There are a huge number of movements in the world that defend certain ideals and values. Some of them are registered, others are not. Some are almost unknown, others attract attention with loud shocking actions. Among the latter is the Ukrainian women's movement Femen.
Femen is an unregistered Ukrainian women's movement, famous for its high-profile actions. Their distinctive feature is that in the course of the movement activists expose their breasts, attracting the attention of others.
It would be a mistake to interpret the activities of "Femen" as purely feminist - that is, aimed at obtaining women all civil rights. Considering the “calling card” of the group's activists - nudity - experts refer this movement to radical exhibitionism. Femen activists themselves, they call their main tasks the protection of women and their rights, the fight for freedom of speech, against prostitution and sexual harassment. The main goal of the movement, according to the activists, is the adoption of a law according to which in Ukraine not a prostitute, but a client who has bought her services, will be held accountable.
The Femen movement is not registered, there is no exact information on the number of its members. The figures are 40 people (activists participating in topless actions), 300 people (do not participate in such actions) and even 15,000 - the total number of participants in the movement. But no more than 5-6 activists usually take part in real protests.
During the existence of the movement, its participants have carried out a number of high-profile actions. One of the first was a rally at the building of the Ministry of Education and Science in November 2009. The activists demanded an investigation into the sexual harassment of school teachers against female students. The stimulus for the action was the arrest of the rector of one of the universities, suspected of filming porn films with the participation of underage girls.
Femen members have repeatedly protested against female prostitution in Ukraine. In December 2009, they held a high-profile action in Kiev near the InterContinental Hotel, the reason for which was the Miss Ukraine Universe 2009 contest. Femen activists argued that the models at the beauty pageant are just commodities.
Femen girls have repeatedly held rallies in defense of freedom of speech and opposed political regimes. One of the latter was actions in support of the Russian group Pussy Riot, four of whose members were sentenced to two years in prison for holding a "punk prayer" in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In particular, a member of the movement, Inna Shevchenko, sawed down a wooden cross in the center of Kiev, thus expressing her protest against religions that, according to her, encroach on the freedom of women.
