Beauty and the beasts

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There are two types of ABDs – those who live the daily, 9-to-5 grind, and those who live … on the edge. The punk ones, the ones who scandalize the aunties. Well, I’m sure that aunties across America have been doing some tutting about the actions of Jabeen Akhtar, who joins Ravi Chand in the audacious desi animal rights activist hall of fame. [Thanks DJ Drrrty Poonjabi]

Jabeen is an animal rights activist with PETA who “painted tiger stripes on her nearly nude body and sat in a cage in downtown Charlotte, N.C.” to protest the way that circuses treat the wild animals in their acts:

In a letter … Akhtar explained she “appeared caged, nude, and painted like a tiger in downtown Charlotte, N.C., to draw attention to the way animals suffer in circuses like the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

“Although it was uncomfortable to sit on the pavement exposed to the public, the hour I spent sitting on the sidewalk was nothing compared to what the animals go through every day of their short, miserable lives,” she said. [Link]

PETA alleges the circus commits numerous violations against the Animal Welfare Act, backing up the claim with case documentation and hidden video footage. Among the grievances: inhumane storage of animals, torture with electric rods and bull hooks, neglect leading to suffering and death, intentional killing of animals afflicted with illnesses. [Link]

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p>I admire Akhtar. Not only did she take a peaceful yet eye-catching stand for what she believed in, she’s also an employee of the EPA. Now that takes chutzpah.

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p>However, she also selected a demonstration where she was protesting a private organization, not a government policy. Furthermore, she was fully within her first-amendment rights to do so, and didn’t break any laws, even decency ordinances. Explained a PETA spokesman:

… despite Akhtar’s lack of clothing, “We were well within our First Amendment rights.” Akhtar was wearing “panties and pasties,” he said, and police officers were friendly. [Link]

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p>I’ll bet they were.`Purring with delight, probably. Of course, some people missed the content of the message for its form:

Between noon and 1pm, males on their lunch breaks stopped in front of the Bank of America building to snap photos of the half-nude woman. One of them, when asked how he felt about animal treatment in the circus, responded, “I want her to move that sign so I can see her boobs…” [Link]

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Still, PETA feels this is an effective way to get their point across, and apparently have a whole campaign of similar acts planned:

Marta Holmberg, an intern with PETA on the anti-circus nudism tour, defended the tactic: “The way society is today, you have to do things like this for people to pay attention…” [Link]

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p>I guess there are some people who wont take (alleged) mistreatment of animals lion down.

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p>[For those of you who are (ahem) fans of Ms. Akhtar’s, here’s a larger copy of that image above]

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p>Related posts: John Abraham strips for PETA, Ravi Chand, melon eater

88 thoughts on “Beauty and the beasts”

  1. I’m never witty or funny. Usually just self-righteous in a lefty sort of way. I’m also very, very attractive. Love, yeti

  2. wait, Salil, I’m sorry. I actually mixed you up with someone else. I apologize, seriously. I looked at your posts and realized that I don’t hate your shit. Now I just look like [more of an] ass. Sorry.

  3. Aww Yeti, that was the best retracted snark I’ve seen yet on a thread about a naked Indian girl painted with tiger stripes…

    I still think Salil that she probably was really trying to raise awareness about the issue. Move into a career as what? A cage sitting naked girl? Although, judging from some of the comments on here, there’s a lot of demand to meet that kinda supply…

  4. Awesome, my original three-word-comment linking to a barely clothed Vedic vixen (that’s right, I went there) got turned into a full post! Wow indeed, Sid.

    I actually found this article back in February of 06 and chose not to submit it to SM: I wanted to keep her safe from the ruthless clutches of the blogosphere and all to myself but, once I found the SM post about Ravi Chand, I knew I had to speak up. @=)

    Someone should really introduce Ravi and Jabeen. He’s certainly got a better chance with her than I do: if I were able to win a date with Jabeen I’d probably do something really stupid like picking her up in a brand new Hummer (with full leather interior, of course), taking her to grab some burgers (cooked rare, of course), going to a Ringling Bros. show (front row seats, of course), and then clubbing some baby seals (to death, of course).

    Then we’d make sweet, sweet love (on a bearskin rug, of course).

    Anyways, thanks Ennis for this post, I’ve enjoyed reading the comments as much I did examining Ms. Akhtar’s photo for any possible anomalies in her body paint. Best quote in this thread award goes to Salil.

    You know what would have raised awareness? If she’d gained 100lbs, stuck two broom handles in her mouth, and painted herself like a harbor seal, and then let everyone club her.

    Second place goes to the Don Juan who expectorated this pearl:

    One of them, when asked how he felt about animal treatment in the circus, responded, “I want her to move that sign so I can see her boobs…

  5. Apple:

    …PETA objectifies women and undermines feminist principles of gender deconstruction.

    The other two examples of PETA ads/performances we’ve written about here (Ravi Chand and Abraham) are of men.

