Alexandra Shevchenko

Olexandra Shevchenko[1][2][3] (Ukrainian: Олександра Шевченко) is a member of the Ukrainian feminist protest group FEMEN, which regularly demonstrates topless against manifestations of patriarchy, dictatorship, religion, and the sex industry.[4][5]

Olexandra Shevchenko
Олександра Шевченко
Olexandra Shevchenko, in 2010
Born (1988-04-24) 24 April 1988
Khmelnytskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
OccupationFeminist Activist
MovementFEMEN

Early life

Shevchenko was born and grew up in Khmelnytskyi (in Ukraine).[6]

FEMEN
Shevchenko (right) and Inna Shevchenko prepare for the 2010 Kyiv campaign.
Shevchenko celebrates 2 years of FEMEN (2010).
Shevchenko (right) prepares for anti-Euro 2012 protest.

Anna Hutsol formed FEMEN in Kyiv on 10 April 2008, with her two friends from their hometown of Khmelnytskyi, Olexandra Shevchenko and Oksana Shachko.[7] They initially protested about issues effecting women students, but rapidly moved on to demonstrating against the sexual exploitation of Ukrainian women.[8] It was in late August 2009 that Oksana Shachko became the first member of the group to bare her breasts during a protest, but it was not until 2010 that this approach became the usual tactic in FEMEN demonstrations, justified on the grounds that without the media attention generated by topless protests their message would not be heard.[9]

In 2011, international news agencies started to pay more attention to this unusual group of Feminist protesters,[10][11]

In late 2011, Shevchenko, along with Inna Shevchenko and Jenia Kraizman, took their protest onto the international stage.[12] On 31 October 2011 they demonstrated dressed as French maids in Paris against Dominique Strauss-Kahn,[13] on 5 November 2011 they protested against Silvio Berlusconi in Rome,[14] the following day they protested against the Pope outside St. Peters,[15] and on 10 November protested against prostitution in Zurich.[16] On 9 December 2011 Shevchenko was in Moscow demonstrating against Vladimir Putin outside Christ the Saviour Cathedral.[17]

In 2013 Shevchenko established a training facility for FEMEN Germany in Berlin.

On 9 February 2013 Shevchenko protested against female genital mutilation at the Berlin Film Festival - she had the words 'Stop Cutting my Pussy' written across her bare chest.

On 6 March 2013, FEMEN activists (including Shevchenko) in cooperation with French writer Galia Ackerman released their first book called 'FEMEN' published by Calmann-Lévy in French.[18]

In August 2013 Shevchenko fled out of Ukraine.[19][20][21]

Bibliography
  • Ackerman, Galia, with Anna Hutsol, Oksana Shachko, Alexandra 'Sasha' Shevchenko, & Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN, Published by Calmann-Lévy (Paris 2013), 280 pages. ISBN 978-2702144589. (French language publication)[22]

Filmography

See also

References
  1. "The Femen Phenomenon", Gleb Garanich, Photographer's Blog, 1 March 2012, "Olexandra" is used here, in its original Ukrainian version and not translated into Russian. [Accessed 4 January 2020].
  2. "Ukraine's Femen: Topless protests 'help feminist cause'", Sam Wilson, BBC News, 24 October 2012. [Accessed 4 January 2020].
  3. "UKRAINE: Ukrainian Femen activist Oleksandra Shevchenko, who was recently deported from Tunisia, is arrested with two fellow protesters after staging an anti-Lukashenko topless protest in Kiev", REUTERS, 18 June 2013, reprinted on screenocean website.[Accessed 4 January 2020].
  4. Jeffrey Tayler (13 March 2013). "The Woman Behind Femen's Topless Protest Movement - Jeffrey Tayler". The Atlantic. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  5. "FEMEN". FEMEN. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  6. Neufeld, Dialika (11 May 2012). "Femen Activists Get Naked to Raise Political Awareness - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  7. Garanich, Gleb. "The femen phenomenon | Photographers Blog". Blogs.reuters.com. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  8. Piotr Pogorzelski. "New Eastern Europe - Ukraine is not a Brothel". Neweasterneurope.eu. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  9. (in French) Femen Les féministes venues du froid Archived 10 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Paris Match (18 February 2012)
  10. Bidder, Benjamin (5 May 2011). "Kiev's Topless Protestors: 'The Entire Ukraine Is a Brothel' - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  11. "Unorthodox protest in Ukraine: Indecent exposure". The Economist. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  12. "Naked ambition: Ukrainian topless protests go global – RT News". Rt.com. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  13. "Des féministes ukrainiennes manifestent contre DSK - L'EXPRESS". Lexpress.fr. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  14. "Ukrainian Femen Protesters". Photos.independent.ie. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  15. "Bikyamasr: Ukraine woman strips at Vatican for rights, anti-Berlusconi". Kyivpost.com. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  16. "FEMEN - Zurich is not a Brothel! (NSFW)". Mizozo.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  17. "'Femen' Stage Naked Protest Against Putin in Moscow [PHOTOS] - IBTimes UK". International Business Times. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  18. "FEMEN Book (2013)". FEMEN.info. 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  19. (in Ukrainian) У колишньому офісі Femen відкрили книжкову крамницю In the former office Femen opened a bookstore, Ukrayinska Pravda (23 October 2013)
  20. (in Ukrainian) Активістки Femen втекли з України Femen activists fled from Ukraine, Ukrayinska Pravda (31 August 2013)
  21. (in Ukrainian) Femen закриє офіс в Україні, але діяльність не припинить Femen closes office in Ukraine, however, the activities do not stop, Ukrayinska Pravda (27 August 2013)
  22. "Femen Book (2013) | FEMEN / ФЕМЕН". Femen.info. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  23. "Nos seins, nos armes (2012) - Documentaire - L'essentiel - Télérama.fr". Television.telerama.fr. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
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