Clinic Defense Counter-Demonstration

  • April 9, 2023 1:18 am

from Twitter

#Philadelphia: This morning a clinic in #Chinatown that provides #abortions drew a handful of pro-life demonstrators and a counter demo of about 20 pro-choice people. Clinic defense call was from @PhillyDSA

Noisy Philly Counter-Demo Challenges ‘TERFs’ at Independence Hall

  • November 22, 2022 1:20 am

from Unicorn Riot

By Dan Feidt, Unicorn Riot November 21, 2022

PHILADELPHIA, PA — On Sunday, November 13, 100+ counter-demonstrators tried to drown out about 30 protesters who were demonstrating against transgender people’s access to medical transitions, recognition of chosen gender and other rights near Independence Hall. The counter-demo side characterized them as “TERFs” or ‘Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists.’ Philadelphia Police and U.S. National Park Service Park Rangers separated the crowds using bicycle police and portable barricades. Inside the barricades, several men, mostly masked up concealing their identities, paced around and eyed the crowd; they were widely suspected to be Proud Boys providing security according to a counter-protester. However, their identities are unknown.

Over almost three hours, Unicorn Riot interviewed nearly a dozen hoarse but spirited attendees. In this 29-minute video, we hear about why they consider noisy counter-demonstrations strategically significant, as well as reactions to how the recent U.S. elections largely — but not entirely — refuted anti-transgender politicians and messages.

[Video Link]

Some interviewees believed that John Fetterman, the current lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, who will soon be seated as a U.S. senator, would protect their rights. Another interviewee said that democracy and electoralism create situations where groups are enabled to spread messages about taking away rights from transgender people.

While there was at least one round of counter-demonstrators splashing the anti-transgender demonstration with water, no arrests transpired during our time observing the event.

Marquee speaker linked to white supremacists

The marquee anti-trans speaker was British activist Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull, who has also been known by the name “Posie Parker.” Keen Minshull appeared on a podcast with white nationalist French Canadian Jean-Francois Gariepy. An ardent ‘white ethnostate’ supporter, Gariepy has made videos with key Neo-Nazis including Richard Spencer, David Duke and Mark Collett. Several Philadelphia counter-demonstrators highlighted this shared media connection between Keen Minshull and Duke, although they have not appeared side-by-side.

Connections between “gender-critical feminists” like Keen and far-right white supremacists have been turning up for years, and the far-right has tried to leverage opposition to transgender rights to expand its movement. More about Gariepy’s long history with far-right circles and accusations of abusing a minor has previously been documented.

In 2019 Keen Minshull praised high-profile English racist ‘Tommy Robinson’ of the English Defense League who has been supported by the Philadelphia-based think tank Middle East Forum, The Guardian reported in 2018. Robinson’s real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon; he is banned from entering the United States and has been convicted of fraud, in addition to drug and public disorder offenses.

 

Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull (“Posie Parker”) appeared with white nationalist French Canadian Jean-Francois Gariepy (YouTube/PinkNews.co.uk)

After the anti-trans protesters left the area, they were forced to leave the nearby Khyber Pass Pub by employees who became aware of their bigoted views. The pub “is a punk and metal institution 
 they aren’t to be fucked with by bigots and fascist[s],” one observer noted.

[Twitter Link]

Anti-Trans Bigots With Nazi Ties Coming To Philly Nov. 13th – Protest Party Planned

  • November 10, 2022 1:10 am

from Philly Antifa

Come Tell Anti-Trans Fake “Feminists” to Fuck Off!

British Anti-Trans hate monger Posie Parker, aka Kellie-Jay Keen, is currently on a U.S. “Speakers Corner” tour to spread her bigoted bullshit.

Check out this thread by @B_for_backup about Parker’s record of violent transphobia and racism:

[Twitter Thread]

A dance party and noise demo has been called to counter the tour’s stop in Philadelphia, which is scheduled to occur at 1PM on Sunday, 11/13/22 near The Liberty Bell. While we are not organizing this event, we encourage everyone to come out and be loud and proud.

