My View on Women's Rights.
Bet that title got your attention. This is my rushed essay on women's rights. Very disorganized, and left a lot out, and there wasn't any research done. Just random bits of info I remembered. But Liz said it was good. So, read it and telll me whatcha think...
Ain't I A Human?
“Are you locked up in a world that’s been planned out for you? Are you feeling like a social tool without a use?” begins the chorus of Green Day’s timeless anthem “She”. Sadly, for so many women all over the world, the answer is yes. From China, to Britain, to Iraq, to the United States, to here in India, women have been oppressed for centuries but have ignited within themselves the will to fight back.
For our school’s ISA projects and as part of our social studies syllabus, we were given the chance to talk to Ms. Srinivas of the Andhra Pradesh United Nations Association. Though her time with us was limited and her presentation brief, what we learned within that hour was both depressing and enlightening.
During the conflicts that rise and fall in the international arena, the primary victims are women and children. Yet, even during times of peace, women continue to face abuse and assault. Domestic violence is prevalent in homes across the globe and many cases are kept secret. Women begin to fear their abusers more and more and it gets to the point where they are too frightened and too injured both physically and emotionally to say anything. It is particularly a problem in the Middle East where many women are expected to obey their husbands like slaves and are often forced into marriages. They are denied an education and must face insults and humiliation for eschewing traditional garb.
Those who are given the opportunity to be free face other roadblocks. Even in this day and age, it is a common notion that creating and keeping a home is the woman’s job. Yet, women who choose to stay home and care for their children are often criticized for not starting a career. Balancing a home and corporate career leads to unrest at home and the blame again falls on the mothers and wives.
Scarily enough, domestic restriction is the least of problems in some areas. Prostitution is rampant and many who engage in it have no other choice. Young girls are kidnapped and trained as bargirls and lap-dancers and surrender their earnings to whichever mafia group controls the Red Light District. There is a certain village where tradition demands that the daughter of a household become a prostitute and bring money once the son is married. This does nothing to reduce the image of females as sexual objects and only furthers their degradation. Women who are forced to become sex workers, even in “advanced” countries such as the UK and US are sneered at and spit upon with nasty words constantly thrown in their faces.
Through all of this, women are given the small mercy of the Millennium Declaration. The Millennium Development Goals speak about human rights in general and women’s rights in particular. One of the MDGs is to eliminate gender disparity at all levels of education by 2015. Honestly, one cannot say how well that’s going given the current circumstances and the fact that there’s only 8 years left. It is hoped that implementing the MDGs will result in an easier balance of homes and offices for women workers.
Women’s rights advocates are now working to their full potential to ensure that everyone, male and female, views women as human beings. Children, from the time of their birth, are taught that women are inferior and that men shoulder the work. This comes from a child’s mouth in the form of playground taunts (“Boys rule, girls drool”, etc) and later through cheap behavior on the streets as a teenager and hostility towards his wife and possibly towards his daughters as a grown, married man.
For the past two hundred years, women have been silently and noisily marching through the world demanding equality and trying to counteract the discrimination unconsciously taught at home. During the draft for the Vietnam War, who fought to keep their sons and husbands and brothers at home? Women. When the World Wars broke out, who controlled the farms and kept the economy alive to make up for all of the soldiers at war? Women. Through racial prejudice, slavery, political unrest, progress and decline, who was there? Who founded the American Red Cross? A woman. Who took her husband’s place at the front line of battle and refused to back down even with a musket ball in her leg? A woman. Who endures pain to give life? Who has faced years and years of mockery and discrimination and still managed to overcome and fight back? Women, that’s who.
A woman set up over three hundred well-equipped schools in a war-torn Iraq. Indira Gandhi, a woman was one of India’s most influential political leaders. Oprah Winfrey, a woman, has given millions of dollars to impoverished Africa. In the world of yesterday, it was manners to treat a woman kindly and with care. When it was denied to her, Sojourner Truth, a slave, proved that she didn’t need it and boldly stood up to say, “Ain’t I a woman?”
In three years, I will be eighteen and will be out in the world to try and accomplish something. I too will have to stand up for my rights as a woman and as a living being. Ain’t I a human?
Well? Yo quiero feedback!!!
Ain't I A Human?
“Are you locked up in a world that’s been planned out for you? Are you feeling like a social tool without a use?” begins the chorus of Green Day’s timeless anthem “She”. Sadly, for so many women all over the world, the answer is yes. From China, to Britain, to Iraq, to the United States, to here in India, women have been oppressed for centuries but have ignited within themselves the will to fight back.
For our school’s ISA projects and as part of our social studies syllabus, we were given the chance to talk to Ms. Srinivas of the Andhra Pradesh United Nations Association. Though her time with us was limited and her presentation brief, what we learned within that hour was both depressing and enlightening.
