comes once an hour so living there without a car is really hard. It's been sad to watch the community get, as you say, "hollowed out".

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MsTiggywinkletoyou · 25/04/2019 11:44

Hoodathunkit Thanks for those suggestions; I don't have the bandwidth (literal or metaphoric) to watch videos right now, but will look at them later. I went back to the Wikipedia article on ecofeminism that I'd used as a starting point, and it lists several non-spiritual types of ecofeminism: in fact, I'd argue that most of the action groups are dirt-under-the-fingernails material. Indian women planting trees, Canadian/US Mohawk women tracking contaminants in their breast milk, community gardens in inner cities.

I hadn'tt heard of the Red Tent Movement, and when I searched for articles I could read quickly, I found e.g. this
www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/why-women-are-gathering-in-red-tents-across-the-uk/
which sounds as supportive as these MN forums. Do you have any reading material that shows the negative side? As I said, I'll watch the videos when time and data allowance allow.

JessicaWakefieldSV · 25/04/2019 11:57

New Zealand's dairy industry (where I've also lived and worked) is a good example: if the farmers had to pay some kind of subsidy or tax to make good the pollution of the lakes and waterways due to their excessive use of fertiliser (thus internalising the environmental cost to the producer), the price of milk would increase hugely - and they'd go out of business, especially if they were competing against countries which didn't require their farmers to do this.

Kiwi farmers daughter here. Well then that’s the true cost of the product and maybe it should go out of business! I don’t think NZ imports dairy from elsewhere does it? There are other options, especially for a small country, and government could invest in those other plant based options, or help farmers retrain in growing other crops- farmers are an amazing bunch and will farm what consumers want in the end. Dairy isn’t an essential industry, its not a requirement for human health so other options should of been researched years ago and invested in, and as individuals NZers should have asked themselves if they really wanted to buy products that caused so much destruction. I did, my farming family did too, only one of us continued to consume dairy.

ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 25/04/2019 12:14

if the farmers had to pay some kind of subsidy or tax to make good the pollution of the lakes and waterways due to their excessive use of fertiliser (thus internalising the environmental cost to the producer), the price of milk would increase hugely - and they'd go out of business, especially if they were competing against countries which didn't require their farmers to do this.

Going back to Iceland, I don't know if farmers have to pay any taxes, but you are only allowed to buy or sell milk from Icelandic cows. This isn't an eco initiative, it's about preserving the genetic purity of the breed. The government recognised that allowing competition from farmers in other countries using different breeds would quickly price the local farmers out of business, so they specifically legislated against it. As a result the milk in Iceland is actually one of the cheapest supermarket items (much more so than the imported fresh fruit and veg) and they have the best selection of plant milks that I've ever seen. Much much better than the selection I've found in any English supermarket.

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ByGrabtharsHammarWhatASaving · 25/04/2019 12:21

On a different topic, does anyone think that boycotting the beauty and fast fashion industry might give a lot of women "permission" to reject societal pressure over beauty standards? Disposable razors for example - so many women I know wish that they didn't "have" to shave. But embracing body hair as a personal preference is almost always derided, or treated as "dirty" and "lazy". I wonder, as environmental awareness grows and becomes more fashionable, if more women will be able to reject our beauty norms as part of a more socially acceptable political statement? And would that even be desirable? After all it's the right outcome (to make free choices about our bodies and appearances) but for the wrong reasons (only acceptable as a political statement rather than because women are acknowledged to actually be entitled to this freedom).

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hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 12:35

I hadn'tt heard of the Red Tent Movement, and when I searched for articles I could read quickly, I found e.g. this
www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/why-women-are-gathering-in-red-tents-across-the-uk/
which sounds as supportive as these MN forums. Do you have any reading material that shows the negative side? As I said, I'll watch the videos when time and data allowance allow.

One of the above videos in my earlier post is from the owner of a youtube channel called Our Red Tent and is titled "Who is the Sacred Whore? When was she in her Power?”

The video is promoting the concept of sacred prostitution as an ancient and elevated spiritual path that was obscured by the patriarchy and can be reclaimed by involvement with the Red Tent movement.

