INNER NOTES: Gender-based Censorship

I've been engrossed on the topic of "Censorship in the Arts" lately and have been reading The Power of the Word: Culture, Censorship and Voice. Personally, as a cultural practitioner myself I worked on some community projects that have been thrown into the topic of "Censorship". At the time, I must admit, I was not aware of what this word really means except "something the government can do to you during war..." not realised its everyday uses and how tricky it is in spotting it.

What is Censorship?
Any means by which idea and works of art that express views not in accord with the dominant ideology are prevented from reaching their intended audience.

Outcomes of Censorship: items seized, banned, ignored, defamed, diminished, purposely misinterpreted in order to silence their authors and maintain the existing order.

Free market forms of Censorship: stereotyping, denial of access to publication, marginalisation, ghettoization.

Organisation: WORLD (Women’s World Organisation for Rights, Literature and Development). President – Meredith Tax. Contributors come from around the world (Philippines, Russia, Nigeria, Ghama, Peru, Serbia, Chile, Hong Kong, Croatia, India, Algeria, Trinidad)

Method’s to strengthen women’s movements: Satire, public protest, criticism, consumer boycotts, creation of independent cultural productions by writers, artists and filmmakers whose values are not shaped by the market.

Combat against Gender-based Censorship: to fight gender based censorship is to preserve in treating taboo subject matter, presenting critical points of view and getting them published.

“We’ve heard enough victim stories”
“the time for anger is past”
“we must not dwell on the suffering of the past; this is a time for reconciliation”