Woman’s NO: the denial expressed by a body socially identified as woman’s.
Woman’s NO can easily become inaudible, imperceptible or even unacceptable, losing the status of a logical message, to be considered as sterile word. The woman’s NO can be interpreted as charming, seductive game and inability for decision, or simple bureaucratic repetition of moral convention. Woman’s denial would only precede, although delaying, the assertion. Woman’s NO is interpreted as an introduction of woman’s yes.
What’s the problem of understanding the sense of NO when the facial expression, the sound of the voice and physical movements belong to a body socially identified as woman’s? Like a woman's voice would "naturally" be a statement of affirmation? The softness and sweetness, social requirements for the composition of a female body, would create the inevitable impression of acceptance? The concept of femininity represents an obstacle to the negative expression? What is behind, inside, above, outside, beside and below the perception of women's NO?
Violence becomes a tragic consequence of this everyday life miscommunication, which puts the physical and it’s integrity of millions of women in the whole world at risk.
Therefore, the II. Internationale Ma(g)dalena Festival "No means No" proposes an aesthetic and political reflection on these and other issues to articulate effective actions to end violence against women.
NO MEANS NO! - II Festival of Ma(g)dalena International Network
Initiative: Ma(g)dalen International Network
Coordination: Madalena-Berlin Theater Group
Support: KURINGA - Space for the Theater of the Oppressed in Berlin
Ma(g)dalena International Network is composed by female theatre groups from Latin
America, Europe and Africa who promote discussion and concrete actions for women’
rights. Each group member, through Forum Theatre plays, stimulates public debates
about the oppressions faced by women, and dynamizes the search for concrete
alternatives to the identified injustices.
Woman’s NO can easily become inaudible, imperceptible or even unacceptable, losing the status of a logical message, to be considered as sterile word. The woman’s NO can be interpreted as charming, seductive game and inability for decision, or simple bureaucratic repetition of moral convention. Woman’s denial would only precede, although delaying, the assertion. Woman’s NO is interpreted as an introduction of woman’s yes.
What’s the problem of understanding the sense of NO when the facial expression, the sound of the voice and physical movements belong to a body socially identified as woman’s? Like a woman's voice would "naturally" be a statement of affirmation? The softness and sweetness, social requirements for the composition of a female body, would create the inevitable impression of acceptance? The concept of femininity represents an obstacle to the negative expression? What is behind, inside, above, outside, beside and below the perception of women's NO?
Violence becomes a tragic consequence of this everyday life miscommunication, which puts the physical and it’s integrity of millions of women in the whole world at risk.
Therefore, the II. Internationale Ma(g)dalena Festival "No means No" proposes an aesthetic and political reflection on these and other issues to articulate effective actions to end violence against women.
NO MEANS NO! - II Festival of Ma(g)dalena International Network
Initiative: Ma(g)dalen International Network
Coordination: Madalena-Berlin Theater Group
Support: KURINGA - Space for the Theater of the Oppressed in Berlin
Ma(g)dalena International Network is composed by female theatre groups from Latin
America, Europe and Africa who promote discussion and concrete actions for women’
rights. Each group member, through Forum Theatre plays, stimulates public debates
about the oppressions faced by women, and dynamizes the search for concrete
alternatives to the identified injustices.
