A ‘Christian nation’ no longer: why Australia’s religious right loses policy battles even when it wins elections

The Conversation
August 08, 2021

Despite having a devoutly Christian prime minister, the role of the Christian right in Australia has waned in recent years. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Conservative Christians are prominent in Australia's Liberal-National Coalition parties. Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott are two of the most devout and theologically conservative prime ministers in Australian history.

State Coalition parties have had influxes of religious conservatives as the Coalition absorbs Christian parties and their voters. At the same time, the Christian right is suffering major defeats on its biggest issues.

Since 2018, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia have all liberalised their abortion laws. This happened under Coalition governments in NSW and SA, to the dismay of some conservatives. Abbott and Barnaby Joyce appeared at protests against the NSW laws. Morrison declined to get involved, despite his “conservative" views on abortion.

In the 2017 postal survey on marriage equality, only five of the Coalition's 76 federal seats saw majorities vote “no". The law subsequently passed with the support of most Coalition MPs.

In a new article in Religion, State and Society, I examine why Australian Christian conservatives are losing policy battles even when they win elections. Compared to the United States, Australia does not have a strong link between Christianity and nationalism. I show that, if anything, the concept of Australia as a “Christian nation" has declined over the past decade. This makes it harder for religious traditionalism to piggyback on the electoral success of exclusionary nationalism.

The rise and fall of the Christian right

Religious adherence is declining in Australia, but this doesn't necessarily mean the end of religious influence in politics.

In her book Nations Under God, Anna Grzymala-Busse shows religious groups can continue to shape policy even in countries where people are averse to their involvement in politics. They can do this when they are seen as being “above politics". Religious figures are powerful when they appear to be giving non-partisan guidance to political figures, legitimised by a strong relationship between church and nation.

Australia's history has not created the kind of fusion between Christianity and nationalism that we see in places like Poland or the United States. But during the prime ministership of John Howard, politicians increasingly blended Christianity into a conservative vision of the Australian nation. This in turn created a favourable environment for religious influence.
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In a 2014 article, Marion Maddox described the success of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) in Canberra. Howard brought the ACL to prominence by treating it as a “legitimate peak body" for Christianity.

The ACL's political access continued under Labor prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. At a 2007 ACL conference, Rudd and Howard both spoke, with Rudd describing how his Christian beliefs gave him a unifying vision for the nation.

Gillard, raised Baptist but a self-described atheist, held private meetings on anti-discrimination laws with ACL leader Jim Wallace. In a 2011 interview, Gillard described herself as a “cultural traditionalist" who believed it was important for people to understand the Bible because “the Bible has formed such an important part of our culture". As prime minister, Gillard opposed same-sex marriage.

Maddox warned that Australians had failed to recognise the “extremist" right-wing nature of the ACL. It successfully presented itself as “middle of the road" politically, theologically and culturally. In reality, it represented a small, ultraconservative slice of mostly neo-Pentecostal Christianity.

Even at the peak of the Christian right's power, political scientists noted its electoral and policy limitations. Abbott's 2013 election victory didn't help it. His ascendancy hardened “culture war" divisions, limiting the influence of Christian conservatives to the Coalition side of politics. Labor stopped courting conservative Christian votes, despite having conservative Christian voters.

The Coalition could form electoral majorities, but was itself divided on the big “moral" issues where conservatives are in the minority.
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Read more: Same-sex marriage results crush the idea that Australian voters crave conservatism

From 'Christian nation' to 'religious freedom'

Critics of religious influence see ominous signs in the Morrison government's push for a religious freedom bill. They warn such legislation will carve out spaces for religious groups to discriminate. But the shift to a religious freedom agenda also marks a retreat of religious power in Australian life.

As Carol Johnson and Marion Maddox point out, Australia's biggest churches used to oppose efforts to expand religious freedom. They did so from a position of majority dominance, worried that efforts to protect minorities could lead to stricter separation of church and state.

