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French Feminists Protest Chauvinism Supporting DSK
By
Jen Chung
Published May 23, 2011
Modified May 23, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 23, 2011
Modified May 23, 2011
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The arrest of former IMF head and leading French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn for allegedly sexually assaulting a hotel maid in NYC has become an international incident. His perp walk set off a torrent of criticism from the French, who were outraged that someone so prominent could be treated like a common suspect and beliefs that he's being set-up. It has also prompted French politicians, philosophers, social commentators, and many more to make comments like, "Why all the fuss? It's merely a bit of hanky-panky with the help" and "Really, nobody died in that hotel room."
French feminist groups organized a protest yesterday against the chauvinism. The groups issued a statement saying, "We do not know what happened in New York Saturday May 14, but we know what has been happening in France in the past week. We are witnessing a sudden rise of sexist and reactionary reflexes, so quick to surface among part of the French elite... There is a certain impunity in France when it comes to this kind of uninhibited sexism." Their anger was directed most at Jean-Francois Kahn, a left-wing editor who said, "Why all the fuss? It's merely a bit of hanky-panky with the help" and has referred to the alleged incident as a "troussage de domestique," which Reuters explains is "a phrase that evokes a master having non-consensual sex with a servant."
While Kahn apologized for the remark, the feminist groups said, "This kind of language generates an intolerable confusion between sexual freedom and violence toward women. Violent acts, rape, attempted rape and harassment are all the mark of men's desire to dominate women's bodies." The protesters held signs that roughly translate to, "We are all servants."
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chauvinism
dominique strauss-kahn
feminists
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hotel maid
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misogyny
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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