FEMEN Quebec defends groups topless tactics

The founder of the feminist group responsible for this weeks bare-chested protest atQuebecs national assembly is defending her groups tactics.

Three women, who are part of the groupFEMEN, exposed their breasts on Tuesday during Question Period to protest against the crucifix that hangs in the province's legislature. The move has been criticized by somewomen's groups.

ChantalMaill, aConcordiaUniversity womens studies professor, wrote to CBC's Daybreakprogram calling FEMEN "a stupid group" and criticized the media for focusing on their topless protest at the expense of other, real feminist initiatives.

The founder of FEMEN, Xenia Chernyshova,said her group is used to criticism and uses topless protests as a statement against society's emphasis on beauty.

Rather than exploiting their sexuality, Chernyshova said FEMEN's activists present real bodies as a statement about how society sees womens bodies.

Chernyshova promised more FEMEN protests against the Parti Qubcois governments refusal to include the national assembly crucifix among religious symbols forbidden under its proposed charter of values.

If its heritage, then please put it in a museum, she said of the governments claim that the crucifix is a part of Quebecs history andtherefore should be exempt.

A painful memory

"[This]crucifix stems from the Great Darkness," the groupsaid, employing a term commonly used to describe MauriceDuplessis'spre-Quiet Revolution Quebec.

"[It's]a painful memory, especially for women. That renewal ofthe pact between the church and the state is not at all a heritageworth honouring."

Chernyshova said FEMEN Quebec just wants to get its point across to the government.

All the politicians want to ignore what FEMEN Quebec did. They think it was stupid and rebellious, she said. A lot of what we try to do is make politicians drop their masks. We want them to be real for one moment.