In 2008, the Human Rights Commission conducted the Freedom of Religion and Belief in Australia Inquiry. An analysis found 40% of public submissions included the “assertion that Australia is a Christian nation". That assertion is much rarer today.

Even large churches are now conscious of being in a national minority on issues like marriage and sexuality. In 2017 the Turnbull government announced a Religious Freedom Review in response to conservative worries about the implications of changing marriage laws. In my analysis of the 15,500 public submissions to the review, I found just four assertions that Australia is a Christian nation or country.


Former prime minister Tony Abbott has referred to Australian society as 'relentlessly secular'. Joel Carrett/AAP

The term “Christian nation" was used 101 unique times across print media (in reference to Australia) from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2020. It appears to be in decline as a term. It appeared 35 times in 2016, 34 times in 2017 (the year of the same-sex marriage referendum), 16 times in 2018, 7 times in 2019 and 8 times in 2020. Furthermore, nearly half the times it was mentioned, it was by someone refuting the claim that Australia is a Christian nation.

When Australians do refer to their country as “Christian", they are usually talking about heritage, rituals, holidays and census numbers. These may involve implied racial boundaries.

But Australians generally lack the classic ingredients of true religious nationalism: a sense of being “chosen" by God or of a sacred covenant between God and the nation.

Read more: How religion rises – and falls – in modern Australia

Many of Australia's devoutly Christian politicians don't like calling Australia a Christian nation. Indeed, Abbott once described Australia as “relentlessly secular". I can find no record of Morrison publicly calling Australia a Christian nation or country. The last prime minister to do so was Malcolm Turnbull, who described Australia as a “majority Christian nation" sharing a biblical heritage with Israel.

The debate around religious freedom reflects a new concept of religious traditionalists as minorities requiring protection. It also reframes religious alliances in terms of multiculturalism and diversity.

Conservative religious actors will fight to protect their existing privileges and will try to carve out new ones. But they are no longer in a position to bring Australian society into line with their beliefs.

David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

 

Opinion: Animal cruelty on display at the Olympics

There were strange scenes during the show jumping portion of the women's modern pentathlon. Many horses refused jumps and threw off their riders — not a good look for equestrian, says DW's Andreas Sten-Ziemons.

    

Falls were a regular feature of the Olympic women's modern pentathlon

Bucking horses urged on with a riding crop although they clearly don't feel like jumping over obstacles or even entering the course. Howling riders who have completely lost their nerve.

Numerous falls by riders that just about walk away without serious injuries.

Sweating animals with wide eyes who, even after several throw-offs, have to ride on until the finish line is finally reached and the agony is over.

No one needs to see scenes like these. The show jumping portion of the modern pentathlon on Friday was anything but good advertising for equestrian. What occurred in Tokyo's Baji Koen Equestrian Park was far from normal show jumping and should instead be described as animal cruelty.

No show jumper would force his or her animal over obstacles if it clearly did not want to or had already refused several obstacles. Even at major events, it is common for riders to prefer to end the round and drop out of the competition rather than continue to force their horses. The welfare of the animals takes precedence over sporting success..

Debatable set of rules

DW's Andreas Sten-Ziemons

The problem with Modern Pentathlon lies in the rules and structures. Athletes are often not the best riders because they come from other sports such as swimming, and learn to ride late. They do not often train in the saddle, and the pentathletes do not compete with their own sport horses, but are provided an animal drawn by lot.

At the Olympic Games, the horses are certainly not bad, but at smaller competitions, the situation is often quite different because no horse owner wants to lend good horses to mediocre riders. The risk of injury to the animals is too great for that.

It is not for nothing that there has been discussion for some time about replacing riding with, for example, mountain biking or another discipline. After Friday's women's competition at these Olympics, that discussion should be taken more seriously than before.

In Tokyo, there were 18 horses at the start that were to take to the course several times with changing female riders. For just a few minutes, they were able to get used to each other on the warm-up arena before it was go-time.

