Athena in Portland's naked protest

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

This page is full of clever minds - anyone want to help me pick through this woman's naked protest? nationalpost.com/news/protester-strips-naked-in-front-of-anti-riot-police-in-portland-she-was-incredibly-vulnerable

She's in a stand-off with riot police during the anti-racism demonstrations in Portland. She strips naked, strides in front of the police who were firing rubber bullets, and starts doing yoga for 10 minutes. She sits and spreads her legs. The police leave.

I think she's incredibly brave - being hit by a rubber bullet on a naked body is bound to hurt.

Part of me wonders what would have happened if she was not a slim, fit white woman - if she looked like me (too old, too heavy, too hairy); or was a black woman, or a man.

Was it just her startlingly zero-fucks that changed the mood of the evening? Or was it the shock of a vulva, light up by the glare of the police lights, that took the tension out of the crowd?

It's an amazing photograph.

My view is that purely from a visual news image it is up there in impact as a visual impression with those other historical moments captured on media.

I understood this. Not sure whether other posters who are getting angry with you really haven't grasped this point or are just pretending not to because they like getting angry.

For an explanation of what is going on in Portland from two residents who are most definitely not Trump supporters, then this is worth watching. The discussion starts about 6 minutes in.

Good point, royalcorgi..

Or alternatively, we understand, we just think it's an asinine comparison. (See, I can be pompous too.)

@BigChocFrenzy

Trump has been heavily pushing the line that it is terrorism to demonstrate just because of the minor matter that police kill so many unarmed black people

Interesting to see how much success he is having on MN

However, you need to catch up:

Recently Trump has been saying that they kill a lot of unarmed white people as well
So that makes it OK

It's been a serious strategic error on the part of those concerned with militarisation of the police to present it as primarily a black issue. Because it involves all kinds of people, black people, white people, latino people, Native American people. And that doesn't make it less of a problem. But the impression given is that it's a problem primarily from the perspective of racial inequality and then it is vulnerable to people like Trump pointing ot that actually, it is a wider issue.

An easy political win is totally let go for no good reason.

@RoyalCorgi

My view is that purely from a visual news image it is up there in impact as a visual impression with those other historical moments captured on media.

I understood this. Not sure whether other posters who are getting angry with you really haven't grasped this point or are just pretending not to because they like getting angry.

If I forget about the context and put aside speculations about what this women's motive might have been, I'm still not seeing what's particularly remarkable about the image. Women getting naked for cool girl points is everywhere. What important message is this woman sending us? What does a naked white woman doing yoga say about Black Lives Matter?

@BigChocFrenzy

So how many people have the demonstrations killed vs how many have the police killed ?

SInce there is so much hate for demonstrators daring to protest against police killing black people

Oh the drama. Do you seriously think these demonstrators are doing any good for any cause?

@RoyalCorgi

My view is that purely from a visual news image it is up there in impact as a visual impression with those other historical moments captured on media.

I understood this. Not sure whether other posters who are getting angry with you really haven't grasped this point or are just pretending not to because they like getting angry.

Eh the point is I diasgree that it is a" visual news image it is up there in impact as a visual impression with those other historical moments captured on media"

It's a silly action by an attention seeking woman putting herself in a position where there was no danger to her at all with no coherent purpose.

To compare the "visual impact" of this knickerless attention seeker to the horrific and life long impact of the photograph of the little girl in Vietnam is beyond crass.

@Floisme

Or alternatively, we understand, we just think it's an asinine comparison. (See, I can be pompous too.)

😄 Succinct and snappy.

@Kennebec

The best, bravest thing a woman can do is to take off her clothes and show everyone her genitalia. Yawn.

I also find the comparisons to the protestor in Tiananmen Square offensive. The latter was a moment of outstanding bravery in the name of principle. This was self-indulgent performance art on behalf of spoiled rich kids who just want to destroy things & hurt people and couldn't care less about George Floyd.

I don't agree with him politically, but take a look at reporter Andy Ngo's Twitter (at mrandyngo) if you want to see what's going on in Portland. It's a riot and looting spree, not a noble protest, and it's detracting from an opportunity to pursue needed reforms in the U.S.

I agree. I felt the same way about the XR topless protesters (although they weren't putting themselves in danger).

And I agree that Portland is a shitshow. It looks like Antifa has been calling the shots there for quite some time. And the mayor is a spineless idiot /offtopic

I'd've thought that the point is that the heavily armed men with protective gear would've looked like monsters if they'd fired rubber bullets (or worse) at a naked human. The optics wouldn't have looked good. She chose to protest that way which didn't involve any violence. And yet she is the one being rubbished on FWR. Yes, I know the thread is about her, but still. She didn't harm anyone, she protested peacefully; I support her.

Antifa are antiwomen, and violent thugs. I can't admire anyone who supports them.

