SLUTWALK Morocco: The Interview

Everytime I open this facebook page, I find more followers, comments and opinions about the Slutwalk Morocco. And I was going to respond to the criticisms… I was going to write about how some people just don’t get the heart of the intitiative. I was going to write about how things don’t always have to be so hard to understand. I was going to write about how I thought some of the criticisms were valid and how other simply weren’t…

But then I thought… Naaah, I’d rather let the founder of the initiative take care of that !

The truth is that I am supportive of the walk because my inner twenty year old thinks it is… totally… A-W-E-S-O-M-E.

As simple as that !

One thing that is certain is that the answers Majdouline -The founder of the initiative- has given me have changed my mind about this issue in a huge way.

 

The SlutWalk concept is a new one as I previously mentioned on my last article. The first one took place in Toronto in early 2011 and the trend has been growing swiftly ever since.

For as long as rape and sexual assault have been topics for open discussion, people have been blaming the victims, and placing responsibility at the feet of women, in other words that’s someone else’s MOM, SISTER, COUSIN or FRIEND !

Slutwalks are a way of raising awareness about this issue by making it visible, and open for debate.

We all know so many ordinary people who have done so many extraordinary things… By joining the initiative even by thinking about it for just a second…

I believe Slutwalk Morocco is going to make a step on the way to radically shifting the way we think about rape and sexual assault in the moroccan society.

And we have one particular girl to thank for that, her name is Majdouline and she’s on According to Hind to answer YOUR QUESTIONS…

Hi Majdouline, thank you for joining me on “According to Hind” for your very first and exclusive interview…

1) Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself ?

Hi, my name’s Majdouline, I’m 20 years old. I’m Moroccan, born and raised in here my whole life. I’ve studied French literature, & I’m a passionate person about art in general. I like the way it influences people all around the world and the way it has changed the track of history.

I’m a human right defender since I  can remember and I’ve been active since I was 17 & I can define myself as a rationalist feminist.

Other than that, I love music, movies, photography. I like to hang out with my friends, chocolate & pizza, I talk a lot, I always say what’s on my mind which kind of puts me into trouble sometimes and I have dreams like any other person on this planet!

And I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone Ramadan Moubarak and siyam ma9boul 🙂

2) You started the ‘SlutWalk Morocco’. Can you tell us what inspired you to do this?

SlutWalks around the world! It was a wake-up call for me. Growing up, I’ve never really understood why society kept teaching us the “don’t get raped” mentality instead of a “don’t rape” one, anchoring that way a never-ending victim blaming process of “she was asking/looking for it”.

I think it’s time to change this mentality, we’ve got to give a chance to the next generations to walk the moroccan streets feeling SAFE & RESPECTED, a feeling moroccan women are missing today.

Allow me to share a little story with you:

 In 2002, I was twelve years old. In 2002, a ten year old little girl named Loubna Majdoubi was kidnapped, raped before being savagely killed. A picture of her smiling in a hindi costume was published on “Femmes du Maroc” magazine. Her picture never left my mind.

The day her story was on the news, I thought to myself that something needs to be done to fight this either it happens to children or women & that I’d want to be a part of it.

3) WHAT is the idea behind the Slut Walk Morocco ?

To abolish the taboo about rape, sexual assault & sexual harassment ; & to spread awareness across the country. “No” means “no” and there’s a huge difference between “to flirt” with someone & between “to harass” or “to sexually assault” someone. It’s time to stop perpetrating this dangerous confusion.

The idea behind SlutWalk Morocco is for it to be a « cry of anger » to every girl and women to say that we’ve had enough.

4) Are you’re working alone or do you have a team working along with you?

I am working with a team but it started with just me posting a facebook status saying : « Slutwalk morocco, who’s in? » but then I thought to myself, « I don’t want to start it with just a status! » so I deleted it.  But a friend of mine called Houda sent me a message saying she’s all in for SlutWalk Morocco. Having her support, I started gathering information and then I went to another friend of mine with the idea: « You know there’s something called SlutWalk, it’s a worldwide movement & I’d like to initiate a Moroccan SlutWalk, what do you think?” and he was all very excited and supportive of it.

And YES, there are guys working with us too !

5) Did you expect the buzz your initiative has created so far?

To be honest, I knew the caption “SlutWalk” would be shocking & provocative for a lot of people. But I’ve never expected it to take this path so quickly! I was hoping for it, I wanted it so bad but not really expecting it to be this big !

6) A lot of people are wondering WHEN and WHERE the march is going to take place?

We are currently working on that matter. We don’t want to rush things, we want to do things right and for our march to have an important impact.

SlutWalkers, be patient, we’ll keep you updated on how things are going… !

7) The n°1 question people have been asking, including myself is: WHY did you keep a name as provocative as SLUTWALK?

Well, first because we support the SlutWalk worldwide movement & as I said before, I wanted to launch a Moroccan version of SlutWalk.

But also because it is shocking & provocative not only for us as a moroccan society! The name created a polemic in a lot of countries where a SlutWalk happened. Also, the word “SlutWalk” is catchy. Because I know that if I had named my initiative something “respectable” I wouldn’t have had this number of feedbacks or have created such a buzz.

I’m not up for names like “to preserve Moroccan women’s dignity” – no offense for anyone intended – but we’re not a rare specie that needs to be protected, we have to be respected!

8/ So, can we understand that you’re willing to change the name soon?

Yes, we are working on it! We want this to be a Moroccan version of SlutWalk and we want it to be 100% moroccan, suiting our society, our community’s beliefs & values. But to tell you the truth, it’s hard to find a name as catchy as “SlutWalk”!

9) What are the actions you’re currently working on?

For now, the march is our principal concern. We’re also focused on spreading awarness on the facebook page and working on some other things in parallel…

I’m not going to spoil anything, just stay tuned !

10) Are there any organizations, associations or influential individuals who have shown support to your initiative?

We have people showing us their support & that means the world to us!

We would like to stay independent from any kind of organism, so we are calling for individuals & not what they may represent. Not that we will be against support of our initiative from organizations, associations or influential individuals defending human rights & women’s right. And so far, we have the support of « SlutWalk Toronto » – the initiators of the movement –

11) What has your initiative accomplished so far ?

Within the past decade, the debate was uncontinuous & was considered SHY ! We, today, have opened a FEARLESS debate with no restrictions at all and the number of followers on our facebook page can speak better words than I can !

12) Do you see this as a potentially annual event?

It all depends on how things are going to turn out, we’re hoping for the best !

13) What would you like to say to all the people who have liked your page and have joined the initiative ?

First of all, thank you all for joining the initiative, for sharing your thoughts and your feelings about this cause. Because I believe this issue concerns everyone.

The most important thing is for all the girls and guys out there to get what this initiative is really about and it’s NOT about walking the streets half naked or naked !!!!

Again, it’s about changing mentalities one mind at the time and I believe our facebook page can speak better words than I can !

One more time, thank you so much for your support!

14) What was the best advice you heard since the beginning of this journey ?

It’s a Martin Luther King JR quote that I go by : « Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter ».

15) What kind of advice do you have for young women today?

Oh my God,  I’m in no place to give advices! The message’s very clear: stand out for yourselves and demand respect, shame has to switch sides…!

Majdouline, thank you so much for your anwsers and I wish you and the SLUTWALK Morocco all the best with what’s coming next…