From the accounts I've read I have to conclude there were only two woman involved that night, the responding security officer who was threatened by the mob and the woman who identified the person detained. From what I've seen rioting is a macho, testosterone fueled dick thing. I'm curious: How many women threw punches at the show. How many women threw garbage at the cops? How many women helped to turn over the cop car? I ask these questions because I wasn't there and therefore do not know.

Please do not interpret my words as dismissing the power of women to physically defend their beliefs. Women have a centuries-long history of being on the front lines of the barricades. Women were on the front lines of the WTO police riots in Seattle and they were there at the Port military resistance. Their actions speak louder than any words I can write. What I'm raising for discussion is the role patriarchal bias plays in the conversation over the riot.

I promised some information in regards to speciesism in another post and am following through with that today. A wonderful resource for questions and additional information is Olympia Animal Rights(OAR) which can be contacted at

olympiaar@gmail.com

I am happy to offer additional information or suggested reading to those who wish it and am likely to refer other questions to OAR.

Speciesism has been discussed on OlyBlog in context with sexism, for which a great resource is the book, The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol Adams. This slide show offers an additional glimpse of Adam's work.

Another context in which speciesism has been discussed is in relation to racism and I think that Breeze Harper does an excellent job discussing that at her Sistah Vegan Anthology Site. She mentions a book called The Dreaded Comparison by Marjorie Spiegel, which discusses racism and speciesism in the context of oppressor's privilege. It's a short read and I highly recommend it for those wishing to know more about how animal rights relates to social justice issues.

Here is an anarchist's discussion of speciesism in Anthropological Basis and History of Anthrarchy.

Hi Everyone,
This upcoming show will be the last Olympia performance of the annual Sex Workers' Art Show. The SWAS began here in Olympia 11 years ago, and has since developed into an acclaimed nationally-touring show, seen by over 10,000 people each year at colleges, theatres, and galleries across the country. We've been lucky to be able forge connections with all kinds of people, and have become a small blip on the national radar of dialogue about feminism, workers' rights, capitalism, and sexuality. It could never have happened without the support, generosity and compassion of the Olympia community. Below is some information about the show, you can also visit www.sexworkersartshow.com. Thanks and love to everyone who has come to the shows over the years, and I hope you can all make it out for our last hurrah!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18th 8pm
The Washington Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets $12 at the door or online