{"id":22259,"date":"2015-12-09T17:30:54","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T23:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=22259"},"modified":"2016-04-11T12:16:51","modified_gmt":"2016-04-11T17:16:51","slug":"spike-lees-chi-raq-has-inspired-a-sex-strike-movement-in-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/spike-lees-chi-raq-has-inspired-a-sex-strike-movement-in-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Spike Lee\u2019s Chi-Raq has inspired a sex strike movement in Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alexis Myers<\/b><\/p>\n

To view this story interactively click here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

A\u00a0South Side woman has brought the premise of the new movie\u00a0\u201cChi-Raq”\u00a0to life by launching a female sex strike with the goal of ending the city\u2019s gun violence.<\/p>\n

So far 94 supporters have signed April Lawson’s petition\u00a0on Change.org<\/a>. The movie Chi-Raq, by director Spike Lee, opened Friday\u00a0and is a modern-day adaptation of the ancient Greek satirical comedy \u201cLysistrata<\/a>,\u201d in which women refuse sex to try and force their men to end a war.<\/p>\n

In Lee\u2019s movie, the wives and girlfriends of gang members refuse sex to force an end to the gang shootings and violence that have become endemic to many neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\"April
April Lawson visits the library on 76th Street and Racine Avenue, where she meets with other female activists once a month. (Alexis Myers\/Medill)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lee has mentioned the petition on talk shows such as “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon<\/a>. His movie took in just $1.1 million at the box office<\/a> after last week’s\u00a0opening, landing at No. 13 on the weekend box office ranking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is time for young women to shift their paradigm, and have higher standards and realize their self-worth,\u201d said Lawson, 48, who is from Auburn Gresham. \u201cThis is about reclaiming power and it starts with women.\u201d<\/p>\n