Transphobes Fuck Off,

The Feminist Subversion of the Economy: Contributions for Life Against Capital

  • September 26, 2022 1:12 am

from Making Worlds Books

Making Worlds Book Launch and Discussion: The Feminist Subversion of the Economy, with Liz Mason-Deese and Maximilian Alvarez

Please register in advance here.

In the face of unending economic crises and climate catastrophe, we must consider, what does a dignified life look like? Feminist intellectual and activist Amaia PĂ©rez Orozco powerfully and provocatively outlines a vision for a web of life sustained collectively with care, mutualism, and in balance with our ecological world. That vision is a call to action to subvert the foundational order of racial capitalism, colonial violence, and a heteropatriarchal economy that threatens every form of life.

The Feminist Subversion of the Economy makes the connection between the systems that promise more devastation and destruction of life in the name of profit—and rallies women, LGBTQ+ communities, and movements worldwide to center gender and social reproduction in a vision for a balanced ecology, a just economy, and a free society.

Newly translated and updated in collaboration with Liz Mason-Deese, who has won a PEN translation award for her work on feminist economics, The Feminist Subversion of the Economy shows the urgent need to radically and democratically discuss what we mean by a dignified life and how we can organize to sustain life collectively.

In addition to a dialogue with Liz Mason-Deese, Maximilian Alvarez will share from his recent collection The Work of Living: Working People Talk About Their Lives and the Year the World Broke

As COVID-19 swept across the globe with merciless force, it was working people who kept the world from falling apart. Deemed “essential” by a system that has shown just how much it needs our labor but has no concern for our lives, workers sacrificed—and many were sacrificed—to keep us fed, to keep our shelves stocked, to keep our hospitals and transit running, to care for our loved ones, and so much more. But when we look back at this particular moment, when we try to write these days into history for ourselves and for future generations, whose voices will go on the record? Whose stories will be remembered?

In late 2020 and early 2021, at what was then the height of the pandemic, Maximillian Alvarez conducted a series of intimate interviews with workers of all stripes, from all around the US—from Kyle, a sheet metal worker in Kentucky; to Mx. Pucks, a burlesque performer and producer in Seattle; to Nick, a gravedigger in New Jersey. As he does in his widely celebrated podcast, Working People, Alvarez spoke with them about their lives, their work, and their experiences living through a year when the world itself seemed to break apart. Those conversations, documented in these pages, are at times meandering, sometimes funny or philosophical, occasionally punctured by pain so deep that it hurts to read them. Filled with stories of struggle and strength, fear and loss, love and rage, The Work of Living is a deeply human history of one of the defining events of the 21st century told by the people who lived it.

  • Monday, October 3, 2022
  • 7:00 PM 8:30 PM
  • Making Worlds Bookstore & Social Center 210 South 45th Street Philadelphia, PA, 19104 United States (map)

 

September reading: feminism and anarchy

  • September 11, 2022 1:40 am

from Viscera

Join us on Sunday, September 18th from 1-3 for a discussion of the essay Less Within, More Between by dot matrix.

Feminism provides anarchists with tools to discuss both autonomy and membership. “Feminism,” “racism,” “classism”: the whole lexicon of “identity” is useful to today’s anarchists to the extent that it provides us with ways to talk about, and to meet, both sets of needs.

Find the reading here.

As usual, we’ll be meeting at Clark Park near the chess tables!

Jane’s Revenge vandalized Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia

  • July 7, 2022 1:55 am

Submission

In the wee hours of July 6th, the office of the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia (88 Pennsylvania Ave Oreland, PA) had their front window smashed and their wall vandalized with “JANE’S REVENGE”. The Pro-Life Union runs two crisis pregnancy centers (Guiding Star Mother’s Home: 1940 E Chelten Ave, Philadelphia, PA, and The Cenacle: 1509 Church St, Philadelphia, PA) and an anti-abortion pregnancy hotline (610-626-4006). They also organize anti-abortion rallies outside of abortion clinics where clients are harassed and shamed, and have numerous member organizations involved in a variety of anti-abortion programs in the greater Philadelphia area (list can be accessed at prolifeunion.org/member-organizations).

We hope that all queers, anarchists, anti-fascists, and just plain-old pissed-off feminists in the area will use this information wisely. Plan with a group of friends, wear a mask, and take action. Project your rage on your enemies. Dissapear into the night.

