Reykjavík Grapevine - 17.07.2015, Blaðsíða 10

“People are on our
side,” Sunna Ben says.
“They know that
it's important. They
know it's not about
'sluttiness'. It's about
your right not to be
sexually violated.”
10
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2015
Politics | Bright?Society | Activ sm NEWS
IN
BRIEF
The allure of tourist dollars,
euros, pounds and yuan continues
to entice Icelanders. As part of this
ongoing development, a group of
downtown real estate magnates
have announced plans to transform
a block of downtown buildings
in order to house more tourist-
friendly shops and services. As this
block currently houses celebrated
live music and cultural venues like
Húrra, Gaukurinn, Paloma and
The Dubliner, local—and visiting—
partygoers have expressed outrage
at the idea.
Folks that are furious about the
tourist economy changing the face
of central Reykjavík can take some
solace in now being able to take the
lord’s name in vain as they field
their complaints, since Alþingi
recently struck down the article
of law that forbade blasphemy in
Iceland. Holy-mother-fucking-Je-
sus-and-Mary, it’s about goddamn
time! And it couldn’t have come at a
better time, given recent revela-
tions about police activities.
Newly leaked emails from Ital-
ian surveillance software provider
Hacking Team, made accessible
through Wikileaks, reveal that Met
Police detective inspector Ragnar
H. Ragnarsson approached the
group asking for information
on their “Smart phone stealth
solutions.” The emails show Rag-
nar pursued the matter through
numerous emails, inquiring into
mobile surveillance capable of in-
tercepting VoIP communication. In
a statement, the Met Police claim to
not have acquired the aforemen-
tioned surveillance tools from
Hacking Team, emphasising that
there had been nothing “abnormal”
about their explorations.
To end on a positive note, Ice-
landic mixed martial art luminary
and UFC competitor Gunnar
Nelson just decimated rising star
Brandon Thatch, dispatching him
in the first round with a submis-
sion. What most surprised fight
commentators was the way he did
so—Gunnar is known for his phe-
nomenal wrestling and grappling
skills, but in the fight he knocked
Brandon down in a punching
exchange, which is where Brandon
was assumed to have the advan-
tage. At the press meeting after the
fight, the stoic Icelander amused
UFC President Dana White with
his short and succinct answers.
Dana said Gunnar was “fucking
fascinating.”
“Everyone got so angry,” said Sunna
Ben Guðrúnardóttir—Reykjavík native,
DJ, artist, photo editor, activist and an
organiser of this and prior years' Slut-
Walk—when we discussed the event's
history, and the details of this summer's
upcoming fifth iteration. “There was
this amazing solidarity that sprang out
of it.”
In the months following Sangui-
netti's statement, SlutWalks appeared
transnationally—in Asia, North and Lat-
in America, and in Europe. Their pur-
pose: to call attention to social, cultural,
and legal issues surrounding rape, and
rape culture—notably the fallaciousness
of victim-blaming and slut-shaming.
Iceland's first SlutWalk occurred on July
23, 2011.
The path of little
resistance
Despite such an overwhelming re-
sponse, there were sure to be those
against the idea of SlutWalk. With such a
sensitive topic, and with such controver-
sial word choice, it is not unreasonable
to anticipate resistance.
One can imagine the
varying criticisms, con-
cerns, and perspectives
that could hinder the
development of such a
movement.
Initially, there was
some evident wariness
on the part of some citi-
zens of Iceland. “The
first year it was hard to
get people to come be-
cause of the stigma of the word,” Sunna
Ben says. “I was at a party with my very
feminist family, and I said, 'Hey, I'm go-
ing to SlutWalk.' No one wanted to come
with me.”
The most notable source of criticism
has come from internet and social me-
dia sources, she says. “There'll be com-
mentators online who will say, 'Arrrrgh!
Awful Feminists!' But nothing that's
touched us personally.”
Despite the initial hesitance, Sunna
Ben says that in Reykjavík they've been
very lucky. “People are on our side,” she
says. “They know that it's important.
They know it's not about 'sluttiness.' It's
about your right not to be sexually vio-
lated.”
It seems that any problem with the
verbiage has faded into the background,
and has made room for an open dis-
course on the issues of sexual assault
and violence—with the citizens and gov-
ernment decidedly on board. “It's really
just part of the summer schedule here,”
she says. “Pride is a couple of weekends
after, and the culture night a few be-
fore.”
But what of change
One striking feature of the SlutWalk
in Reykjavík is that it is characteristi-
cally an all-ages, family-friendly event.