I do not like the promotion of prostitution as a sacred path. Whatever people’s beliefs about sex work I hope we can all be agreed that promoting prostitution as “awakening the goddess within” or some such similar bullshit should be called out.

also see a discussion voicing concerns about the Red Tent movement and the promotion of sex work here

www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4598.0

There are also significant links between controversial tantric / kundalini yoga groups (often referred to as cults) with long histories of allegations of sexual and financial abuses and the Red Tent movement

For example, a tantric / kundalini yoga school often referred to as a cult is 3HO

allegations of sexual offences against female disciple by Yogi Bhajan (now deceased - founder and leader of 3HO) -

WARNING descriptions of sexual abuse

COUNT II: ASSAULT AND BATTERY

As a complete and independent cause of action the plaintiff hereby asserts this Count against each of the defendants named in this Complaint.
The factual averments set forth in paragraphs 1 through 63 above, are hereby incorporated into this Count by reference.
During the period between June, 1978 and February,1985, the plaintiff was repeatedly struck or touched in a manner which any person of ordinary sensibilities would find to be highly offensive, and which caused the plaintiff pain and physical harm, as well as fear, apprehension and resulting mental and emotional harm. These incidents include, but are not limited to, beatings; involuntary sexual intercourse, sodomy and other sexual attacks; administration of ostensibly medical treatments; administration of bizarre rites; urination upon the plaintiff; and other particulars.
At the time of the initial sexual attacks upon the plaintiff by Bhajan, the plaintiff was a virgin, had never had a sexual relationship of any kind with any man, and had intended to remain a virgin until married.
From approximately 1980 through at least August 1985, the plaintiff lived under the constant threat, fear and reasonable apprehension of physical injury or death if she left the 3H0 organization or failed or refused to obey the directives and commands of Bhajan, or maintained any outside relationships that were not specifically approved by Bhajan.
From December 1980 through May, 1985, the plaintiff also lived under the constant threat, fear and reasonable apprehension of physical injury or death if she resisted the sexual assaults of Bhajan.
From December 1980 through August, 1985, the plaintiff also lived under the constant fear and reasonable apprehension of physical injury or death if she revealed to any person her experiences while involved with the defendants cult or Bhajan.
In carrying out his sexual assaults, Bhajan was at times physically assisted by defendant Amrit Kaur and at times physically assisted by defendant Guru Ke, who would physically restrain the plaintiff.
None of the physical touching or other acts described in This Count were done with the voluntary, free or informed consent of the plaintiff, nor were any of the defendants privileged to carry out any of the acts described in This Count.
All of the acts of the defendants described in This Count were done willfully, wantonly and with conscious disregard for the rights of the plaintiff. The defendants conduct in This regard was outrageous, and shocking to the sensibilities of ordinary people.
As a direct, proximate and foreseeable consequence of the defendants acts as set forth above, the plaintiff has suffered the physical, psychological and economic injury set forth above at paragraphs 62 and 63, above. In addition the plaintiff suffered severe infections of her bladder, kidneys and other internal organs; injury to her rectum and colon; loss of hair; bloody noses; split lips; bruising over her entire body; swollen tongue to the point where she could not take solid food for several days; soreness and misalignment of her jaw; contraction of herpes simplex and lesser venereal diseases; two abortions; permanent scarring of her internal sex organs and her back; and the tearing of a mole from her back.
As a result of the aforementioned emotional trauma and psychological injury, the plaintiff has required extensive psychological counseling and treatment, which psychological counseling and treatment is expected to continue on into the future.
As a result of the aforementioned physical injuries the plaintiff has required treatment from a variety of medical doctors and specialists, which treatment is continuing to date and is expected to continue on into the future.
As a result of the aforementioned physical and psychological injuries, the plaintiff has been limited in the kind of employment she can accept since she left Bhajan's cult, and will continue to be so limited on into the future. WHEREFORE, under This Count the plaintiff respectfully prays This honorable Court will grant the following relief: A. Entry of a judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants, jointly and severally, in the amount of $2.5 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive or exemplary damages, plus costs of suit. B. Entry of a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Bhajan, any of the other individual defendants in this case, any officer of employee of any of the corporate defendants in This case, and any other person acting as the agent, employee or accomplice of any of the aforementioned people or entities, from having any contact or communication of any kind with the plaintiff, directly or indirectly, except through the plaintiffs undersigned counsel. C. Such other relief as the Court shall deem just and equitable after trial of This case.
COUNT III: FALSE ARREST AND FALSE IMPRISONMENT