Solidarity with all those attack the state, capital, civilization, and patriarchy.

-Janes Revenge (A)

Tuesday July 5th: Letter-writing for Karla & Magda

  • July 5, 2022 1:01 am

from Philly ABC

karla-magda-letter-writing-updated.jpg

Join us as we write to Magda and Karla, feminist political prisoners in so-called Mexico. This past April 15th, a spectacular operation with more than 200 police officers occurred outside of the property of Okupa Cuba Casa de Refugio in Mexico City. At this eviction, the authorities took women that were in Casa as refugees– women who had to leave their homes, run away from the violent femicide that plagues Mexico, and took refuge to save their lives in Okupa Cuba Monumenta Viva.

Okupa Cuba is a self-managed and autonomous space that developed as a form of permanent protest because we had enough, a protest against the impunity, the indolence and the re-victimization by the patriarchal institutions of the Mexican state. Family, victims, and, feminist allies, in an uncounted event in the history of our country, they took over the facilities of Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission building. This was a wake-up call directed toward the authorities.

A series of irregularities and violations of their human rights have been mounting since they were detained– they were assaulted and threatened, at not one moment were they shown an arrest warrant, they were not told about the charges brought against them or told where they would be detained. They have since been charged with fabricated charges of possession simply to incriminate them. The women that are now imprisoned in Santa Martha are feminist activists, militants of the movement of victims of femicide in this country, they have volunteered their time and energy to build a shelter for women, for children, to denounce all forms of violence that we face every day in this country.

If you cannot join us in person and would like to send letters of solidarity to Karla and Magda, they can be emailed to: libreslas3@gmail.com .

We will also be sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in July: Gage Halupowski (the 1st) and Jessica Reznicek (the 25th).

Abort Every Court Graffiti

  • June 30, 2022 1:18 am

Submission

“Abort Every Court!” – All Courts Are Bad! – Anonymous in Philly

Plan C Stickers Put Up In Camden County, NJ

  • June 27, 2022 1:21 am

from Jersey Counter-Info

Plan C stickers were put up in several public restrooms in Camden County, NJ in light of the recent news of the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

City Hall Graffiti from Roe v. Wade Protest

  • June 27, 2022 1:10 am

from Twitter

Philly City Hall graffiti from tonight’s Protest against the Supreme Courts ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade #AbortTheCourt



Fake Clinic’s Windows Smashed in Philly

  • June 12, 2022 1:46 am

Submission

We smashed out all of the windows of the “Hope” pregnancy center on Broad st. We are tired of your “family values” and you forcing families, and your values onto our bodies. This fake clinic spread lies and is part of a broader attempt to strip away body autonomy from hundreds of women and people. We are inspired by the actions of comrades in Wisconsin, Colorado, New York, and a growing list of places. If the attack on abortion does not stop our attacks will broaden. This is also intended as a small gesture of complicity with all those imprisoned by the state, in honor of June 11th.
-Anti Hope Brigade

June discussion: abortion

  • June 12, 2022 1:00 am

from Viscera

Join us Sunday, June 19th in Clark Park from 1-3 for our next anarchist discussion group. In line with the times, we’ll be reading a few pieces on abortion!

Jane’s Revenge – First Communique

Robin Marty – I am an abortion rights activist. I hope the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Laura Kaplan – The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service (excerpt):

The Story of Jane: Chapter 27Download

As usual, we’ll be meeting near the chess tables! Yes, we realize this is father’s day, yes, you’re welcome to bring your dad or a father figure.

May discussion: The Great Caliban: the struggle against the rebel body

  • May 3, 2022 1:34 am

from Viscera

This month we’ll be reading “The Great Caliban: The Struggle Against the Rebel Body,” a chapter from Silvia Federici’s classic work, Caliban and the Witch.

We can see, in other words, that the human body and not the steam engine, and not even the clock, was the first machine developed by capitalism.

History, gender, Foucault, surgeons stealing the bodies of executed prisoners from the gallows – it’s got something for everyone.

We’ll be meeting in Clark Park by the chess tables on Sunday, May 22nd, from 1-3. Bring a blanket or something else to sit on in case the chairs are full with other people enjoying the warm weather!