Conversely, equestrian specialists like world champion Simone Blum or Olympic champion Ludger Beerbaum, sit on their horses every day and usually work with their animals for years before an Olympic-standard performance is possible. Trust, and more importantly, harmony between horse and rider, are basic requirements for successful show jumping.

National trainer complains about unfairness

An incident during Friday's women's mondern pentathlon was anything but harmonious. 

Saint Boy, the horse with which German Annika Schleu had to enter the course, had already refused several times and clearly did not want to jump again. Saint Boy bucked, sweating and obviously scared. The loud crying and howling of the already completely distraught rider certainly did little to lift the mood.

Since there were no spectators in the stadium, one could also hear the loud "Go on! Go on!" and "Hit it!" shouts from the equally desperate Kim Raisner. Inconceivably, the German coach also thought it appropriate to strike the horse with her fist, an offense that saw her be sent home by the International Modern Pentathlon Union.

In an interview with ARD, Raisner subsequently found the rules "unfair" because it had not been possible to change the horse — only possible after four refusals. Saint Boy, however, had only refused three times, so it was not yet dramatic enough. This is a perfect example where a rule change would be appropriate for the good of the horses.

The veterinarian in charge also gave the green light. "So we had to take this horse," Raisner said. Had to? Really?

In any case, the ride failed, and the rider left the course crying bitterly. Saint Boy would have loved to join in the crying, albeit for other reasons, but no one asked him.

This op-ed was adapted from German.

1. Beasts of burden - Antagonism and Practical History

   libcom.org/library/beasts-burden-antagonism-practical-history

   2017-03-26 · Beasts of burden - Antagonism and Practical History An attempt to rethink the separation between animal liberationist and communist politics.

 

Tokyo 2020: Combining motherhood with the Olympic Games

Breastfeeding, childcare, financial cuts, qualification barriers — many female Olympians are fighting not only for medals but also their rights, and succeeding.

    

Allyson Felix with her daughter Camryn after the US Olympic Trials in June

Allyson Felix lies on the track for several minutes, completely exhausted after earning bronze in the women's 400 meters with a time of 49.26 seconds.

"Nobody believed I would be here today," Felix told reporters in Tokyo's Olympic Stadium an hour after the race. "Nobody believed that I would be in the final. But I am a fighter."

The medal was her 10th at the Olympics, but this one was extra special because it was the first she earned as a mother.

"It's my first bronze medal, and yet it is so much more significant than the others," she said.

Mothers have competed at the Olympics as far back as the 1900 Games in Paris — when women were allowed to compete for the first time. There are more moms than ever before here in Tokyo. This shouldn't come as a surprise because, for the first time in the history of the Olympics, there are nearly as many women competing as men.

How do female athletes handle breastfeeding children?

Many women are familiar with the either/or problem. For competitive athletes, like Canadian basketball player Kim Gaucher, it meant either foregoing the Summer Games or spending 28 days in Tokyo childless and not able to breastfeed. This is because Tokyo 2020's Organizing Committee barred family members from entering the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Canadian basketball player Kim Gaucher with her son

Japan relented after an emotional Instagram post from Gaucher and protests from other female athletes, but the concession didn't solve the problem for many. Ona Carbonell, a Spanish synchronized swimmer, decided with a heavy heart to leave her child at home. The baby and her husband would have had to spend 20 days in a hotel room, and she would have had to leave the team bubble to breastfeed, putting her team at risk of infection every time.

"We need to talk about issues like this," she said. British archer Naomi Folkard, who pumped 14 liters of milk in advance for her 15 days in Tokyo, has called for the same.

British archer Naomi Folkard bids farewell to her son on Instagram before Tokyo 2020

Who organizes and pays for childcare?

When it comes to childcare during the Games, women often have to organize — and pay for it themselves.

At the beginning of July, Felix announced that she had set up a $200,000 (€170,073) fund together with her sponsor and the Women's Sports Foundation to assist with childcare costs. Nine women are currently benefiting from the program, including Aliphine Tuliamuk, a Kenyan-born marathoner competing for the US.

Each beneficiary receives $10,000 to cover childcare costs while they work — that is, while they train and compete.