As a complete and independent cause of action the plaintiff hereby asserts This Count against each of the defendants named in This Complaint.
The factual averments set forth in paragraphs 1 through 77 above, are hereby incorporated into This Count by reference.
From the fall of 1978, and continuing until March 4, 1985, the defendants held the plaintiff in a state of involuntary captivity through a combination of mental coercion, false promises, threats of damnation and unspeakable spiritual torment which defendants knew to be false, and threats of public humiliation, grievous physical injury or death to the plaintiff and her family if she attempted to leave the physical confines of the defendants various compounds where Bhajan directed she live. Any one of the foregoing threats was, by itself, sufficient to constrain the plaintiff.
From January, 1981, and continuing until approximately April, 1983, the plaintiff was watched constantly by members of the defendants cult who would ld report her every move to Bhajan, and telephoned and checked on nightly by Bhajan or another at the direction of Bhajan. This watch was to prevent her from leaving the ashram at Espanola, New Mexico without the permission of Bhajan, or to report her situation to anyone outside the cult.
From April, 1983, until the end of October, 1984, the plaintiff was at all times held under armed guard, and was in addition watched constantly by members of the cult, who would report her every move to Bhajan. This guard and close watch were to prevent the plaintiff from leaving the ashram at Espanola, New Mexico without the permission of Bhajan, or to report her situation to anyone outside the cult.
At the end of October 1984, and continuing until July 1984, the armed guard placed upon the plaintiff was relaxed somewhat. She was sometimes unaccompanied by armed guards during the day, but was still guarded at night, and still telephoned nightly by Bhajan or someone at the direction of Bhajan. Members of the cult, who would report her every move to Bhajan, also still watched the plaintiff constantly.
From July, 1984, until March 4, 1985, the armed guard on the plaintiff was relaxed still further. Armed guards did not accompany her during the day, and the guard on her at night consisted of the two guards stationed outside her home at the Espanola, New Mexico ashram. The plaintiff was still watched constantly by members of the cult, who would report her every; move to Bhajan, and was still called nightly by Bhajan or someone at the direction of Bhajan.
All of the aforesaid acts were carried out at the direction of Bhajan, using the resources of the defendant corporations and outside agencies controlled by Bhajan, by Amrit Kaur and others, for the purpose of restricting the personal liberty and freedom of locomotion of the plaintiff.
At no time did any of the defendants named in this Complaint have reasonable cause or justification to so restrain the plaintiff, nor did the plaintiff in any way or at any time give her voluntary, free or informed consent to such restraint.
On March 4, 1985, the plaintiff was able to evade the defendants guards stationed outside of her home at the Espanola, New Mexico ashram, and fled the cult to her parents home in the State of Montana, still fearful for her life and safety, and of spiritual damnation and torment.
The defendants actions as described in this Count were willful, wanton, outrageous, illegal and totally without justification or authority.
As a direct, proximate and foreseeable consequence of the defendants acts as set forth above, the plaintiff has suffered the physical, psychological and economic injury set forth above at paragraphs 62, 63 and 74, above. WHEREFORE, under This Count the plaintiff respectfully prays This honorable Court will grant the following relief: A. Entry of a judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants, jointly and severally, in the amount of $2.5 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive or exemplary damages, plus interest and costs of suit. B. Entry of a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Bhajan, any of the other individual defendants in This case, any officer of employee of any of the corporate defendants in This case, and any other person acting as the agent, employee or accomplice of any of the aforementioned people or entities, from having any contact or communication of any kind with the plaintiff, directly or indirectly, except through the plaintiffs undersigned counsel. C. Such other relief as the Court shall deem just and equitable after trial of This case.
COUNT IV: FOR INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