  7. Best quote is actually bengali’s (because of how true it was): “If the comments on this thread is anything to go by, then PETA’s tactics aren’t really working. 32 posts and still no discussion about the perils of being animals in circuses and what dull auntie-abiding feeble minded Joe Publics can do to help said animals.”

    Second is Ennis’s gem (because I love puns): “I guess there are some people who wont take (alleged) mistreatment of animals lion down.”

    And third is Salil’s hilarious: “You know what would have raised awareness? If she’d gained 100lbs, stuck two broom handles in her mouth, and painted herself like a harbor seal, and then let everyone club her.”

    This has been a highly amusing set of comments from everyone.

  8. “If the comments on this thread is anything to go by, then PETA’s tactics aren’t really working. 32 posts and still no discussion about the perils of being animals in circuses and what dull auntie-abiding feeble minded Joe Publics can do to help said animals.”

    And yet, if it hadn’t been for this stunt, we wouldn’t have blogged it (no desi angle, innit?). Having blogged it, I included a description of PETA’s complaints, and a link to the website where they substantiate their claims. All y’all have read their accusations, even if you haven’t clicked through. It’s having some effect.

    Geez – do you want to discourage them from using more near naked desis in their campaigns? Geez.

    She’s a federal employee. Her email address is publicly available thanks to many many documents available on the federal register and the EPA docket. She is no doubt going to get reamed by the EPA for this. Trust me, I know this firsthand from being reamed by the EPA myself for being involved with NetSAP-DC in 2004. If she did this lightly, she’s stupid as hell. But I think she’s trying to leverage a career change. This was a publicity stunt.

    Salil – I thought she was (ahem) covered for the reasons that I discuss above – she broke no laws, and she was protesting a private entity. Please explain …

  10. She is no doubt going to get reamed by the EPA for this.

    This stunt happened 8 months ago, so any reaming is long since over.

    she was protesting a private entity

    Salil is protesting this entity’s privates.

  12. Apple, I was with you until I checked out John Abraham’s pics. I am 100% behind his objectification (the green onion skirt was a nice touch, in my humble opinion, makes you want to just reach out and, um, adjust it…)

  15. Wonder if she will be soon protesting against the mistreatment of cockroaches:

    Cockroach-eating contest bugs animal group “Insects do not deserve to be eaten alive especially for a gratuitous marketing gimmick,” PETA spokeswoman Jackie Vergerio told Reuters Link

  16. I don’t buy this. She did this only because of her own need for attention on some pyschological level. There are other more effective and less personal attention grabbing ways to do things. Her husband has got to be thrilled that a bunch of lunch time perverts have naked photos of his wife on their home computers and are masturbating to it.

  17. a bunch of lunch time perverts have naked photos of his wife on their home computers and are masturbating to it.

    Thundercat fetish? Speak for yourself, Cyckrano.

  18. Her husband has got to be thrilled that a bunch of lunch time perverts have naked photos of his wife

    Oh, I’m sure she obtained her husband’s permission. Husband? WTF is right. Who says she’s married? And since when does anyone other than she have the right to decide what to do with her body?

  19. See Apple, men drooling over women do not bug me nearly so much as idiots like sa who imply we should all crawl under burqas and stay quietly at home so our ‘possessors’ don’t have to worry about other men drooling over us…this species of idiot never makes similar comments about men like John Abraham who do the same thing.

  20. Her husband has got to be thrilled that a bunch of lunch time perverts have naked photos of his wife on their home computers and are masturbating to it.

    Actually, I did that over breakfast.

  23. this species of idiot never makes similar comments about men like John Abraham who do the same thing.

    John Abraham, whoever he is, is also retar*ed if he got naked, painted himself, and sat in a cage at lunch time. So is anyone else that does this.

    Like I said in my original post, there are far more constructive avenues to pursue that will have more of an impact than simply using nudity to get attention. And smart women know that.

    -the idiot

  24. I recently became a vegetarian for these very reasons – I don’t see why the life of an animal is of less value than my own, why its pain should weigh less with me than a human’s.

    This is fabulous, and I’m also a vegetarian, but it would be an oversight on all of our parts to think it stops here. Every single one of us that lives in a house or apartment, who plays in the park, goes to the mall, or drives on paved roads has contributed to the suffering of animals. Animal value isn’t just about not eating the cute wittle furry guys, or protesting bessie the cow being turned into some overpriced House of Dereon purse. The responsibility of displacing animals from their natural habitat falls on the entire modern society. Calculated management of the animal populations is necessary; if our livelihoods have pushed animal populations into smaller areas of occupation, they will become overpopulated and the boundaries become blurred. Then you have all sorts of weird shit like mountain lions alligators, or bears wandering into Stop N Shop parking lots or elementary school playgrounds.

  25. And smart women know that.

    Thanks for letting us know. I was going to ask a smart woman what she knew, but you’ve saved me the trouble.

  26. Man, one of the problems with living on the West Coast is that I miss so much commenting before getting up around 11am. 🙂

    Yeti: sorry for the return snark. Apology accepted!