Marathoner Aliphine Tuliamuk with her baby Zoe on Instagram

Why do sponsors cut back during pregnancy and maternity leave?

"Getting pregnant is the kiss of death for a female athlete," American 800-meter runner Phoebe Wright, who was sponsored by Nike from 2010-2016, famously said in 2019. "There's no way I would tell Nike if I were pregnant."

Pregnancy and maternity leave have often automatically led to a drastic cut in sponsorship money. That's very tough for female athletes, whose income depend on sponsorships often connected to Olympic participation.

800-meter runner Alysia Montano ran two races while pregnant to keep her sponsorship

Last year, Felix ended her sponsorship agreement with Nike because the apparel brand wanted to cut her salary by 70% for not competing during her pregnancy and shortly after giving birth. She made the discrimination case public despite a confidentiality clause. This prompted Nike to change its maternity policy.

"You can't change things with silence," the sprint star said at the time.

Allyson Felix's Instagram post responding to Nike changing its maternity policy

Why are sports federations so inflexible regarding qualification criteria?

Participation in competitions, which are important for Olympic qualification, is a major, sometimes unscalable barrier for female athletes. For Canadian boxer Mandy Bujold, her placements at three specific competitions were critical for qualifying for Tokyo, but she was unable to compete due to her pregnancy.

Bujold took her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) It ruled that other qualifying options must be found for pregnant women or athletes in puerperium, the period between childbirth and the point when the uterus returns to its normal size.

More and more female athletes are fighting back against this kind of discrimination, making it public, especially via social media — and are successful in doing so. This alone makes them role models, regardless of whether or not they win medals at the Olympic Games.

After the difficult and complicated birth of her daughter almost two and a half years ago and the many struggles alongside her running career, Felix is visibly proud to stand on the podium here in Tokyo with the bronze medal: "Normally, I can't lose and I'm very sad. But today, I am very happy."

This article was adapted from German.

2020 Olympics: these are beautiful games

Wang Guan

Opinion  

09-Aug-2021

CGTN

Editor's note: The Tokyo 2020 Olympics comes to a close. Is team China the ultimate "medal machine" that prioritizes golds at any cost? Or did people miss out on something more subtle yet significant? CGTN anchor and longtime sports observer Wang Guan believes the younger generation of Chinese athletes challenged stereotypes.

Hey guys, welcome to Reality Check. Every four years, we celebrate the Olympic Games, a singular event that unites us and reminds us, even if for a brief moment, that there's great beauty in this world.

On the beam, the biggest cheer-leader for Chinese gymnast Guan Chenchen was the American all-around champion Sunisa Lee. "I love her so much" as Lee tweeted. The two apparently bonded over the years as competitors but also friends.

Out of respect, Wang Shun, the new 200-meter individual medley champion, bowed to the guy he just defeated, Hungarian swimmer and five-time Olympian Cseh László, whose entire Olympic endeavor had been overshadowed by Michael Phelps and now at his last Olympic swim, by Wang Shun himself.

And let's not forget Su Bingtian, the fastest Asian man in the world. Su's trainer is famous American coach Randy Hungtington, who helped him to get to where he is today. And likewise, Chinese coaches helped other national teams train too in volleyball, gymnastics and other disciplines.

A hug...a hand-shake, an exchange of pleasantries. These are beautiful games. If only governments could come together in politics athletes do in sports, our world would have been quite a place.

In reality, there are media stories covering the Olympics from a political angle. For example, a New York Times article says "The Chinese Sports Machine's Single Goal: The Most Golds, at Any Cost," making it look as if these Chinese athletes were robots who can't think or feel for themselves.

Perhaps these Western reporters missed out on all the fun.

One may also want to know that Su Bingtian holds, in fact, a PhD in sports science. Chinese shooter Yang Qian studies at the prestigious Tsinghua University. And half of the Chinese Women's Volleyball team have a master's degree. Plus, those who suggest that elite sports in the Olympics and grassroots fitness are two different things should take a closer look at some facts.

