Thursday 27 March 2014

For telling a guy in a club who groped her... - #nomakeupselfie Part 2

When a Jeanne Marie got groped in a club and told the guy it was inappropriate... this was the result:

https://twitter.com/damnfewofusleft/status/448110526015369216/photo/1

She was beaten up. But instead of letting her aggressor win she made a stand with this #nomakeupselfie

On Facebook she said this:
"i am sorry cancer research, but my ‪#‎nomakeupselfie‬ is for a different cause:
for telling a guy in a club who groped me that it is completely inappropriate to touch a woman without her consent, i was beaten. he told me to "Smile!", too. (www.stoptellingwomentosmile.com)
no, we do not have to wear makeup
no, we do not have to smile
and, most importantly,
no, we do NOT have to be touched.
i'm trying to channel my rage into something constructive, so i'm raising money for the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC). please text OXRC47 £3 to 70070 to donate £3 (or OXRC47 £1 for £1 or OXRC47 £10 for £10, etc.). if you're not in the UK (or don't want to text) please visit my justgiving page to donate here: http://www.justgiving.com/jeanne-marie. feel free to share this post, as well.
thanks, friends. sometimes you just have to make the best out of a broken nose, right?"
I think most women have experienced some sort of sexual harassment. I am sad to say that from that from far too early an age onwards I have. By my teens I was enraged by it and have made a stand on many occasion. But the fact that this young woman has made such a public stand is heartening and inspiring.
It frustrates me that some men feel that they can touch a woman without her consent. It absolutely enrages me that they can inflict such damage when someone like Jeanne Marie says no. I hope others will feel inspired to stand up against such abuse, and I hope onlookers will be inspired to stand up and protect such brave women. 
Well done Jeanne Marie. I hope you heal and remain strong.

Sunday 23 March 2014

Bright sunny days, cold beers and a bit of brass!

What's more lovely in Summer than to sit outside on a hot day, listening to free gigs on our nations beautiful bandstands! Here's a little film to keep the sunshine glowing bright, care of the wonderful and very talented Onyx Brass... Oh, and I might have had a hand in making what you are about to see. 



Onyx on stage... me on camera.
Photo: Nicky Thomas Media
Onyx Brass are touring the UK from today, playing free gigs in bandstands. London will feature on their schedule in May and June but any of you in Glasgow can see them playing today. 







Never work with children or animals...
unless they appreciate your efforts that is!
Photo: Nicky Thomas Media
Tour de Brass will also be bringing cheer and dulcet brass tones to bandstands across East Anglia, the South West, the North East, the North West and another date in Glasgow. 



I would highly recommend checking them out! ... even if I have been listening to one of their tunes on loop whilst editing the video... I still love their sound! ... in fact I'm humming it now ;)




22 March - Glasgow:
David Sawer - WORLD PREMIERE

18 May - East Anglia:
Ludham Festival, Great Yarmouth, Bury St Edmunds Festival

20 May - London:
Victoria Embankment Gardens, Hyde Park Bandstand

28-30 June - South West:
Beaminster Festival, Devon, Somerset, Dorset

5 July - London:
Southbank Centre Festival

12-13 July - North East:
Durham Brass Festival, Superact's "Our Big Gig", Durham County, Miner's Gala, Auckland Castle, Barnard Castle

2 August - Glasgow:
Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival

7 September - North West:
Liverpool, Widnes, Chester

Saturday 22 March 2014

#nomakeupselfie?! Really?!

I must admit that when the  hashtag started cropping up in my social media feeds I was a bit sceptical. 

My initial thought was "Really?! How on earth is this going to help cancer awareness in any way?!". And apologies, but it just seemed a bit vain. 

So my response to being tagged was to side step the selfie and post with this:

#nomakeupselfie? How about donating to a cancer charity?

I suggested three fantastic charities:


Thankfully others had the same idea and before long people were actually truly raising money for charity, as well as awareness. In fact Cancer Research has reported receiving over 1 million pounds in charitable donations since this current selfie craze!

Despite this, I still can't get over the slightly self validating feeling of it all... and don't get me wrong... I posted all about my experiences of cancer on social networks. For some, that may have felt like over-sharing, others may now be thinking "pot, kettle, black".  Plus, I'm not exactly shy about posting photos of myself online. However, I have never been a big fan of the those chain letters guilting you into not breaking the chain... and this feels a bit like that. Plus the expectation of responses of "oh honey, you are a natural beauty" is just a bit too cringe for me.

I think my friend Ali had the best and most memorable post with this:
 "Here's my no make up selfie. I know, shushhhh...I'm just SO blessed"
Haha. Brilliant!

Now whilst I'm still not that keen on uploading a "selfie" for cancer awareness, I respect those that do. You have all done a great job of genuinely raising money and awareness, despite my initial scepticism. So here's my compromise, a photo, not taken by me, without a scratch up of makeup... I was just too busy to even think about mascara... But hush, no affirmations. Thanks ;)