During the conflicts that rise and fall in the international arena, the primary victims are women and children. Yet, even during times of peace, women continue to face abuse and assault. Domestic violence is prevalent in homes across the globe and many cases are kept secret. Women begin to fear their abusers more and more and it gets to the point where they are too frightened and too injured both physically and emotionally to say anything. It is particularly a problem in the Middle East where many women are expected to obey their husbands like slaves and are often forced into marriages. They are denied an education and must face insults and humiliation for eschewing traditional garb.
Those who are given the opportunity to be free face other roadblocks. Even in this day and age, it is a common notion that creating and keeping a home is the woman’s job. Yet, women who choose to stay home and care for their children are often criticized for not starting a career. Balancing a home and corporate career leads to unrest at home and the blame again falls on the mothers and wives.
Scarily enough, domestic restriction is the least of problems in some areas. Prostitution is rampant and many who engage in it have no other choice. Young girls are kidnapped and trained as bargirls and lap-dancers and surrender their earnings to whichever mafia group controls the Red Light District. There is a certain village where tradition demands that the daughter of a household become a prostitute and bring money once the son is married. This does nothing to reduce the image of females as sexual objects and only furthers their degradation. Women who are forced to become sex workers, even in “advanced” countries such as the UK and US are sneered at and spit upon with nasty words constantly thrown in their faces.
Through all of this, women are given the small mercy of the Millennium Declaration. The Millennium Development Goals speak about human rights in general and women’s rights in particular. One of the MDGs is to eliminate gender disparity at all levels of education by 2015. Honestly, one cannot say how well that’s going given the current circumstances and the fact that there’s only 8 years left. It is hoped that implementing the MDGs will result in an easier balance of homes and offices for women workers.
Women’s rights advocates are now working to their full potential to ensure that everyone, male and female, views women as human beings. Children, from the time of their birth, are taught that women are inferior and that men shoulder the work. This comes from a child’s mouth in the form of playground taunts (“Boys rule, girls drool”, etc) and later through cheap behavior on the streets as a teenager and hostility towards his wife and possibly towards his daughters as a grown, married man.
For the past two hundred years, women have been silently and noisily marching through the world demanding equality and trying to counteract the discrimination unconsciously taught at home. During the draft for the Vietnam War, who fought to keep their sons and husbands and brothers at home? Women. When the World Wars broke out, who controlled the farms and kept the economy alive to make up for all of the soldiers at war? Women. Through racial prejudice, slavery, political unrest, progress and decline, who was there? Who founded the American Red Cross? A woman. Who took her husband’s place at the front line of battle and refused to back down even with a musket ball in her leg? A woman. Who endures pain to give life? Who has faced years and years of mockery and discrimination and still managed to overcome and fight back? Women, that’s who.
A woman set up over three hundred well-equipped schools in a war-torn Iraq. Indira Gandhi, a woman was one of India’s most influential political leaders. Oprah Winfrey, a woman, has given millions of dollars to impoverished Africa. In the world of yesterday, it was manners to treat a woman kindly and with care. When it was denied to her, Sojourner Truth, a slave, proved that she didn’t need it and boldly stood up to say, “Ain’t I a woman?”
In three years, I will be eighteen and will be out in the world to try and accomplish something. I too will have to stand up for my rights as a woman and as a living being. Ain’t I a human?
Well? Yo quiero feedback!!!
racshmaiwionaise: did you know that in the Middle East, women can't look a man in the eye without getting rocks thrown at her?
Oh yeah, which is why every single time I visit the Middle East, I come back with concusions. O_o
Tell me, where in the Middle East is that true? Granted, they aren't treated fairly, but that doesn't happen anywhere I've been, (except for in small villages maybe). And I have been many, many places in the Middle East.
Anji, April 29th, 2007 at 05:44:06am
Power to the women. I know I'm probably more defencive about looking down on women the I should be. I got mad at one of my exboyfriends for trying to buyeverything for me and holding doors open for me but I looked at his family and women are treated a lot different then men.
RunningCirclesRoundU, February 25th, 2007 at 11:00:56pm
good writing
Mycophobia, February 13th, 2007 at 07:15:03pm
That was good. If women believe in equal rights, what about holding doors for women, "don't punch girls, and pulling seats for women. I believe in womens rights, it is fair for everyone to have equal.
Buddy Christ, February 8th, 2007 at 08:33:34pm
and even in those places where are supposed to be treated as equals, there is always a roll to play in society, a stereotype for women. We learn this since we are kids and we are learned on being judgemental and to stereotype, but everyone seems oblivious to it and they keep saying its fair.
Do you find fair that women are treated like sex toys?
Like a posesion??
Like a housekeeper?
Dumbfuck, February 8th, 2007 at 08:00:19pm
did you know that in the Middle East, women can't look a man in the eye without getting rocks thrown at her?
ps. this is awesome; very good writing.
racshmaiwionaise., February 8th, 2007 at 06:39:37pm