As a complete and independent cause of action the plaintiff hereby asserts this Count against each of the defendants named in this Complaint.
The factual averments set forth in paragraphs 1 through 89 above, are hereby incorporated into this Count by reference.
During the period in which she was a member of the defendants cult, the plaintiff was systematically subjected to a variety of extreme, outrageous practices by the defendants, which were designed to cause her severe emotional distress. These practices included, but were not limited to: (a) Subjecting her to the rapes, beatings, involuntary sexual contact and humiliation described in Count II, above. (b) Subjecting her to the confinement and mental coercion described in Count III, above. (c) Forcing the plaintiff to adhere to a regimen of yoga exercises, prayer, meditation and long hours of work which left little time for sleep, and which, when coupled with an extremely poor diet and bizarre fasts, had a mentally debilitating effect upon the plaintiff, leaving her confused, demoralized and unable to clearly think or reason. (d) Harassing the plaintiff by telephoning her nightly and sending a guard to awaken her if she unplugged the telephone. (e) Causing the plaintiff to be the subject of scorn and ridicule within the group in order to upset her and cause her anguish and humiliation. (f) Repeatedly telling the plaintiff that she was now "useless" to men other than Bhajan, and that no other man would find her in any way attractive or desirable or wish to marry her. (g) Telling the plaintiff that Bhajan saw in her "aura" that it was her "destiny" to be sexually attacked and die in an auto accident if she left the "protection" of Bhajan, and that she would wind up as a prostitute, and ultimately an accident victim, if she left (all of which "predictions" Bhajan knew to be groundless when he made them). (h) Knowingly and intentionally subjecting the plaintiff to the aforementioned thought reform process which, by design, undermined and eventually completely destroyed the plaintiffs self-respect, self-esteem and that concept of self and self-worth known by mental health professionals as "ego”.

source:

culteducation.com/group/795-3ho/35-katherine-felt.html

hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 12:36

So one might be surprised to discover that a controversial yoga school facing multiple allegations of sexual exploitation and exploitation of vulnerable people is involved in running Red Tent events

here is just one example of a Red Tent meeting in London that is run by a 3HO yoga teacher

Red Tent Temple with Siri Sadhana Kaur

Public
· Hosted by Siri Sadhana Kaur

Details
2.30-5.30pm
with Siri Sadhana Kaur

Women have gathered together throughout time to honor and share the innate and cellular wisdom of their stories and moon cycles. Come and be in rest and reflection with other women, awakening and welcoming herself back to a remembrance of her true nature and inner rhythm. lunar gatherings support
-transitions and phases of our feminine cycles
-each others unique essence, wisdom, gift and purpose
-meditation, conversation, creativity and community

Together we value each other and delve into the teachings given by Yogi Bhajan as well as draw on other indigenous, healing and therapeutic models. In our goddess beingness we can begin to open and recieve deep nourishment within a circle of women sharing the importance of our cycles, gifts and purpose. So we can share what were born to contribute. KINGS CROSS WC1 Essentual to contact for address. Pre book- to paypal [email protected] Siri 07985439657 a small donation of £7 £5 low income. Bring some healthy snacks to share and wear something red.

www.facebook.com/events/842101785866646/

re 3HO

some other links of interest re 3HO and organised crime

culteducation.com/group/795-3ho/1190-my-experience-in-a-3ho-boiler-rooms.html

culteducation.com/group/795-3ho/32-gurujot-singh-marijuana-and-machine-guns-.html

culteducation.com/group/795-3ho/1157-3ho-leader-attempts-to-obtain-grenade-launcher-and-firearms-with-silencerss.html

Unfortunately 3HO yoga teachers managed to get into some ostensibly feminist organisations.

This is complicated by the fact that sometimes the yoga teachers are not evil people but simply brainwashed droids who appears to be deeply spiritual by people who are naive about cults

I speak as someone with friends who had survived trafficking and who were at risk of being exploited via such yoga classes being provided by an organisation that claimed to be feminist in orientation. Multiple attempts to contact said feminist organisation and warn them about the risks that they were exposing vulnerable trafficked women to by providing such classed lead to nothing more than me being repeatedly dismissed and hung up on.

So, to conclude, just because a yoga teacher talks about nurturing and feminine empowerment and just because they appear to be caring and spiritual doesn't mean that they are not connected to a network of criminals and predators.

In fairness 3HO and other similar organisations are bursting with useful idiots and well meaning people who are so woke that they just don't see the exploitation going on all around them

hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 14:03

The relevant text seems to have been removed from the The Guru Ram Das Project (a 3HO front organisation) however I have a screen shot, also the relevant advertising can be found here on the website of new age guru (some say cult leader) Neale Donald Walsh - (scroll down) :

"Teaching Opportunity
The Guru Ram Das Project is looking for a woman Kundalini Yoga teacher to continue a class at Eaves each week (on a voluntary basis) on a Wed 12 - 1.30pm.
The service users are women recovering from domestic violence and / or those who have been trafficked into prostitution. The nearest tube station is Oval and then it’s a 5 minute walk. For this class, the teacher will need active teacher's insurance plus at least a Level I Kundalini Yoga Teacher's Certification. A CRB (criminal records bureau) check will also be necessary and will be sponsored by the site. Please contact Siri Ganesh Kaur, [email protected], 02083 612488, 07799 133305, www.grdp.co.uk."

