I used to consider myself to be a bit of a feminist. I would whine about trivial issues that seemed so important at the time. Feminists of the past really seemed to have something to whine about. I think I would have been right up there fighting for the right to vote and to work outside the home. But the feminists of today are a joke to me. They have criminalized family values (What a mother staying at home?) and stolen away the role of men in spiritual leadership (how dare you say I can’t preach on Sunday!). The things that many feminists are arguing for seem so trivial and selfish. To me the feminism of our culture is a waste.
But in much of the developing world Feminism takes on a different meaning. In Africa and I would assume in much of the developing world the role of women is so different. To me feminism is fighting for the woman who’s husband died and left her with 7 kids and she can’t find a job... because she’s a woman. It is helping the women who’s husband left her and is now taking away her children with no questions asked because it’s his right. It for the woman whose husband beats her and no one steps in to say its wrong because she is his property. It’s for the woman who is forced to cover every inch of her body and can’t go anywhere alone because the religion she was born to won’t allow it. It’s for the women who aren’t even allowed to drive because it is against the law. It’s for the girls trapped in prostitution because a man seduced them into it (I saw that this summer in Amsterdam)
Feminism is not about trivial things. It shouldn’t be about forcing someone to see things your way. Feminism is about having a choice. For many of the women in this world there isn’t a choice. Someone else controls their fate. The western feminists need to understand how good they have it. When the government takes away their right to work, drive a car, or have custody of their children, then they can start complaining. Until that happens they should either shut their mouths or do something to help the millions of women who aren’t as lucky as them.
So I guess I am still a feminist, just not in usual sense of the word.
Link to a really cool organization that is doing something to help women around the world!
http://womenforwomen.org
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2 comments:
I agree that women all over the world are in need of hope and choices...and not just women. Children and adults with mental and physical disabilities are without hope in many of the same places. Then there are the needs of those touched by AIDS...The important thing as I see it is that we DO something - whatever that may be. No one can do it all - but everyone can do something.
that is a really good point. i really appreciate what you said. i guess many of us need to re-evaulate our views on feminism.
feminists aren't always those women out picketing for women's rights. bravo!
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