For young kids, they need a role model - a Su Bingtian, or a Liu Xiang or an Alex Morgan or a Caeleb Dressel - to want to become one. Elite sports inspire grassroots participation. The two complement each other.

In China, for example, now more young Chinese than ever go to the gyms or participate in sports regularly. In 2020, fitness and sports in China is a growing 7-billion-dollar industry.

Back to the Tokyo Olympics. Again, they are beautiful games. Amid a global public health crisis and a world divided by geopolitics, they reminded us, every now and then, that our common humanity matters more than our differences.

VIDEO

2020 Olympics: these are beautiful games - CGTN

Script: Wang Guan

Editors: Xu Shuo, Liu Yuqing

Designer: Qi Haiming

Videographer: Wang Yilin

Producer: Wang Ying, Zhao Yunjie

Supervisor: Mei Yan

'Most challenging' Tokyo Olympics declared closed


By AFP
Published August 8, 2021

Fireworks went off over the Olympic Stadium at the end of the closing ceremony. - Photo: © AFP, Mohd RASFAN

Talek HARRIS

The Tokyo 2020 Games were declared closed on Sunday by IOC chief Thomas Bach, who said it had been the “most challenging Olympic journey” after a year’s pandemic delay and threats of cancellation.

Bach called the Tokyo Games “unprecedented” as he addressed the 68,000-seat Olympic Stadium, which was empty of spectators as Japan battles a record coronavirus outbreak.

“In these difficult times we are all living through, you give the world the most precious of gifts: hope,” the International Olympic Committee president told athletes at the ceremony.

“And now I have to mark the end of this most challenging Olympic journey to Tokyo: I declare the Games of the 32nd Olympiad closed,” Bach said.

It marked a low-key end to an extraordinary Olympics that have mostly played out in empty venues with only athletes, team officials and media present.

Athletes have lived in strict biosecure conditions with social distancing at the Olympic Village and instructions to wear masks unless eating, sleeping, training or competing.

As the Olympic flag was passed to Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo for the 2024 Games, live footage showed cheering crowds in the French capital — in stark contrast to Tokyo.

Bach has described how the IOC considered cancelling the Olympics and claiming the costs on its insurance policy but said officials ploughed ahead with holding the Games “for the athletes”.

– ‘Our athletes moved people’ –

On Sunday, the climax of the biggest sports event since the pandemic, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won the men’s marathon and the USA edged China at the top of the medals table.

The United States scored victories in volleyball, track cycling and basketball to top the tally with 39 gold medals, just one ahead of China.

The Olympics were plagued by low Japanese support as they went ahead with Tokyo and other regions under a state of emergency and with infections multiplying to new highs.

But Japan’s record haul of 27 golds to finish third on the table has won hearts. Britain were fourth with 22 and the Russian Olympic Committee, the team for Russian athletes after their country was banned for systematic doping, were fifth with 20.

“We believe our athletes’ earnest spirit and all-out performance moved people,” said Tsuyoshi Fukui, chef de mission for the Japanese team.

A succession of big names have failed to perform in Japan, where new sports skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing and karate brought young new stars to the fore.

But marathon world record holder Kipchoge showed his class on Sunday, kicking in the closing stages and clocking 2hr 08min 38sec to retain the title he won in 2016.

“I know there were a lot of people against holding this Olympics due to the coronavirus,” said a flag-waving, 47-year-old fan on the marathon route who gave his name as Tsujita.

“But I am glad it took place. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone.”

The marathon, moved north to Sapporo to avoid Tokyo’s summer heat, was one of the few events to allow spectators.

– Trans athletes, ‘twisties’ –

Fears of a major outbreak among the mostly vaccinated Olympic athletes and officials proved unfounded and 430 cases were picked up during the Games, including 32 in the Olympic Village.

However, the virus has lurked as an ever-present threat. Victory celebrations were muted, with lonely laps of honour. But the athletes’ emotions were on full view.