    I still think Salil that she probably was really trying to raise awareness about the issue. Move into a career as what? A cage sitting naked girl? Although, judging from some of the comments on here, there’s a lot of demand to meet that kinda supply…

    Modeling? A Penthouse spread? Anything that showcases her good looks as opposed to her brain? Those jobs generally pay a lot better and are much more ego-gratifying than filing documents about air quality and whether a medical devices should fit under certain regulatory guidelines and all that. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out she no longer works for the EPA. She may have pulled the stunt 8 months ago, but I’ve gotten three email forwards about it in the last day, so it seems like the publicity is current.

  27. i think salil, in the publicity interim and likley getting booted from the EPA, she became the director of this promo, sans the paint and whiskers… yes, the less sexy version to be compassionate and promote a ‘meatless’ day..

  28. Salil – don’t civil servants have some union protections against getting fired? If she had been protesting govt policy, she would have been vulnerable, but a protest against the circus?

    p.s. are they forwarding this story, or another version of it?

  29. She has a muslim name. Where are the fatwas against her for posing nude in front of kafirs? 🙂

  30. I’ve gotten three email forwards about it in the last day, so it seems like the publicity is current.

    That’s just the SM effect 🙂

  31. And yet, if it hadn’t been for this stunt, we wouldn’t have blogged it (no desi angle, innit?). Having blogged it, I included a description of PETA’s complaints, and a link to the website where they substantiate their claims. All y’all have read their accusations, even if you haven’t clicked through. It’s having some effect. Geez – do you want to discourage them from using more near naked desis in their campaigns? Geez.

    Nah mate, your post was fine – I was just lamenting the dearth of “those poor circus animals” sentiments 🙂

    PETA falls under the ‘infantile left’ category – they are an annoying organisation with irrational goals. We should probably pay more attention to the WWF and RSPCA than these fringe idiots.

    Dharma, You are right that using intelligence to determine value is not a good idea. But we live in an ecological system comprised of many interacting life forms and so it’s difficult to live without killing (and thereby assigning value to the life of a creature). Do the farmers from whom you buy your vegetables use pesticides? Should I let termites eat my house? If I get head lice should I just let them thrive in my hair? If it is OK to kill in these instances why isn’t it OK to kill to eat? Killing is killing is killing regardless of the size of the creature. Although it is well intentioned, I don’t think your philosophy is something humans can achieve without being hypocritical at some point (unless of course if we go back to living in caves and gathering berries).

  32. with regard to Ravi Chand’s claims that veganism makes him better in bed – bro, please!

    if that were the case, the human race would be vegetarian by now.

  33. with regard to Ravi Chand’s claims that veganism makes him better in bed

    The veggier the berry, the sweeter the juice.

  35. Bengali,

    Actually, like a good Hindu, I have nothing against death. If the chicken I ate had had a pleasant existence, and a painless death, I wouldn’t have strong objections to its dying to feed me. If it comes down to me and the chicken, I’ll choose me – I’m no Gandhi. What I do object to is the suffering imposed on animals in the obscene animal-production industries out there – treating life as a commodity to be sold. There’s an unnecessary disregard practiced there – a contempt for life – for the sake of pure profit.

    As a consumer, it’s in my power to influence these practices to some extent. I try to buy organic, local produce from small farmers, to recycle as much as possible, to refuse plastic bags at the grocery store. I won’t buy leather shoes or boots anymore. I agree it’s impractical to aim to eliminate all suffering by animals, but shouldn’t we strive toward it?

  36. The people who talk about this protest, and then turn around and say her protest was ineffectual are pretty stupid. J-E-D-I mind trick. That protest did EXACTLY what it was intended to do…get people talking, like it did on this blog. You say you think “naked chick” instead of “suffering tigers” –I guarantee this… next time you see a tiger at a circus, you’re going to remember her, you’re going to remember that she was protesting it, and you’re going to spend a little more time looking and thinking about that tiger. In other words, you might have ignored the animal before, but you won’t now. You think this kind of protest is all in-your-face but its long term effect is more subtle. And they know it. We studied PETA’s tactics in my comm class. They are VERY effective, and with no advertising budget, they’ve beaten these multi-million dollar companies with huge advertising budgets at their own game.

    Salil. Slam. Saying she did it for attention to herself–I disagree. Looks like some nutso Christian site went after her personally. And a looker like that ainÂ’t hurtin for attention. jgl- you think everything is pathetic and slutty. YouÂ’d have all WHITE women wear hijabs if you could.

  37. Hahahahahah!

    I just came back to this thread because I wanted to see her naked again. And there’s that final comment by “I am NaseemMan.”

    Dude, I’ve seen plenty of tigers on TV and at least two in a zoo since then. I will happily confess that not once did I think about this girl at ANY of those moments.

    I do think about her when I’m alone in my room, though. It generally has nothing to do with animal rights.

    So her mission was not accomplished with me, anyway. Yeah, it got people talking, but it didn’t exactly get people talking about animal cruelty. Hell, it didn’t even do that ON THIS THREAD.