“Woman,” he [Jesus] said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Today is the internationally recognised day to commemorate women and their (of course I mean 'our' although at this point I haven't done a whole lot) efforts and achievements in advancing women's equality in the world. March 8 as International Women's Day was first established in 1977 by the United Nations but it was a full sixty eight years earlier that the first women's day was recognised.
I am aware that there are Women's day events in London but I generally felt as though today was somewhat of a non-event. I confess that if it wasn't for my reliable 'Far Side Daily Calendar' I probably would have forgotten today's significance. I am disappointed that there was little in the way of reminding in the papers. In the Metro all I saw was a picture and its caption of Filipino women celebrating with masks and 'vagina hats'. The front page screamed of how two police officers were jailed for taking advantage of women while on duty and subsequent articles described how little girls of five worry about body weight and how Future Foundation researchers found that although men are more proficient in technology, women exceed men when it comes to using the washing machine! Of course in defense of the Metro, they also included a number of information articles about pregnancy and motherhood. Hmm...so much for hearing me celebrate!
But I also know we have come a long way. I am deeply grateful for the many women who have fought for what I now often take for granted. I can now vote. I can go to university and get an education. I can work and have children. I can have an opinion and speak my mind. I know that I am higher on the equality scale now than a woman not many years ago. We are doctors, mothers, judges, lawyers, aid workers, engineers, writers, athletes, filmmakers, care givers and many others.
And yes, we do have a way more to go. We still have myriad issues that affect women primarily (although not exclusively) - violence against women including domestic violence, trafficking & prostitution, feminisation of poverty, less access to training and educational resources, occupational segregation and the lack of recognition of women's non-trade work among some of the issues. The list is discouraging and overwhelming and perhaps even disheartening. Yet I do know that our struggle isn't one that's lost. We have women who continue to challenge the status quo. We have women with faith that could move mountains. And we have a God that is fighting with us. We have a God concerned about our dignity, liberty and equality.
So woman, keep your head up. Let us continue in the struggle because I know there are still better days ahead.
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.
2 comments:
Angela,
I agree with the balance of your entry on International Women's Day, and my comments should be taken as additional, not critical. This is just a good excuse to write about a topic I find very interesting. I apologise in advance for mis-cited stats, etc.- I wrote this on the fly. Okay…
Anyone moderately versed in the history of the West in the 20th century would agree women have made significant strides towards equality of opportunity. Fifty years ago, many women would have woken up every day to what Betty Friedan so accurately called "the problem that has no name" - a society and a culture which restricted a woman's ability to fulfill her potential, in any field to which she felt called. It was a problem of elemental freedoms. Second-wave feminism was vital in re-constructing the woman's role in society; as you said, women are freer than ever to be doctors, lawyers, athletes, etc. Women in the West, that is.
For about as long as second-wave (and 3rd, etc) feminism has been around, international feminists (some prefer the term multi-cultural; but others think this may be a separate discourse) have criticised it for not representing a wide-enough spectrum of female experience. This critique first emerged out of Afro-American feminist thought, in reaction to perceived deficiencies in ‘mainstream’ feminism.
Lead by black writers like Elsa Brown, Alice Walker and especially bell hooks (must read: “Black Women and Feminism”), the multi-cultural feminist discourse argued that mainstream feminism basically only stood for women who were white, wealthy, and middle-class. Of what concern was the ‘glass ceiling’ to a single black mother who was trying to raise 3 children on a minimum wage job? A strand of this discourse came to be known as ‘womanism’ (a term coined by Walker), and it emphasises the deep interconnection between women’s liberation and ethnicity, and poverty.
Gradually, multi-cultural feminism’s mandate expanded to advocate for the plight of women in the third world, and International Feminism materialised. International Feminist discourse calls attention to the gulf in experience between women in the developed and developing world. The challenges faced by women on the margins of global society are so qualitatively different from women in Europe or North-America, that feminism as it is commonly conceptualised in the West cannot possibly claim to represent them. It is of and for a different, elite world.
Of what concern was the ‘glass ceiling’ to the c.6,000 Indian women who were ritualistically murdered last year because dowry payments were not made in time?
Hundreds of millions of women in the developing world have legal standing roughly equivalent to that of animals (women in the West probably had slightly more protection two hundred years ago, in the days of Mary Wolstencroft (sp?) and early first-wave feminism). In my opinion, little will be accomplished until this fundamental failure of human-rights is addressed.
Then, of course, there is the feminisation of poverty to which you referred. Of the 1.1 billion people living on less than $1 a day, 70 percent are women. In the third world, women’s wages are ¾ those of men; in Africa, women produce %80 of the food but receive only %5 of the agriculture development credit available. Roughly 2 million women a year are subjected to female genital mutilation; in the developing world a woman is hundreds of times more likely to die in child-birth than in the West.
Given these realities, it would seem to be inaccurate to suppose that there is one ‘Women’s Movement’ that truly represents the struggles of all women, globally. The challenges are simply too diverse. One interesting question: from a stand-point of stewardship, are time and resources better spend supporting organisations like NOW, which advocates for women’s rights in America (like the socialisation of non-trade work), or organisations which focus on women overseas? (Opportunity International comes to mind: about %80 of their small-business loans go to women). Actually a tricky question, because the vast majority of the women I know and interact with live here with me, in the privileged West.
Comments/Criticisms welcome!
Jonathan
Hey Jon
Sorry for the delay in replying but I am particularly pleased to read your comments. Since women's equality is not an issue that only pertains to women your thoughts and obvious interest are very welcome. I am not expecting this response to be all-encompassing ...also note that these are my thoughts, which mostly reflect the little that I've read and understood (or misunderstood as the case may be). So of course, it's alright to critique - what a great way to learn.
Your final question is really tricky to answer. You're right in acknowledging that the western woman is far more privileged generally than a woman from the third world however such privileges don't mean that there are no more issues of equality (and you weren't suggesting that either) that need to be addressed. Feminism is not just about legislating equality, it's about eliminating discriminatory attitudes - attitudes which still persist and are particularly evident when we hear of issues like sexual harrassment, domestic violence, economic/pay differences, among others in the West.
Second, although women's equality is an international issue, feminism is a grassroots movement and is meant to address the women's issues in its local area. I believe that equality for ALL women in the world is inherent to feminism. Women's issues in Somalia (such as FGM as you mentioned) will be quite different from women's issues in Moldova (such as sex trafficking) as it is different from issues in the West. Once again, I will attach a disclaimer here as I am not all that greatly versed in 'multicultural feminism', but as far as I can see that is one way (particularly a mainstream, Western way) of looking at the history of feminism.
Women globally have critiqued and challenged their status for centuries. I think the kind of 'multicultural feminism' that is talked about is linked but not limited to the progression from the 'glass-ceiling' feminism (which is another discussion in itself...) that you were talking about. And as you showed with the figures, there is so much in the way of addressing other issues of violence against women and it's encouraging to see the rise of things like 'Islamic Feminism' etc.
Anyway, to answer your question...personally I'm particularly interested in issues of the third world (and I hate lumping them all into one!) so that's where my efforts would lie. As well, any little ground taken in the third world will be much more volatile at this stage (ie there is less danger of retreat in women's movement in the west than in the third world). You seem inclined to that as well...? Angela.
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