I'm hoping wiser feminists can help me. Here are the pieces I'm trying to put together:
The G8/20
The allegations of sexual assault of girls and women arrested this weekend by the police
A comment in a thread earlier today, where an ally made a (rhetorical, I know) comment that perhaps the wives and daughters of the cops should be dumped in a freezing cage so the cops can see how it feels - this was said in defense of the young women arrested this past weekend
Discussions with the people I work with, of wide political opinions. The two predominant things they have been talking about about this weekend are being disturbed by seeing images of teenage girls being arrested, held in the rain by the cops and being pissed off seeing teenage boys and young men "rioting" on the streets of Toronto, without appearing to be arrested.
My perception that the mostly male black bloc exercised their tactics, then blended in to the peaceful crowd or left - which I don't think respects others' tactics - and many young women suffered the consequences. (I don't actually know how the arrests break down by gender and age.)
Concern for a feminist activist I know and respect who I believe is still incarcerated. She strongly supports (or has supported) DOT.
The argument that "what counts" in this fabulous? victory is that no one is talking about what Harper wants to talk aobut. And we'll waste this opportunity it we get too analytical and wring our hands over this and that. (When I hear "what counts" I think of Marilyn Waring, Counting for Nothing - What Men Value and What Women Are Worth.)
My two beautiful children, but today, particularly my daughter.
I'm not even really sure what I'm asking for here.