#NotAskingForIt: Why Are Women At Carnival Sexualised?
Trinidad carnival is an amazing event to go to.
If you haven’t been I seriously recommend going if you love Caribbean culture and soca music, and with all the festivities it usually is a great time and I have had some of the best moments of my life there.
Sadly, though, this year there was a tragic death. Asami Nagakiya a pannist from Japan was murdered.
There was uproar after Tim Kee, now the former Port of Spain Mayor, responded to the tragedy stated:
There was uproar after Tim Kee, now the former Port of Spain Mayor, responded to the tragedy stated:
“Women have a responsibility to ensure they are not abused during the Carnival season. It’s a matter of, if she was still in her costume — I think that’s what I heard — let your imagination roll”
Carelessly suggesting Asami caused her own death because of the costume she wore at carnival, is not only another way in which people in power use victim blaming to shame deplorable acts, but it reeks of respectability politics!
How dare he say that women shouldn’t dress the way they have always dressed at carnival in order for them to not be killed?
It was highly disrespectful not only Asami, but to ALL women who take part in the festivities — in Trinidad and over the world.
As women, we should feel safe enough to enjoy ourselves without the fear of any sort of assault, rape or murder.
In all my years of playing mas, (it’s been a long time, trust me) I’ve seen the progression of carnival. It was and will always be a part of my culture and now I’m an adult I see carnival differently.
I love carnival, it’s an exciting and thrilling feeling especially the production of costumes and watching my fellow Caribbean people come together to enjoy.
With this being said, there is negativity on social media insulting women for wearing costumes and dancing in a “sexual way”.
Sexualisation of carnival needs to stop its for people of all ages to enjoy. Observing many tweets on the opinion of rape, I was disgusted by some of the responses with many saying: “Dress how you want to be addressed”
Sat there with question marks surrounding my head, I didn’t understand the correlation. Just because you see me at carnival getting on bad (dancing) doesn’t mean I have no self-respect or no qualifications. I am not deemed as less worthy as a person and these assumptions must stop.
It’s misogynistic.
A woman will let a man whine with her, but this does not mean that she wants any sexual relations with him.
Which brings to light the new campaign #NotAskingForIt brought to us by artist Fiona Compton.
The hashtag applies to fetes, and almost any where else that involves men assuming they know what they can and cannot do to women’s bodies.
Fiona Compton, an amazing fashion artist and photographer; is the founder of #NOTASKINGFORIT campaign, I love what she and her team are doing to combat this issue that occurs within the Caribbean community but hasn’t been full on approached.
In fetes, I’ve had men put their hand in my bra — my first thought is to give them two rass lick in he ass — but the fact that they feel they can do such a thing without repercussions is disgusting. I didn’t invite him to touch me.
I was #NotAskingForIt. He came for a whine/wine only! lets dance and keep it moving, women are humans too not objects
Unfortunately, many men who think in this terrible way, it happens all over the world young girls are taught that if a man touches them the only explanation is they deserved it.
This mentality needs to end.
If a woman or girl of any age is assaulted in any way from being touched inappropriately to rape it is NEVER the victims fault.
And so, I will support and continue to support whilst wearing my costume. I encourage fellow masqueraders to do the same!
To read up more on #NOTASKINGFORIT
