July Women’s News Round-Up: Five Important Stories About Women*
(*trigger warning for story #5)
1. Female Motorcyclist Journeys Through Pakistan
Zenith Irfan, 21, is a passionate motorcyclist who has been journeying across Pakistan. She was inspired by her father’s unattained dream to cross the country on a bike. Once she began to document her journey online, she faced harassment from some who felt she was not conforming to a traditional Islamic female role, but she continues on, and says:
“I know so many girls who want to go out and travel and they can’t because their parents won’t allow them to. For me, I had to make the most of it.”
2. “My Body, My Rights” Event Held at the Barbro Johansson Model Girls’ School in Tanzania
The first “My Body, My Rights” Event was held at the Barbro Johansson Model Girls’ School and was hosted by the Embassy of Sweden-Tanzania, Restless Development, and Femina Hip. This event was inspired by and focused on the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goal Number Five, focusing on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Restless Development Tanzania shares that Sweden’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Katarina Rangnitt, said at the event, “[b]y knowing our rights we realize our equality in society.” The event included many parts and activities including dance performances as well as an interactive talk show led by Restless Development and Femina Hip which was designed to engage student’s voices and build their confidence in achieving their goals.
3. “Street Heroines” Documentary Highlights Female Street Artists
Filmmaker Alexandra Henry created the “Street Heroines” documentary project in order to celebrate female street artists and she began with the inspiring São Paulo urban art scene. She has told the stories of over two dozen women who work in street art, and Women You Should Know shares this quote from Henry:
“Whether visually protesting socio-political injustices or spreading messages of empathy, these women are using creativity to persevere social ignorance and find their own voices in the male-dominated world of graffiti and street art.”
4. Woman Hikes Appalachian Trail Despite Paralysis with Computer-Generated Leg Supports
Though she is paralyzed from the waist down, Stacey Kozel, aged 41 and from Medina, Ohio, is planning to hike over 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Her paralysis stems from lupus, which she was diagnosed with at age 19. She was passionate about still being able to spend time outside so she built her upper body strength and now uses computer generated leg-supports called c-braces to bend and straighten her legs. Today reports that in late June she had already hiked over 900 miles. Enjoy a 2.5 minute video about her from PopSugar below.
5. Woman Who Escaped ISIS Testifies for U.S. Congress
(trigger warning)
Nadia Murad was an ISIS sex slave for over two months, abducted from her village in Iraq when she was 19. She escaped and is now a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and human rights activist and she testified before the senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. Murad urges the U.S. to take action against ISIS. In related news, Amal Clooney will represent Murad and other Yazidi women against ISIS. They are pursuing an International Criminal Court investigation and prosecution. Women in the World shares an emotional interview with Murad here.
*Extra News Flash*
Girls Not Brides worked with girls in Zambia to create a #GirlsNotBrides anthem and music video below. The words were written by a 17-year-old named Faith.
-Julia Travers is a writer and artist. Her writing portfolio is here and she runs the artist interview site Ask Artists.
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Legendary Women, Inc. doesn’t own or profit from the images above and has credited them and quotes. They are used here for information purposes and are covered under fair use.
