Why Feminism Does Not Mean Equality
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29/03/2019 FREE TO TAKE ISSUE 13 THE FLYING DUTCHMAN Page 3 PAGE 3 WHY FEMINISM DOES NOT MEAN EQUALITY Running For What? Mostar’s Marches “Deeper Purpose”: Lessons for a High- Page 4 Page 2 Flying Dutchman Page 6 While the UNICEF inflatables, posters, Contacting the Mostarian police was and branded apparel may have con- the first step necessary if a march was Ever heard of a man called Paul Polman? Unlikely, I’m guessing. How about structed an advantageous image of our to happen on the 8th. Making sure the company, ‘Unilever’? Perhaps (it’s partly-Dutch, after all) but perhaps not school for local news stations, donors that not only would we not get arrest- (it’s hardly a household name). and parents, I wonder if our donations ed but also that we would be protect- Even if neither name resonates with you, I’m ready to bet that both have may have been better spent elsewhere. ed was one of the priorities. The au- touched your life somehow. Inadvertently or incidentally, maybe. Yet touch it, Students were forced to contribute, but thorities agreed; we would get two they almost certainly have. were not given the opportunity to col- police officers to escort us from the How can I be so sure? Because Unilever is huge. Like, really, really huge. It lectively agree on an organization to plaza in front of our school building owns hundreds of major brands, many of which you will find in your cupboard donate to. Our community alone has (Španski trg), through some of the or fridge at home. Helmann’s mayonnaise, Dove soap, Walls ice-cream, Axe been the birthplace of numerous chari- city, to the famous old bridge (Stari deodorant, Vaseline … err, that greasy jelly stuff. table startups and much more in need... Most), and back. The Flying Dutchman Culture Friday, March 29th, 2019 Maastricht’s First Climate March Last Friday, twenty MYPs and fifty DPs joined their fellow students on a global march against government negligence toward reaching their Paris Climate Goals. Some 1 million children, students and adults over 123 countries took part in the “Youth4Climate” movement’s most recent march. The movement began as an individual act of protest by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish sixteen-year-old climate activist who began striking on the steps of the Swedish parliament last August. Her actions and advocacy for more institutional commitment toward reaching the Paris Climate Goals inspired millions, 3 500 of which marched here in Maastricht. Illustration by Prune Engérant “The Future of Humanity”, unless things change Bleron Nelaj, UWCM Conclusion REPORT “We don’t want to hear promises anymore, we want to see action and results. The provincial We don’t want to hear promises any- elections are coming up, and we will march to more, we want to see action and re- show political parties, no matter which ones, that The March we are there, we are many, we are impatient, and sults. The provincial elections are coming up, we want change. The time of passive politics is Organized by “Students for Climate Maas- over, the time of petty politics is over too. Wher- and we will march to show political parties, no tricht”, an NGO concerned with environmental ever you are on the political spectrum, we expect matter which ones, that we are there, we are conservation, the march followed an itinerary you to act swiftly, fairly and strongly to the cur- similar to others in the Netherlands and around rent climate crisis. The European elections are many, we are impatient, and we want change. the World. For UWCM students it was familiar, coming up too, and we want to send the same since they took part in the march in The Hague message.” - Students for Climate Maastricht The time of passive politics is over, the time of last month. Friday morning, participants gathered in the Vrijthof, Maastricht’s central square in This statement from the organizing NGO sum- petty politics is over too. Wherever you are on preparation to march. At 11 AM, after hundreds marizes what we, as UWCers, youth and human the political spectrum, we expect you to act of people had gathered, the march began. beings are trying to achieve here. For decades the planet has been neglected and it’s beauties swiftly, fairly and strongly to the current climate Protesters marched on through the heart of the destroyed, with each coming generation more city, passing by the Markt and crossing St. Serva- damaging than the other. Climate change is a crisis. The European elections are coming up tius historical bridge, which connects the two result of that negligence, which is something sides of the city over the river Maas. They con- that our generation is acutely