Contributed by Jessica Yee
The internets have been a buzz lately with the abhorrent commentary from the two radio deejays in Alaska who asked in early April, “Have you made love to the Yukon and peed in a Native woman?�
Sure it was in response to an old racist saying in Alaska, and sure those two have now returned to the airwaves having gone through some sort of “sensitivity training," but it’s all been truly telling of the climate on violence against Alaskan native women (that’s a term I’m learning being a First Nations woman in Canada!)
Some statistics to get you familiar with the plight of my sisters in the North (that just came off of this informative article sourced below):
78 -- Average rate of forcible rapes per 100,000 people reported to
public safety officers in Alaska from 1996 to 2005.
33.3 -- National average rate of forcible rapes per 100,000 in the
same period.
56 -- Percentage of sexual assault patients in the latest state study
who were Alaska Natives.
16 -- Percentage of assaults against Alaska Native women that
resulted in convictions in that study.
52.5 -- Percentage of times the suspect in an assault against an
Alaska Native woman was also Native.
42 -- Percentage of times that was true in Anchorage.
6 -- Percentage of times that was true in Fairbanks.
98 -- Percentage of times that was true in Bethel.
89 -- Percentage of offenders who were known to the victims.
Sources: Daily News archives, Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations in Alaska by Andre Rosay of UAA and Tara Henry, Forensic Nurse Services; and oral presentation by Henry.
My initial reaction beyond disgust, anger, and sadness to this Anchorage radio defamation was, again??? I could have sworn that same week I read something about some other racist DJ.
Oh wait I did. Only on this North Carolina show they called us "lazy" among other slanderous highlights, and said specifically that the Lumbee tribe are "inbred," referenced Pocahontas as "Poca-ho-tas," and Sacajawea as "Sacacooter."
I guess it’s all in a week’s work of degradation. Only these are the realities Indigenous peoples around the world must live with every day.
And I’m sick of it.
Jessica Yee is a multiracial youth of Native descent who was called to the line of action by raising controversy in her Catholic school and began volunteering at Homeward Family Shelter at the age of 12. Now at 23, she is a proud Chinese-Mohawk woman whose work is nationally focused on sexual health initiatives for Aboriginal youth and cultural competency. She also does anti-racism work with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, is a forum facilitator for the Highway of Tears Initiative in British Columbia, serves on the Board of Directors for Maggie’s: Sex Workers Organizing, and is a family group facilitator for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She writes for SHAMELESS: FOR GIRLS WHO GET IT!, rabble.ca, and SECTION15.ca-rebels without a clause. Jessica is a Canadian for Choice and is constantly looking for new ways to be a kick-ass activist!
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It sounds like that lovely "old saying" could be referring to rape and assault no matter which way it's worded. This is awful, and I'm glad to see people speaking out against it.
I may be a little dumb, but exactly what the heck does that saying even mean?
Does it refer to rape in some way I'm not getting? Making love to the Yukon sounds like I don't know, working hard on the land? Peeing in a native woman I have no idea. It is demeaning, but I'm not sure it is sexual or related to rape.
Can someone decode the saying for me?
The old saying is that you're not an Alaskan until you've peed in the Yukon and made love to a native woman. Better, but still not without racist/misogynistic undertones.
But the actual quote says "made love to the Yukon and peed in a native woman" not the other way around.
Is that a typo? Honestly I'm not entirely certain why peeing in a native woman would make you an Alaskan or why anyone would broadcast that they did that. The other way around at least somewhat makes sense.
Jessica, you sound like you're doing amazing work- thank you. I just wish there wasn't so much to do... it's amazing how ignorance continues and people feel oh so comfortable in their isolated worlds of assumptions and stereotypes- so comfortable they shout it across the radio. Thank you for the post- I'm passing it on to my friend in Alaska.
Jessica, you sound like you're doing amazing work- thank you. I just wish there wasn't so much to do... it's amazing how ignorance continues and people feel oh so comfortable in their isolated worlds of assumptions and stereotypes- so comfortable they shout it across the radio. Thank you for the post- I'm passing it on to my friend in Alaska.
Is that a typo? Honestly I'm not entirely certain why peeing in a native woman would make you an Alaskan or why anyone would broadcast that they did that. The other way around at least somewhat makes sense.
Jordan, it's not a typo but an intentional reversal of the original saying.
