Censorship: Cartooning and Power
In Jordan, a journalism union advise a
cartoonist to stop posting work to Facebook8
.
In Palestine, and at the height of the pandemic, a cartoonist is detained twice over, and allegedly ill-treated by police officers9. Cuban cartoonists are forced to make false statements, later televised, effectively ending their careers.10
Very different stories, but in all three attempts are made to censor cartoonists.
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| Khire ALSHRIF, (Libya) |
Censorship occurs when a cartoon is published, exhibited, or otherwise disseminated and due to the intervention of a third party:
• the cartoonist is prevented from making more cartoons, or pressured to stop, or;
• the cartoon is withdrawn, deleted, seized, or destroyed, or such demands are made, or;
• the content or form of future cartoons is altered as a consequence, or such demands are made.
Censorship occurs after the fact and in general flows downward from positions
of power. We recognise the argument that so-called “cancel culture” can have the same effect as censorship. This is a nuanced matter and so we have a separate section concerning ONLINE CHALLENGES.
However, it must be borne in mind that contrary opinions, protests, and boycotts are themselves examples of free expression. It would be wrong to bracket cartoonists facing state-sponsored human rights abuse with those who are simply unpopular.
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| Krauze, (United Kingdom) |
Mention must also be made of the elusive and troublesome notion of self-censorship i.e., where
an opinion goes unexpressed or a cartoon is not ,rawn. Wherever punitive action against dissent is commonplace, higher numbers of cartoonists will exercise self-censorship. For example, the contrast between cartoonists from mainland China and the (few remaining)11 in Hong Kong.
“Free speech” is often seen in absolutist terms and few cartoonists will admit to self-censorship, especially those who work in nominally more liberal and tolerant regions. With that said, let us acknowledge one trend that most certainly does lead to unacceptable levels of self-censorship: misogyny.
Censorship: Women at the Forefront
Outspoken and expressive women are subjected to gendered abuse online12, in person, and via mechanisms of patriarchy13. Moreso if their platform is perceived as the reserve of men, as humour and commentary often are.
Women still form a minority among media workers14, including cartoonists.
Draw For Change! is a six-part documentary film series15 produced by Clin d’Oeil Films, Belgium, profiling six leading cartoonists – Victoria Lomasko (Russia), Amani Al Ali (Syria), Doaa El Adl (Egypt), Rachita Taneja (India), Mar Maremoto (Mexico), and Ann Telnaes (USA).
In her introduction to the accompanying book of the same name16, author Catherine Vuylsteke writes:“[The cartoonists] confront patriarchal dogmas, authoritarian leaders, reactionary frameworks, religious edicts, and chauvinistic traditions. With humour, courage, and originality, they engage with the world, and often, their graphic statements prove more illuminating than the long, intricate explanations of others. They challenge rigid social conventions, expose the blind spots in our thinking, and assail society’s arrowmindedness. In other words, they liberate us and offer new perspectives, attempting to ignite debates, introspection, and change.”
“None of them chose an easy path – thus, they stumbled, they got hurt, and even thought of chucking it in. Loneliness, sorrow, controversy, and self-doubt became part of their journey, yet they picked themselves up. In order to go against the current and to tear off the gags to free speech. To find a spot, not just for themselves, but for all those people, whom they see as more vulnerable, less able to come up for themselves. It is an eternal, incomplete attempt – to make the crooked straight. That already is a phenomenal achievement.”
Censorship that discriminates on the identity of the speakers more than the speech is insidious. As Rachita Taneja says, inherent to patriarchy and misogyny is the censorship of women.
(there is more..)
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| Wuster, (Germany) |
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| Rayma, (Venezuela) |
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| Firoozeh, (Iran) |
Reference: Francisco Puñal Suárez
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