aware of. If things too, and we want to send the same message.” tinued on through the streets and as the numbers don’t change now, the consequences of this irre- grew with passerbys joining and other attendees sponsible and unsustainable development that showing up, it could easily be seen that the hun- humanity has enjoyed for the past hundred years dreds in the Vrijthof had turned into thousands will befall those who are the youth of today. over the bridge at Ceramique. This is why we march and this is why we will keep on marching, tirelessly and confidently, Protesters coming down the bridge at Ceramique until those in power take responsibility for their The march continued on through Stadtpark and policies and lack of action. We will not stop ended at the starting point, the Vrijthof. Where until that day comes. some protesters conveyed a truly profound mes- The march last Friday was the first of many to sage through a rather creative approach. The im- come and UWC should continue to support this age above perhaps speaks for itself. movement, not just because it is in our mission statement or because that’s what looks good for “The Future of Humanity”, unless things change the school, but because it is the right of every At marches’ end, some of the organizers gave child, student or adult to protest when their fu- speeches in both Dutch and English. From 10- ture is endangered. As a last remark, I leave you year-old activists to a representative of Grandpar- with a UWCM student’s impression of the ents for Climate, everyone has a say on this issue march: that concerns the world.. The protesters stood “The march was an unbelievable experience, around the podium and listened to what they had where I felt as if I was actually making a change to say, whilst the crowd began to disperse slowly. by marching rather than just talking and sitting A concert was held at the end,, something which in the atrium. Being part of a global student was also done in The Hague a month ago. Simi- strike, with students from over 100 countries and lar to back then, the concert seemed a contested 2000 cities, was a realization that baffled me. event among the protesters.. After that, the first This resonated to me even more since this is our climate march in Maastricht had come to an end. generation’s future” - Etienne Michel Children, students and adults came together last Friday to march on the streets of Maastricht Page 1 The Flying Dutchman Culture Friday, March 29th, 2019 Mostar’s Marches On 8th March, International Women’s Day, students of UWCiM ”rose-filled” Mostar by marching for ”emancipation and empowerment of womxn regardless of their ethnic background”. Eva Garcia Malkin, UWC Mostar Nonetheless, the feminist approach to the day Some local students had even joined the feminist march that called for emancipation remained subtly visible in the city. From a few march from the very beginning, helping us and empowerment of womxn regardless of REPORT days before, ‘Vaginini Monolozi’ (vagina translate our slogans. A man known among their ethnic background. Such a feat felt wor- monologue) stickers could be found peeking the college students for his weekly Wednes- thy. but reached the Mostarian newspaper the through the remnants of last election’s posters. day protests joined the procession, calling for next day. The headline, ‘Mostarke i Mostarci Contacting the Mostarian police was the first These pink and black invites were no bigger youth empowerment. marširali za bolja prava žen’ (Mostar’s men step necessary if a march was to happen on the than the palm of a hand and their vague, sim- and women march for women’s rights) went 8th. Making sure that not only would we not plistic vagina imagery could only be seen by The hour-long singing and chanting not only beyond the complicated ethnicity-based iden- get arrested but also that we would be protect- those looking for it. broke the vocal cords of the students but tity politics of the country and focused on a ed was one of the priorities. The authorities reached the Mostarian newspaper the next feminist march that called for emancipation agreed; we would get two police officers to The Womxn’s day march did not employ such day. The headline, ‘Mostarke i Mostarci and empowerment of womxn regardless of escort us from the plaza in front of our school a subtle invitation. Students from UWC Mo- marširali za bolja prava žen’ (Mostar’s men their ethnic background. Such a feat felt wor- building (Španski trg), through some of the star gathered outside the Gymnazia building and women march for women’s rights) went thy. city, to the famous old bridge (Stari Most), and distributed posters that they had made the beyond the complicated ethnicity-based iden- and back.