People in 2014 are doing incredible things. We are standing together to #BringOurGirlsBack when 234 Nigerian girls went (and still are) missing. We wept and hugged each other on the year anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing. We watched as the best of the best from each country fought their hearts out in the Winter Olympic Games – and we’re not even half way through the year yet.
Those that stood, wept, hugged, and fought, and those that supported virtually, physically and emotionally, understand what it means to have equal human rights.
Zooey challenges women to live bravely and to be the leaders and supporters and everything in between of the world today. Living bravely means to challenge and understand and stand on a strong, North-pointing moral compass. It means to treat others with respect and kindness.
We at Zooey want to fight and stand for what we believe is an injustice to the basic principles of human life that are being threatened in Southeast Asian Nations by the Sultan of Brunei, owner of The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hassanal Bolkiah. He has implemented new laws, that will take effect in 2015, allowing homosexuals, adulterers, and those publicly unsupportive, to be stoned to death under the Islamic law.
Many protests have already begun, including the International Women's Media Foundation, which annually hosts its Courage in Journalism Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel, is now boycotting the venue. Elisa Lees Muñoz (Executive Director of the the IWMF) states, "The IWMF, can no longer hold an event at a venue whose owner stands for the violation of the very human rights we fight for. As a consequence to the introduction of Sharia law in Brunei, we have decided to cancel our contract with the Beverly Hills Hotel and move this year’s Courage Awards to another location.”
Other notable names including Jay Leno are also taking part in the boycott. Leno comments, "This is 2014, not 1814... It's not a political issue. This is not something that's debatable... It's people being stoned to death." The Feminist Majority Foundation, which also annually holds its 'Global Women's Rights Awards' at the hotel, boycotted the Beverly Hills Hotel and held their event at the Hammer Museum in Westwood on Monday instead.
Let us not be hasty in our anger. Let us not take our feelings of outrage, disgust, and anguish out on a group rather than an individual. We do not agree with the Sultan, we do not accept or understand why he thinks this is a humane law to have in any part of our world. It is not.
We will hug those that need to be loved. We will weep for those that break our hearts. And we will most certainly fight for those that need to be fought for. And we hope and encourage our readers and subscribers to live bravely and be the leaders and supporters we know you are.
We are the people of 2014 and we will stick together. Spread the word, and join us in the protest against these inhumane acts.
Story // Jennifer Funt Photo of the IMWF Courage in Journalism Award Ceremony in 2013 // IMWF by Vince Bucci
The cover of Issue 20 is now revealed featuring Krysten Ritter (Veronica Mars, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23)! We can't share any other information about the issue, but we promise it's another great edition.