SF chapter of Unreasonable Women Baring Witness promotes peace through artistic expression 

Today, the newly formed San Francisco chapter of Unreasonable Women Baring Witness (UWBW) staged its first action in support of world peace and social justice. Reflective of the Bay Area’s rich history of activism and the cultural diversity of San Francisco, women from various backgrounds gathered at Baker Beach at sunrise to send a meaningful message to people all over the world.

The women of UWBW created the formation of the female sign with a peace sign. The sign was used as a public display of the naked vulnerability of women. The peace sign is an expression of our motivation for coming together in support of non-violent resolution to conflict. The entire symbol represents the power of women to hold peace, and to harness the essence of peaceful energy and transmit it to the world. Unreasonable woman Anne Hipskind reflects, “In doing this formation we are in solidarity with the earth - an intimate connection with all people around the world, particularly those that are actively experiencing violence or the threat of violence.”

The women of UWBW staged this action in protest of the impending war, the US military presence around the globe, and the exploitation of women as a systematic tactic of war. Kristen Atkinson, one of the organizers of San Francisco UWBW, said, “We are here in protest of the war the United States government is waging around the world, but also in protest of the wars going on in our neighborhoods and on our streets each day in this very country.”

The new chapter of Unreasonable Women Baring Witness is a diverse group of women who, like our sisters around the globe, believe that bodies are not created to suffer the violence and terror of war, but rather to breathe life and peace into the world. We believe that baring our vulnerability in support of peace, and in stark contrast to the destruction inherent in war, we are sending the message that women will no longer tolerate the US government’s pursuit of naked aggression. One participant said she felt called to action due to the personal safety in her own life and that being vulnerable in this way allows us all to stand in solidarity with women around the world who don’t have the privilege of personal safety. UWBW organizer Tonya Stoddard believes “it’s a privilege to be able to express ourselves in this way, to use our feminine bodies as a site of resistance rather than violence and militarism.”