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190425121629/nealedonaldwalsh.blogspot.com/2012/03/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20190425121629/nealedonaldwalsh.blogspot.com/2012/03/

I had friends who were in that class, referred via the Poppy Project.

It was extremely distressing to repeatedly try to warn the staff at Eaves about the risks to vulnerable women only to be repeatedly told that “the yoga teacher has passed a CRB check so we have no concerns”.

CRB checks do not mean that the person is not a threat to vulnerable people. They are simply a preliminary check prior to engaging with someone. They should never, ever be used to deflect genuine concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable people.

In fairness to Eaves other charities including MIND and some NHS trusts also place vulnerable people at risk via 3HO classes. Every charity that I contacted gave me the same brush off re CRB / enhanced disclosure checks.

If anyone involved in Eaves is reading this maybe you can help me to understand why the organisation was so unconcerned about the possibility of vulnerable women being exploited?

Was it simply that you experienced the kundalini yoga teacher concerned as being so spiritual and empowering that you couldn’t bear to think badly of her?

Had you been forewarned that there was a witch-hunt / conspiracy against the yoga school?

Are / were the women staff at Eaves involved in 3HO themselves?

genuine questions.

hoodathunkit · 25/04/2019 14:05

While we are on the subject of feminism and environmentalism and the appropriation / astroturfing / perversion thereof let’s have a look at Bernadette Vallely and her fascinating London Festival of Tantra website

"Bernadette Vallely is a community activist, environmentalist, writer and social entrepreneur. She is a United Nations Global 500 Laureate, awarded for her innovative and exceptional work on both Women's' and Environmental issues; and she has written and researched extensively on sacred sexuality and environmentalism for 20 years.

Bernadette Vallely is the founder of Sacred Sex Revival, a modern movement to redefine our understanding of the sexual impulse, and its Sacred place in our lives. It is our divine right to re-connect with the God and Goddess within through Sacred Sex, and we are all programmed to receive and meet our divinity, through joyous ecstatic blissful Sacred Sex.

The intention, through Sacred Sex Revival, is to help us all create and maintain blissful relations with each other, harmony within our most intimate relationships, and peace with ourselves. Sacred Sex encapsulates her idea of a new sexual politic for modern soul searching lovers and planetary healers.

Bernadette Vallely has studied Tantra, Taoism, Celtic sexuality, Yoga and many forms of healing and sexual therapies for thirty years. She is a founder of the London Goddess Temple and the Church of Her Earth. She also is a practitioner of Tantric Kriya Yoga."

source: (scroll down)

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110501002211/londonfestivaloftantra.com/speakers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20110501002211/londonfestivaloftantra.com/speakers.html

have a look at the various speakers and presenters at Bernadette’s festival of tantra

There are some interesting people there

The “links” page is interesting and links to at least one “tantric temple” (online brothel)

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110418110645/londonfestivaloftantra.com/links.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20110418110645/londonfestivaloftantra.com/links.html

If you are enthralled by crop circles, ancient aliens, energy healing, astrology, ancient masters, think that sticking jade eggs up your vagina is an empowering thing and believe that all the various tantric healers / gurus accused of rapes, trafficking etc. as lovely misunderstood people then this kind of festival is definitely your thing

For the more sceptical / rational among you, it provides food for thought

For the record; I do not know Bernadette Vallely personally and have, to my knowledge, never met her. I have no idea about her motives or allegiances. Just because she associates with people who promote sex work as “sacred sexual healing” does not mean that she is a predator or criminal herself. She may very well believe that she is promoting love, mindfulness, oneness, the divine feminine etc. etc. most people in her position are misguided useful idiots

Amoregentlemanlikemanner · 25/04/2019 16:13

That woo stuff would only be a distraction anyway, even were it not for your succinct summary that:

"So, to conclude, just because a yoga teacher talks about nurturing and feminine empowerment and just because they appear to be caring and spiritual doesn't mean that they are not connected to a network of criminals and predators."

Again, note that women are just consumers here.

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