The Window Sex Project goes on the road!

And we couldn't be more thrilled. :)
 

Check out the latest news from SLMDances: http://eepurl.com/u03hX

Bring the dance-activism to you: http://www.sydnielmosley.com/#!repertory/c1704

When Slut Shaming Becomes Victim Blaming

This evening, while doing my usual social media check-in I ran across this video and girl, it hit home. Especially on this cold wintery day in New York City in my dance teacher travels. Each time I walked out today, I was suited in my down coat complete with furry hood that practically covers my eyes, and on the bottom all that was visible: my baggy high water sweat pants and clogs -- all black everything. Despite my covered and not particularly attractive attire I received a total of: one (1) "Hey Baby," two (2) "psst psst," and one (1) assertive "Hey Sexy," as if he were addressing me by name. I could have been wearing a potato sack, or the most revealing red dress on earth -- it wouldn't matter. The harassment comes all the same.

I mention this because earlier this year during the creative process for The Window Sex Project, I got into some deep discussions with my dancers about how much sexy is too much sexy? which led to this post: Causing to Stumble by cast member Alexandra Joye Warren. Part of this post questions a woman's responsibility to not provoke a man - in this case by not wearing revealing clothes; but as we see with my above anecdote, the disrespect comes regardless of dress.

This is what I look like walking down the street.

Enter Laci Green's vlog below on slut shaming. The reason it hits home for me is because blaming women who wear revealing clothes for the harassment and assault they experience is slut shaming-turned-victim blaming. We often judge a woman's choice to wear revealing or tight-fitting clothes as a marker of low self-esteem, no self-respect and or make assumptions about her sexuality (some version of she's a "bad girl"), none of which may be true. Wearing that outfit could be her well thought out choice.  

Share Your Empowering Street Harassment Story

Here's a note from Holly Kearl, Founder of Stop Street Harassment:

Have you ever shut up or confused a street harasser, gotten an apology from one, or successfully reported one? Then I want to hear your story! Please fill out the form below.

Your story may be included in a forthcoming book featuring 50 empowering stories about stopping a street harasser.

Please email a photo of yourself (any kind, but please send the highest resolution you have) to go along with the story and send it to StopStreetHarassment@yahoo.com

Please fill out the form and send your photo by Dec. 15, 2012.

What The Window Sex Project Has Done For Me

Over the course of the past year working on this dance piece, I have often gotten the question: Why are you doing this work? or What has The Window Sex Project done for you? The answer to those questions aren't simple and neat - and when I began the work, I could not have imagined its enormity and how it might affect so many parts (really all) of my life. Today, specifically though, I was very thankful for The Window Sex Project.

Last week, I was on campus at Barnard teaching a dance intensive. Since I have been spending so many hours on campus, I am also eating there. One of the dining hall staff members is a young guy, medium build, handsome and forward. Each day last week that I was in his lunch or dinner line he would flirt with me, progressively more and more. The first couple of days it was just the looks, and a little too much investment in his greeting, "Hey, how you doing?" The next day he asks outright, "Are you a high schooler?" I shake my head no. "A college student?" Again, no. "Oh. What are you?"

"I'm faculty."

Apparently he thought that was permission to continue the conversation. "Oh. What's your name?"

Smartphone Applications Continue to Aid Response Against Street Harassment

Hollaback! our partner organization is built on using mobile technologies to stop street harassment. Their mission states: 

Hollaback! is a movement dedicated to ending street harassment using mobile technology. Street harassment is one of the most pervasive forms of gender-based violence and one of the least legislated against... The explosion of mobile technology has given us an unprecedented opportunity to end street harassment—and with it, the opportunity to take on one of the final new frontiers for women’s rights around the world.

By collecting women and LGBTQ folks’ stories and pictures in a safe and share-able way with our very own mobile phone applications, Hollaback! is creating a crowd-sourced initiative to end street harassment. Hollaback! breaks the silence that has perpetuated sexual violence internationally, asserts that any and all gender-based violence is unacceptable, and creates a world where we have an option—and, more importantly—a response.

Now the New York Civil Liberties Union has caught on. From The Root:

Stop-and-Frisk App Users on the Rise

The Android tool for recording police wrongdoing has taken off since its release last week.

Ever witnessed what appeared to be police harassment and wished that you could do something about it? Now you can. On June 6 the New York Civil Liberties Union rolled out its Stop and Frisk Watch smartphone app, a tool that lets bystanders record and report unlawful police encounters.

Since its debut, more than 75,000 people have downloaded it, and thousands of videos have been submitted. "Our staff is monitoring the videos as they come in," NYCLU spokeswoman Jennifer Carnig told The Root. The clips will then become an active part of the organization's campaign to end stop and frisk -- the policy in which New York City police can interrogate and search residents without cause. The images will be included in the group's public-education, communications and lobbying efforts and may also be used to litigate cases against officers.

"The NYPD tells New Yorkers that if they see something, say something, and the NYCLU agrees," explains Carnig, whose group is co-organizing a silent march on Sunday to protest stop and frisk. "If people see police misconduct or an inappropriate stop and frisk, we want them to have the tools to say something about it."

Read more on The Root. 
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Have you downloaded mobile apps to report street harassment??

Skirts & (Out)Skirts

THE WINDOW SEX PROJECT will take a trip to BROOKLYN this weekend to share our DANCE-ACTIVISM.                              

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Skirts & (Out)Skirts with Create Collective

 Center for Anti-Violence Education

Skirts and (Out)Skirts is a multi-arts workshop in response to the recent rise in sexual and/or street attacks especially as it affects women and/or the LGBTQ community in the Brooklyn area.  Featuring presentations by Sydnie Mosley, Tara Themis Brown, and tART Collective, we will explore the way art-making can raise awareness effecting healing and change.  Finally, participants will create our own art project in response and reflection.

Space is limited, so please RSVP at info@createcollective.org
This workshop may not be appropriate for children under 14.

MNN TV Segment

Did you miss us on television last month? Check out our short documentary segment that aired April 26, 2012 on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN).