We designed this shirt for solidarity and support of those struggling against hetero-patriarchal and colonial violence against Indigenous womxn.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn (MMIW) is a campaign initiated in so-called “Canada” to address extremely disproportionate and unreported violence against Indigenous womxn.
The movement has since extended throughout the so-called “US” with a focus on resource exploitation and the industry’s “man camps.” We also recognize that neo-liberal/colonial policies have exacerbated gendered violence against our Indigenous sisters in so-called “Mexico.”
The fight to end sexual assault and interpersonal/gender-based violence in our communities is our shared struggle. Responsibility and accountability doesn’t begin or end when violations are perpetuated, but is must be a deep part of what and who we are every day.
Some steps:
- Honor consent.
- Honor & respect (and assist in reinforcing) personal boundaries.
- Learn, listen, and build understandings about and directly confront the root-causes of gender-based violence such as hetero-patriarchy, historical trauma, colonialism, white supremacy, capitalism, internalized oppression, and eco-cide.
- Challenge sexist, homophobic, and transphobic behavior in all its forms.
- Honor two spirit and trans relatives.
- Practice survivorcentricism and provide fierce care, sensitivity, compassion, understanding & other means of support.
- Respect survivor autonomy.
- Don’t perpetuate victim-blaming
- Don’t perpetuate or enable apologist behaviors.
- Engage in transformative and restorative justice processes.
- Support survivors’ healing & ensure access to necessary services.
- Teach young boys & men about consent and honoring boundaries.
- Confront abusive humor and language.
- Check machismo, manarchism, mansplaining, and other shit actions/behaviors.
- Recognize that abuse can not only be physical but also psychological, verbal, economic, indirect & internalized.
- Recognize that gender-based violence is not a personal or individual issue but a breakdown in our communities & cultures.
- Work towards total abolition of rape culture.
If our movements are to be truly liberatory we must not hesitate to engage in this critical struggle. This is all of our responsibility.
Some resources:
https://www.sproutdistro.com/catalog/zines/accountability-consent/
http://soaw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=613
http://www.phillyspissed.net/sites/default/files/mencanstoprape.pdf
#MMIW #smashcolonialism #smashheteropatriarchy