Although "golden showers" are some people's kink, many women would find it degrading. The radio dj's played on both this kink and the degrading connotations of being urinated on to denigrate the native women.
I'm not surprised you don't get the "joke" as it's not especially witty.
Thanks for the kind words Nash, and yes there is much to do.
That is why ALLIES are so important, we need them!
I don't recognize the border as an Indigenous woman, so what is happening to my brothers and sisters in Alaska it is our responsibility to react to and do something about here.
The scarier part is that was not the sole incident that week, never mind what goes unreported all the time.
We have strong Indigenous feminists out there, we need to unite and speak up!
Could someone please tell us what the "old saying" is?
oops, just realized someone posted it already
Yeah for Jessica and her work! Nice to see this post on feministing.
I'm glad to see posts on Native women activists! Native women are definitely disproportionately affected by rape and abuse so it is awesome to see badass ladies taking a stand against it.
I grew up in Northern Ontario and I couldn't get away from racism against First Nations folks, men and women alike... it's a pretty disheartening climate sometimes.
I love Alaska (from the very little time that I spent there), and it makes me very sad to read about this. I found Alaskans to be some of the nicest, friendliest, and most hospitable people I've ever met.
Jessica, it sounds like you're fighting the good fight. Is there anything you want your readers to do to help?
I am sick of members of the media making racist and sexist comments. How are these comments being punished by sending them to sensitivity awareness classes and letting them back on the air. Time after time this is the end result of this kind of insensitivity. Whether it is Imus, Dog the Bounty Hunter or these two jerks, a stand needs to made and their shows need to be canceled permanently.
I am sick of members of the media making racist and sexist comments. How are these comments being punished by sending them to sensitivity awareness classes and letting them back on the air. Time after time this is the end result of this kind of insensitivity. Whether it is Imus, Dog the Bounty Hunter or these two jerks, a stand needs to made and their shows need to be canceled permanently.
Update from Alaska-
Last night there was a 'community forum' broadcast on public radio covering Anchorage and the surrounding area. It was an interview/discussion with the two offending DJs and Dixie Huchinson, who is a Native DJ and regular contributor to the station. The discussion focused not only on the offensive comment, but on the disproportionate abuse of Native women. The two DJs claimed ignorance, in terms of their offensiveness, and have been in dialogue with Native community leaders.
We can always question the authenticity of this response, but compared to Imus and company it's a welcome change. The power of the words is being taken with the gravity it deserves, and has further publicized abuses towards Native women.
Update from Alaska-
Last night there was a 'community forum' broadcast on public radio covering Anchorage and the surrounding area. It was an interview/discussion with the two offending DJs and Dixie Huchinson, who is a Native DJ and regular contributor to the station. The discussion focused not only on the offensive comment, but on the disproportionate abuse of Native women. The two DJs claimed ignorance, in terms of their offensiveness, and have been in dialogue with Native community leaders.
We can always question the authenticity of this response, but compared to Imus and company it's a welcome change. The power of the words is being taken with the gravity it deserves, and has further publicized abuses towards Native women.
Update from Alaska-
Last night there was a 'community forum' broadcast on public radio covering Anchorage and the surrounding area. It was an interview/discussion with the two offending DJs and Dixie Huchinson, who is a Native DJ and regular contributor to the station. The discussion focused not only on the offensive comment, but on the disproportionate abuse of Native women. The two DJs claimed ignorance, in terms of their offensiveness, and have been in dialogue with Native community leaders.
We can always question the authenticity of this response, but compared to Imus and company it's a welcome change. The power of the words is being taken with the gravity it deserves, and has further publicized abuses towards Native women.
Update from Alaska-
Last night there was a 'community forum' broadcast on public radio covering Anchorage and the surrounding area. It was an interview/discussion with the two offending DJs and Dixie Huchinson, who is a Native DJ and regular contributor to the station. The discussion focused not only on the offensive comment, but on the disproportionate abuse of Native women. The two DJs claimed ignorance, in terms of their offensiveness, and have been in dialogue with Native community leaders.
We can always question the authenticity of this response, but compared to Imus and company it's a welcome change. The power of the words is being taken with the gravity it deserves, and has further publicized abuses towards Native women.
Thanks for the update! At least it's getting some coverage, and the DJs are interacting with members of the community they trashed. That's at least a step.