Anna Hutsol[a 1] (Anna Vasylivna Hutsol;[1] born 16 October 1984[2]) is a Ukrainian activist and one of the founders of the radical feminist activist group FEMEN.
Biography
Hutsol was born in Russia but moved to Ukraine with her parents in 1991.[3][a 2] She is an economist[4] and a former assistant to singer Tina Karol.[5]
Hutsol founded FEMEN in 2008 after she became attuned to the sad stories of Ukrainian women duped by false promises from abroad:[6] "I set up FEMEN because I realised that there was a lack of women activists in our society; Ukraine is male-oriented and women take a passive role."[7] According to Hutsol the skills she acquired during her time with Tina Karol have helped FEMEN's "public relations".[5] FEMEN's main choice of action is toplessdemonstrations.[8] The group started protesting against prostitution in Ukraine[9][10] and broadened their agenda to women's rights and civil rights in Ukraine and around the world.[citation needed]
Late August 2013 Shevchenko and several fellow FEMEN-members have fled out of Ukraine fearing for their lives and freedom.[16][17][18] Hutsol requested for asylum in Switzerland in 2013, but the authorities rejected her request on 27 March 2014.[19]
Filmography
Nos seins, nos armes! (Our breasts, our weapons!), documentary film (Length: 1:10:00), written and directed by Caroline Fourest and Nadia El Fani, produced by Nilaya Productions, aired on France 2 on 5 March 2013.[20]
Everyday Rebellion, documentary film (Length: 1:58:00), written and directed by the Riahi Brothers Arash T. Riahi and Arman Riahi, Austria / Switzerland / Germany, 2013, world premiere at Copenhagen International Documentary Festival on 13 November 2013.