Superstar gymnast Simone Biles provided the most jaw-dropping moment when the American abruptly pulled out of competition over a bout of the “twisties”, a disorientating mental block.

Biles, widely acknowledged as the greatest gymnast in history, recovered sufficiently to claim a redemptive bronze medal in her final event, the beam.

Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Games and Canada’s Quinn became the first openly transgender Olympic medallist, with gold in the women’s football.

In other highlights, US swimmer Caeleb Dressel assumed the mantle of Michael Phelps with five gold medals and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah achieved a sprint double on the track.

Among the final events on Sunday, Jason Kenny claimed the men’s keirin to become the first Briton to win seven Olympic titles.

The USA started the day two golds behind China but the women’s basketball and volleyball titles and track cyclist Jennifer Valente’s omnium victory put them top of the table.

Tokyo will host the Paralympics from August 24. The Olympic circus will reconvene in just six months when Beijing, faced with boycott threats and a renewed coronavirus emergency, holds the Winter Games in February.

Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/most-challenging-tokyo-olympics-declared-closed/article#ixzz731Xz87KW

Tokyo Olympics: COVID-19 restrictions, no fans and more questions for the IOC

Though COVID-19 and public outrage loomed large, Tokyo 2020 still possessed the Olympic magic we all know and love. But the IOC won't always be able to hide behind the athletes' brilliance, writes DW's Oliver Moody.

    

"So what are you actually going to do in Tokyo?" It was a fair question.

The buildup to this year's Olympic Games was filled with uncertainty, and it was no different for journalists like me traveling to Japan. Would we be able to move around the city? To talk to people? Would we even be able to get into the events themselves?

Before we even got that far, there was a series of Tokyo 2020 systems and apps to navigate, about half of which actually seemed to work. The fear of getting turned back at the airport over an unchecked box felt terrifyingly real in the weeks before departure.

So when my doctor asked the question as he was giving me my COVID-19 vaccine, I didn't know what to say. On top of the pragmatic issues, some even more basic dilemmas had been swirling around my head. Should I even be going to Tokyo when the locals will be shut out? Should the Games be taking place at all?

Most of the restrictions were overcome — some relatively easily, others with a fair degree of difficulty and a scarcely believable quantity of deodorant. But it is perhaps unsatisfying to say that I still don't have a firm answer to those last questions.

The role COVID-19 played during the Olympics

Coronavirus case numbers exploded here during the Games, reaching record levels in Tokyo since the Olympics got underway. But the relatively low number of cases among people involved in the Olympics, and the fact that cases started rising rapidly before most of us had arrived in Tokyo, suggests that has more to do with the delta variant than the influx of foreigners.

Empty stands serve as a backdrop to IOC President Thomas Bach at the Opening Ceremonies

The ban on spectators is a travesty that truly eats away at the soul of the Games, and laying eyes on the empty fan park still standing next to Tokyo Bay is a brutal reminder of that. But, in this case, disappointing hundreds of thousands of locals with tickets meant giving joy to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

Athletes who trained their whole lives for this moment but then tested positive for COVID have been locked up heartlessly. Others have been able to fulfill their dreams, some with their very last chance at Olympic glory. Seeing intense euphoria and acute physical pain simultaneously etched into the faces of American swimmer Caeleb Dressel, British BMX cyclist Bethany Shriever and Ugandan steeplechase runner Peruth Chemutai in the flesh and knowing that thousands of hours of grinding away just paid off for them perhaps changes one's perspective.

The Japanese people themselves are also conflicted on the issue of the Games. At the opening ceremony, I could hear the demonstrators outside railing against the organizers who showed them so little respect. I've walked through protests to get into the Olympic Stadium in the last few days, and seen banners with slogans like, "Stop playing Games! Save lives, not the Olympics!" while others tell IOC President Thomas Bach, in no uncertain terms, to get out of Japan.

This shows unmistakably that the anger has not subsided. But I've also seen people lining up for photos with the rings, not 50 meters away from the protests. I've seen crowds form on a bridge as people tried to get a good view of the BMX events. I've seen people wearing Team Japan replica shirts all over town. They are all still part of the spectacle, even if they're not allowed to spectate.