“I haven't been to it in any other coun-
try,” Sunna Ben says. “I've only seen
pictures... maybe they're not taking pic-
tures of all the people with the prams.
But here it's really a family event.” In
this way, it seems evident that any per-
sonal or cultural reservation—to the
chosen words of the event, or the topic of
sexuality—has taken a backseat to start-
ing discussion and raising awareness.
Last year's SlutWalk drew around
11,000 attendees—the
largest showing yet in
Reykjavík. Sunna Ben
hopes that the numbers
will continue to grow.
“We're aiming to dou-
ble it,” she says, clearly
excited by the prospect
of nearly six percent of
the nation's population
walking together. “We
really want 20,000—
that's what we're going
for now... That would be the dream.” If
the numbers of Facebook event attend-
ees are any indication—with 3.3k already
confirmed at time of writing, and more
RSVPing daily—this dream goal seems
plausible as of early July.
What would it mean to have such
numbers in attendance? And how, if
even possible, could one measure the
long-term effects of such an event? Sun-
na Ben believes that evidence of change,
along with a new openness on the topic
of sexual assault in Iceland, can already
be found online.
Sunna Ben sees the opening up of so
many Icelandic women about their sto-
ries of sexual abuse in the Beauty Tips
group, the trending of hashtags #out-
loud, #konurtala (women speak) and
#þöggun (silenced), and the resulting
Facebook profile picture activism, as
indications of positive change and con-
crete examples of progress. “I think part
of the reason why people know how to
discuss this now is because we've been
pushing it. You don't have to hide it: We
can talk about this kind of stuff now if
you want to, if you're ready. I think the
SlutWalk has done a lot for making space
for people to talk.”
Further, real parliamentary progress
has already been made due in part to the
marches. In 2014, MPs from every po-
litical party signed a proposal that cited
a need for change in the treatment and
litigation of sexual assault cases.
And as the numbers of attendees has
grown, so has the schema and scope of
the walk.
Spotlight on the internet
revolution
SlutWalk Reykjavík is also notable for
having a selected theme. Each year's
walk hopes to highlight a certain issue or
subset within the broader scope of sex-
ual assault, violence, and sexual politics.
Themes of previous years have cov-
ered a broad range of topics. The theme
in 2012 was a play on words—the “Al-
leged Slut” Walk. It was a pointed cri-
tique of the verbiage surrounding sexual
assault court cases. “It was a nice jab,”
says Sunna Ben, “at this insufferable use
of language.” The following year saw a
shift in the spotlight: “We tried to put
the focus on violence against men, and
getting men to speak out—because in a
lot of ways it's harder.”
Other years have seen SlutWalk
working alongside other rights organ-
isations. In 2014, SlutWalk worked with
Tabú, an organization that works with
disabled people, and W.O.M.E.N. –
Samtök Kvenna af Erlendum Uppruna
(“Women of foreign origin”), to high-
light issues of sexual assault and vio-
lence in those communities. With these
themes, Sunna Ben hopes to have wid-
ened the scope of what SlutWalk means.
“It's not only about how girls dress
that's the discussion now,” she says.
Though victim blaming and dress was
the initial impetus for the walk, and
important as an entrance into discus-
sion and prospects for change, Sunna
Ben points out that the victims of sexual
assault and violence “can be anyone.
Everyone deserves understanding and
support.” It seems the goal of SlutWalk
Reykjavik is to illuminate the great di-
versity and variety of those affected by
sexual assault—to show that no one is
left unaffected, and thus that it is an is-
sue that requires immediate attention,
discussion, and action.
This year's SlutWalk takes place on
July 25. As in past years, marchers will
meet at Hallgrímskírkja at 14:00, and
walk to Austurvöllur, in front of Parlia-
ment.
And the theme for 2015? “This year's
theme is to encourage people who have
been stepping up [online] to come and
take part. This internet revolution that
caught us off guard—it's amazing. We
are so impressed. We kind of just want it
to be their day.”
The annual worldwide SlutWalk originated in 2011, in re-
sponse to the comments of Toronto Police Constable Mi-
chael Sanguinetti, after he told a York University audience,
“Women should avoid dressing like sluts” in order to prevent
sexual assault. The response to the nature of Sanguinetti's
statement was immediate, massive, and international.
Words by Sam Wright Fairbanks
Photo by Art Bicnick and SlutWalk
SlutWalk Aims
For Record
Breaking Year
July 25,
2015 at 14:00
SlutWalk Walk from Hallgrímskírkja
to Austurvöllur