DC: Women Speak Out on “Soraya M.” Film, Oppression of Women by Religious Supremacists, Misogynists

On Saturday, June 20, a public awareness event was held in the busy nightlife center of Washington DC’s Georgetown to inform the public about the upcoming release of the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and to make them aware of the broader war on women by religious extremists and misogynists.   The film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is scheduled to premiere across the country – mostly on Friday, June 26 – and tells the true story of an Iranian woman who was stoned to death by religious extremists.

DC Women Denise Lee and Faith McDonnell Speak Out for Women's Rights
DC area women speak out for Women's Rights

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) organized this public awareness event in the heart of Washington DC’s Georgetown to help make the public aware of the DC theater showings of the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” to be released in most locations on June 26, as well as other showings around the country.  Moreover, R.E.A.L. sought to expand public awareness of the global war on women by supremacists. in the form of stonings, honor killings, mutilations, oppression, and abuse of women.

http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/
http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/

We had signs and placards on these subjects; they passed out fliers about the upcoming film locations in DC and the larger war on women, passed out brochures about the film, and handed out business cards with our message of love and support for women’s universal human rights – everywhere.

R.E.A.L. estimated that several thousands of people passed by its public awareness event on the Georgetown street corner of Wisconsin and M Streets NW, and that materials were handed out to 600 individuals about the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and the ongoing struggle for women’s human rights.   With the public awareness event beginning at 6 PM ET, numerous visitors also saw the signs and placards (that were frequently held up high in the air) on this subject during the summer daily savings time, including busloads of visitors.

Denise Lee reaching out to DC Public on Extremist War on Women and Film "The Stoning of Soraya M."
Reaching out to DC public on War on Women and Film "The Stoning of Soraya M."

Denise Lee and Faith McDonnell in Public Awareness Event in DC's Georgetown on "The Stoning of Soraya M."

Public Awareness Event in DC’s Georgetown on “The Stoning of Soraya M.”


We spoke to the passers-by and crowd of visitors in Georgetown about how important the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is to see, to get a sense of what has been happening to women in Iran and around the world.  We spoke to passers-by on need to defend universal human rights for women around the world, and how vital it is for Americans to recognize that this threat to women’s human rights are not just in foreign nations, but also here in the United States as well.  We spoke to the global war on women by religious extremists who use such institutionalized ideologies to oppress, abuse, mutilate, and murder women.  In addition to the stoning and murder of women by supremacists in Iran, we spoke to recent so-called “honor killings” in Russia’s Chechnya and how the Chechen president has publicly stated that women deserve to die for so-called “loose morals.” Imm also spoke to the global femicide against women by supremacists using such “honor  killings” in America’s New York, Georgia, Texas, Cleveland, Indiana, in Canada, in UK, in Europe, in Pakistan, in Africa, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Jordan, in Lebanon, in Syria, in India, in Gaza, in West Bank, in Israel, and in Asia.   Imm stated that this continuing threat to women’s universal human rights is nothing less than a global “war on women” by supremacists.

In the Washington DC area, the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” will be showing at the Washington DC E Street Cinema, Bethesda Row Cinema, and Shirlington 7 theater.  More details about such locations are listed below.

http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/
http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/

WASHINGTON DC
Washington, DC
E Street Cinema
6/26/09
555 11th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-452-7672
Get Directions
— this is the site a block away from FBI HQ, and a few blocks from Metro Center metro stop

MARYLAND
Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Cinema
6/26/09
7235 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-652-7273
Get Directions
— this is close to a large parking lot and about 6 blocks from the Bethesda metro stop

Parking:
In the immediate vicinity of the Bethesda Row Cinema there are three major parking lots. There are two outdoor ones across the street from the theatre and one large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington on Bethesda Avenue. The small lots have very few 9-hour to 15-hour meters, and they fill up very quickly. These meters are silver, as opposed to the blue, dark gray and copper ones which range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. In the large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington the first two levels (G-1 and 1) have 2-hour meters, while levels 2 through 5 have 15-hour meters. Parking is free in the lots on Saturday and Sunday, while street parking is free Sunday only. Parking Information

Metro & Trolley:
The theatre is minutes by foot from the Bethesda Metro station (on the Woodmont side), off the Red line. The Bethesda 8 trolley can be boarded at the Metro station; it takes riders on a scenic tour of downtown Bethesda before dropping them off directly across the street from the theatre. The trolley is free of charge.

VIRGINIA
Shirlington 7
2772 South Randolph St.
Arlington, VA 22206
Showtimes: 1-888-AMC-4FUN (1-888-262-4386)
Get Directions