Just before the start of the Games, I spoke to a pair of tour guides, who gave me almost identical quotes. "The Olympics should have been canceled because of the pandemic," they agreed. "Now that it's happening, though, I'll probably watch some of it."

If any of this sounds inconsistent, even hypocritical, ask yourself what any normal person is supposed to do in these circumstances.

Questions asked of IOC, Japanese government

What is clear is that none of these things have been treated with the gravity they deserve by the powers that be. The IOC makes grand claims of bringing the world together and giving athletes their big moments, but the truth of the matter is that hosting the Tokyo Olympics in spite of everything is an act of protecting revenues. The vast majority of the IOC's income stems from broadcast and sponsorship deals associated with the Summer and Winter Games. That's why we're all here.

The Japanese government meanwhile, staring down the barrel of billions in wasted investment and further bills to come in the event of cancellation, instead followed the gambling addict's logic that eventually their luck just had to change. To an extent, it has.

As increasingly seems to be the case with the Olympics, the unpalatable realities behind the scenes are countered by the brilliance of the performances and the compelling stories of previously unknown athletes who shoot to stardom over 16 breathless days. For a couple of weeks, we can intermittently forget how inherently wrong the direction the Olympic movement is heading in feels these days. No doubt the host nation's record-shattering performance in the medal table has helped the locals focus on the positives.

IOC President Thomas Bach during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics

But the gap between perceptions of athletes and authorities grows ever larger. That was made abundantly clear by the IOC's lumbering, reluctant response to the case of sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who was kicked off Belarus' Olympic team for refusing to compete in the 4x400-meter relay.

And already they're having to bat away questions about Winter Olympics in Beijing, which start in just six months. They have already been dubbed "The Genocide Games" due to the Chinese government's treatment of its Uyghur population. Tokyo can almost breathe a sigh of relief, but scrutiny of the IOC is likely to ramp up even further in the coming months.

If one moment sums up the Tokyo Olympics, it was a scene immediately after the women's park skateboarding final. We had just witnessed an astonishing performance from a group of mostly teenaged athletes who, on top of their phenomenal skills, displayed compassion, togetherness and a joie de vivre that is often lacking in the seriously competitive forum of the Games. They were supremely talented, genuine, and fun.

And right there at the bottom of the press tribune, posing for photos and basking in their reflected glory, was Thomas Bach. The man who externally speaks almost exclusively in platitudes but internally demands fierce loyalty from his IOC subjects; the man currently leading the organization's drive for more profits and less humanity. These are the two sides of the Olympic coin.

 

Belarus: Women as the drivers of protest

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko once had many women among his supporters. But now, they are some of his most uncompromising opponents.

    

Women are at the forefront of Belarus' protest movement

One year ago, on August 9, 2020, Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner of Belarus' presidential elections. Massive nationwide protests ensued, which were followed by a seemingly unending wave of arrests, torture and intimidation of the participants.

"I had the feeling that they would soon come for me as well," says Anna Koval, who, along with other helpers, collected food, toiletries and clothing for people in detention.

"We joke among ourselves that we suffer from bus phobia — a specifically Belarusian anxiety disorder," she says. "We mean the small buses carrying unknown people who can stop you on the street at any time and force you into the vehicles. They don't tell you who they are or why they are taking you away. Even people who aren't at all politically active can have it happen to them."

The personal story of Anna Koval, who felt compelled to leave her native country four months ago, and that of many other women in Belarus is told by the author Alice Bota in her new book "Die Frauen von Belarus" ("The Women of Belarus"), which has just been published by the Berlin Verlag.

"There is something noble about people overcoming their fears and taking up an unequal struggle even though they have so very much to lose. And when they stay peaceful despite experiencing so much violence," writes Bota, a journalist. 

It is women like these who have realized their own strength and challenged Lukashenko. They have been a crucial factor in the resistance to a regime that does not accord women any place in politics.