Find the reading online here or in pdf form here:

The Great CalibanDownload

How many light bulbs does it take?

  • March 8, 2021 1:39 am

Submission

Exterior Decoration Tutorial and Communique

Supplies Needed:
gloves
glass light bulbs
paint
water
funnel
alcohol
screwdriver
pliers
duct tape
soft surface or container

Step 1:
Wearing gloves, use pliers to remove the top of the light bulb (to make a hole in the top). Be sure to break off any extra pieces. (Remove the small plate and dark glass, NOT the threaded metal sleeve.)

Step 2:
Use screw driver to pierce a hole through the top into the main section of the light bulb.

Step 3:
Mix paint with water.

Step 4:
Use funnel to transfer paint mix into light bulb.

Step 5:
Wipe everything (tape, bulbs etc) clean with alcohol.

Step 6:
Duct tape hole shut. You can use a soft surface (like an egg carton) to secure bulbs and keep them from falling over.

Step 7:
Pack your bulbs with cushioning in a container you don’t care about getting messy.

Step 8:
Find your target.

Step 9:
Aim high and throw hard!

In response to the March 6th Call for Action we paint-bombed a pro-life billboard because fuck pro-life propaganda. No one should have to have a baby who doesn’t want to.

Sabotage is fun!
Paint on patriarchy and gender!

-Insurrectionary Feminist Exterior Decoration Committee

Against the Party for “Socialism” and Liberation: Proletarian Feminism is the Weapon to Smash Revisionism!

  • January 6, 2021 1:21 am

from People’s Voice

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

Character Assassination and Denial: Steven Powers and PSL Philly

In July of 2020, Dakota of PSL Philly reported fellow member Steven Powers for sexual misconduct at the behest of Powers’ then-girlfriend, who used the name Griselda online. In the weeks following his report, Dakota was charged with violating PSL’s constitution, removed from organizational chats, slandered by his so-called comrades and generally isolated by party leadership. Dakota highlighted this process in detail1 after attempting to struggle over the issue through the proper channels. PSL claims that Powers was throroughly investigated, but thus far the only people to see any consequences for his predatory and abusive actions are the people he harmed.

Griselda, who brought his behavior to the attention of other party cadre, has been systematically harassed and stalked by party leadership. In a formal party statement, PSL even disclosed Griselda’s legal name and location, and declared that their investigation committee concluded that Griselda had falsely accused Powers. It’s worth noting that PSL has taken down the statement down due to Griselda threatening suicide; some members now insist that she was not doxxed, repeating the lie that that the original statement had only her first name in it.

What is perhaps most concerning about PSL’s treatment of Griselda is the fact that the party’s investigation into the matter was entirely internal, though she was never a party member. An internal committee of PSL members reading through text messages is not only unqualified to rule out abuse, it is obviously a ploy to avoid transparancy and protect the org’s reputation at any cost. Let us be crystal clear:This is not an internal issue of party discipline. This is an issue of a party member abusing someone outside of the PSL.

The process was further compromised by Powers’ close friendship with members of the Steering Committee, which headed the investigation. Steering Committee member Timour K. was seen hanging out with Steven Powers with other PSL members during the investigation, despite contact with Powers being restricted by the Party.

A recently released statement by former PSL Philly members2, originally intended for internal struggle, details how PSL manipulated Griselda’s accounts to make her out to be a “hysterical woman” and distorted the context for Griselda’s “consent” in order to find Steven Powers innocent of abuse. The Steering Committee also concealed the fact that Powers had another accuser.

If revolutionary parties truly wish to earn the position of vanguard, they must be accountable to the masses, both inside and outside party membership. PSL’s attempts to resolve contradictions between themselves and the unorganized masses through secretive internal meetings reveals not only a disconnect from the broader masses, but a deep fear and distrust of them as well. This is far from the first time that PSL has sprung to the defense of over-degreed white chauvunists in its ranks.

1. archive.is/yT5vp

2. docs.google.com/document/d/1ntjUqtB-k4wuBuN4bc8r9ABxfNsIDVU2YOHW9E92TzM/edit