Brownfemipower: In Solidarity: Palestinian and Israeli Women Queer Activists

The Hebrew writing reads: "I have sex with Palestinian women."

I first saw this photo on Kaichang.net, but cropped. Kai, the site's editor, explained his reason for doing so this way:

I originally posted the entire photo, but then I started getting search hits that I didn't want so I decided to crop it. I felt quite tentative about posting the photo in the first place, because even though I think it's a powerful political image, the deployment of the female body has gotten so corrupt in our culture that it's difficult if not impossible to distance oneself from all the exploitation. Brownfemipower and brown rab girl fish are in a better position to fend off dorky oglers than I am, so I'll leave it to them.

The complete photo can be found here at BrownFemiPower's blog with the following comment:

To everybody–the women in the picture are palestinian and israeli women–they are part of a group of queer activists located in Israel. The group connects their struggles as queer people in a conservative nation to colonialism and nationalism that their nation participates in–they are called Kvisa Shchora (black laundry) and their site is here.

I struggled with whether or not to post the entire picture, or just the cropped version. Kai is right, in that this image of the extraordinary power of real women's bodies and spirits in resistance to racism and sexism can be lost in the ogling nature of our rape culture. And I instinctively wanted to shield these women from that rapist, male gaze.

However, to do so, only reinforces men's power to intimidate us into hiding who we really are, the very hegemony that the women in the photo are resisting so beautifully.

***Update 1.21.07***

Kai Chang has left a kind comment on this post that relates more on his thoughts behind his respectful choice to crop the photo:

Kai said...

Greetings Ye Mighty Fire Witch,

First off, I dig your blog. You may have noticed that I blog about a lot of the same kinds of things at Zuky. It doesn't hurt that I think you're an astute perceiver and a terrific writer.

Anyway, I'm actually glad you posted the entire photo, because as you note it's a powerful expression of resistance. Yet, as I noted with some regret at my place, as a man I just didn't feel okay with having my intention misinterpreted. And yet, and yet, as you note, in a way it's a capitulation to intimidation. So I guess I remain ambivalent.

Anyway, keep up the great work! I'll try to delurk more often.

Peace.