Bota's book highlights the role of women in Belarus' protests

Women on the move

For decades, Lukashenko seemed to many like a father figure, the protector of the nation. Women were among his main supporters and voted for him in droves at presidential elections.

"For women, social guarantees were important, and the regime ensured that social guarantees were upheld. Women were particularly vulnerable and relied on the state to help them, if they had no male partner, with child allowances, maternity leave and child care," Bota told DW.

But then the worm suddenly turned, she said, describing how women were horrified at seeing their own children being manhandled on the streets — something they could not forgive Lukashenko for.

"Although families in socialist countries had a matriarchal structure, with women keeping families together, working, looking after children and perhaps caring for grandma as well, the system was and still is dominated by men," Bota said. "Women are assigned a special role; they are revered but at the same time kept in their places." But now, she said, women have overcome their reticence and become visible — and are surprised at their own power.

Three women against Lukashenko

And Lukashenko had not expected resistance of this kind from women. Maria Kolesnikova, a musician and feminist; Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a homemaker, former teacher and mother; and Veronika Tsepkalo, an IT manager and also a mother, have become three of the main Belarusian opposition figures. They are the new face — a female face — of the country's revolution.

Arm in arm, the three women traveled the length and breadth of the country, spoke to journalists and demonstrated strength and resolution through their words and gestures in front of crowds of people. Veronika Tsepkalo's special symbol was the victory sign, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya used the fist and Maria Kolesnikova the heart.

At the start, Lukashenko did not take the women seriously. He called them "girls" who "could make rissoles" but not talk about politics. This contemptuous attitude toward women and his humiliating words in public were his biggest mistakes — they turned him from being the protector of the nation to a hated opponent.

These three women actually never wanted to become involved in politics. But circumstances have forced them to do so. They took up the political cause after Tskihanouskaya and Tsepkalo's husbands were both stopped from running in the elections, as was Viktar Babaryka, whose campaign was managed by Kolesnikova. They managed to frighten Lukashenko, who reacted all the more harshly. While Tskihanouskaya and Tsepkalo succeeded in fleeing abroad, Kolesnikova is in pre-trial detention and faces a potential 12-year prison sentence.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has taken on the role of the main opposition leader in Belarus

Civil society on the march

Lukashenko has been in power since 1994. Two years after taking office, he had the constitution changed by referendum to give himself virtually boundless powers. He introduced state symbols strongly redolent of the Soviet era. Belarusian traditions and even the Belarusian language are frowned upon.

Although the protests were long in coming, discontent has been building up for a long time among Belarusian citizens, Bota said. "The cynicism of the state in the coronavirus crisis, Lukashenko's comments and the mockery of the dead have all led to society rediscovering itself. A civil society has arisen. Many people underestimated how great the discontent was," she said. "These three women were catalysts. Perhaps the protests would have taken place anyway, but they created such a strong contrast to the contemptuous rhetoric used by the regime by speaking about love and respect."

The protests in Belarus called all age groups onto the streets

The struggle continues

A year after the protests, the regime has made no concessions at all to civil society. On the contrary, intimidation and torture are still the order of the day. The struggle on the streets and the women's revolution are not over.

"At the moment, a total cleansing of dissidents is happening," says Marina Vorobei, a journalist from Belarus and the founder of freeunion.online, an online platform that aids people to organize themselves in public associations and initiatives.

"It is not just those who took part in the protests, but simply everyone who can be regarded as a member of civil society, like NGOs," Vorobei says. "Since the start of July, more than 50 NGOs in Belarus have been searched." According to her, on July 14 alone, a day described as a "Black Wednesday" for Belarusian NGOs,  searches were carried out at at least 18 public organizations.

She said that the Belarusian NGO sector had never seen such a huge wave of arrests, searches and confiscations.

It would seem that the protests in Belarus are moving from the streets to the online sphere, where activists can operate with more protection. At any rate, they are not considering giving up the fight, as both Anna Koval and Marina Vorobei agree.