The thought that first sprang to mind seeing this for me was that it is the perfect demonstration of white privilege- naked white woman safe in the knowledge she won't be fired upon or dragged off to gaol or assumed to be mentally ill.

My second thought was " Me! Me! it's all about me!!"

@SunsetBeetch

Antifa are antiwomen, and violent thugs. I can't admire anyone who supports them.

Quite. They are an existential threat to freedom of speech and their ranks are swelled by some of the most privileged 0.0001 percenters on the planet. Defund the police? Smashing up campuses to shut down speakers they dislike? They are thugs. Meanwhile, back on Planet Earth, the antics in Portland inter alia might cause more shock and awe come November. Burning buildings in Democrat run cities might not presage the election result they assume...

The thought that first sprang to mind seeing this for me was that it is the perfect demonstration of white privilege- naked white woman safe in the knowledge she won't be fired upon or dragged off to gaol or assumed to be mentally ill

Absolutely. It's laughable.

I've got no issue with the peaceful nature of her protest. I just don't think it was as deeply profound as the eloquent cheerleaders on thread are suggesting.

@SunsetBeetch

Antifa are antiwomen, and violent thugs. I can't admire anyone who supports them.

Precisely. I don’t see why any woman should be expected to support someone protesting in favour a group that wants to forcibly silence women’s voices just because she’s a woman.

@BaronessBollyKnickers

I'd've thought that the point is that the heavily armed men with protective gear would've looked like monsters if they'd fired rubber bullets (or worse) at a naked human. The optics wouldn't have looked good. She chose to protest that way which didn't involve any violence. And yet she is the one being rubbished on FWR. Yes, I know the thread is about her, but still. She didn't harm anyone, she protested peacefully; I support her.

a) The only reason she's getting press is because she's naked. The message sent is that the very best thing a woman can do is take off her clothes and shut up - reduce herself to a faceless, mute pair of breasts and vag.

b) While she is nonviolent, her actions were not taken on behalf of the nonviolent. She is acting on behalf of those who have been rioting for weeks to burn down government buildings in Portland, who have looted countless businesses and caused tens of millions of dollars in property damage, and who have attacked police and civilians alike with explosives, chunks of concrete, bats, pipes, lasers capable of blinding, and much more.

I live in the U.S. I absolutely don't want Trump reelected. These idiots are giving him ammunition.

While she is nonviolent, her actions were not taken on behalf of the nonviolent. She is acting on behalf of those who have been rioting for weeks to burn down government buildings in Portland, who have looted countless businesses and caused tens of millions of dollars in property damage, and who have attacked police and civilians alike with explosives, chunks of concrete, bats, pipes, lasers capable of blinding, and much more. I live in the U.S. I absolutely don't want Trump reelected. These idiots are giving him ammunition

Well said.

And yet she is the one being rubbished on FWR.

That’s because someone started a thread about her and asked for posters’ opinions of the photograph and her actions.

This is not a case of someone starting a thread about Antifa/Portland and it then become ing a misogynistic attack of an individual.

BaronessBollyKnickers

I'd've thought that the point is that the heavily armed men with protective gear would've looked like monsters if they'd fired rubber bullets (or worse) at a naked human. The optics wouldn't have looked good. She chose to protest that way which didn't involve any violence. And yet she is the one being rubbished on FWR. Yes, I know the thread is about her, but still. She didn't harm anyone, she protested peacefully; I support her.

a) The only reason she's getting press is because she's naked. The message sent is that the very best thing a woman can do is take off her clothes and shut up - reduce herself to a faceless, mute pair of breasts and vag.

b) While she is nonviolent, her actions were not taken on behalf of the nonviolent. She is acting on behalf of those who have been rioting for weeks to burn down government buildings in Portland, who have looted countless businesses and caused tens of millions of dollars in property damage, and who have attacked police and civilians alike with explosives, chunks of concrete, bats, pipes, lasers capable of blinding, and much more.

I live in the U.S. I absolutely don't want Trump reelected. These idiots are giving him ammunition.
Yes, I agree.

And it looks like white privilege to me too.

It's always interesting to do reversals. For instance, what if this had been a naked Black woman? Or a naked White man? Or a naked Black man?

I know it’s not 100% comparable, but the comments under this video clip are probably indicative.

twitter.com/mrandyngo/status/1282152650860003329?s=21

@TheRealMcKenna

And yet she is the one being rubbished on FWR.

That’s because someone started a thread about her and asked for posters’ opinions of the photograph and her actions.

This is not a case of someone starting a thread about Antifa/Portland and it then become ing a misogynistic attack of an individual.

Oh cut out the nonsense about it being a "misogynistic attack".

Pointing out the very obvious flaws in what this silly woman has done is not misogynistic.

I thought she was magnificent, very clever and brave. The image is striking.