Women's rights a worldwide issue
(Last updated: 04/20/09 7:30pm)I would never call myself a feminist.
Kate Jacobson
It’s not because what I think feminists promote is wrong. It’s because I’ve never had any strong beliefs regarding gender. In my house, it was an equal distribution between my parents. There was never any designated role for my mom or dad, they each did a little bit of both. Dad was there for us just as much as Mom was.
But then something happens that unleashes my inner feminist and makes me want to burn bras and shout, “I am woman! Hear me roar!”
Recently, in Afghanistan, there was a law passed basically allowing husbands to have intercourse with their wives whenever they feel like, regardless of how the wife feels. It also tells women their husbands can determine what they do for a living, how they dress and when they can leave the house.
Women flocked to the streets and protested, but in the end had rocks thrown at them for standing up for themselves. A women’s rights advocate was even killed.
In several countries around the world, women have little to no rights. Afghanistan is only one of many places where women are discriminated against. In Nepal, women who are not married off at an early age often will be sold by their families to human traffickers. In Sudan, Janjaweed militias have used rape as a weapon.
Countless other countries allow the rape and terrorizing of women as an everyday occurrence, and there is no punishment against the people who commit these crimes.
It makes me wonder how far women have come. In America, I can do basically anything I want when I want. As a woman, I can walk down the street alone, I can date who I want and find any career that pleases me. I think it is because I’m so privileged that I forget what it must be like to be a woman in Afghanistan.
And now, with this in the back of my mind, the whole world seems different.
If I were forced to have sex with someone when I didn’t want to and it were legal, how would I feel? It makes me sick to think at this very moment there is some girl exactly my age who has every aspect of her life outlined by someone else. What would other girls do if they were in that position?
It really never bothered me when I saw college women walking down the street looking trashy before. But this past weekend, after I had thought about the poor women in Afghanistan, seeing these young women dressed in outfits only suitable for whores made me wince.
In America, we have rights and we still subject ourselves to being objects. We still trounce around in scantily clad outfits and devalue ourselves to men because it makes us feel wanted.
I can’t honestly say that I haven’t fallen victim to allowing myself to be used by a man. Like I said, I’m not a dedicated feminist. I don’t constantly lobby for women’s rights or completely embrace the womanhood that I have.
But after looking at other women’s situations in other countries it makes me think that maybe I should be more proactive and proud I have a voice as a woman.
I’m not saying that I want the women of East Lansing to storm the streets and protest. Although I wouldn’t say that’s a bad idea, either.
What I do think should happen is more appreciation for the rights we have. I think men shouldn’t use women in ways that would infringe their rights as people, and I think women shouldn’t allow themselves to be used.
Next time someone disbands me from playing video games because I’m a girl, next time some guy says a derogatory remark to me, next time someone thinks that I have a certain place in the world because of my gender, I will prove to them that there is much more to me than being “some dumb girl.”
We who have rights need to use them and stand up for them because there are people at this very minute that don’t have the same luxuries we do.
If we don’t fight for what we have and allow ourselves to be used, we lose the one thing that makes us as American women unique — our freedom.
Originally Published: 04/20/09 7:06pm
you do realize
04/20/09 8:15pmthat everything you’ve written in this entire article about empowerment and courage and being inspired by the women’s rights movements (because of the inequalities you seen based on gender) in Afghanistan are BASIC FEMINIST SENTIMENTS, right? So why not just come right out and say you’re afraid of the stigma attached to the “f-word?”
And for g-d’s sake, can we PLEASE have an article about women’s rights without the bra-burning stereotype? It’s old, it’s tired, and it’s downright inaccurate.
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/burnbra.asp
outfits
04/20/09 9:15pmwho are you to deem an outfit “only suitable for whores?”
In response to sorry
04/20/09 10:22pmI really cant believe that you would say something like that. This sounds to me like a comment that a really ignorant person would make in absence of a legitimate argument. Lets be mature or maybe consider a transfer to U of M where ignorance and a lack of class is not only embraced but encouraged.
Re: U-M Basher
04/21/09 12:01amBecause you could so get into U-M, right?
Mike
04/21/09 12:18amFantastic article. The only thing that it left out is that the oppression of women is common practice in Muslim cultures and that these are not isolated incidents. Here are some great articles explaining these common abuses of women:
Rape: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/002-rape_adultery.htm
Women as inferior: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/010-women-worth-less.htm
Wife Beating: http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/003-wife-beating.htm
Muslim
04/21/09 9:15amActually the law states that it’s once every 4 days, not whenever they want.
And i’m not sure why anyone would want to have sex with any of those disgusting women anyway.
Bob
04/21/09 10:24am“seeing these young women dressed in outfits only suitable for whores made me wince”
Typical modern feminist thinking. Women have the right to do whatever they want, as long as other women approve, right? You do realize that you’re applying as much oppression as the men who gawk at such women, don’t you? Those women were obviously at ease with their sexuality and not mandated to dress to code, so why would you force them to dress otherwise?
“I think women shouldnât allow themselves to be used.”
I agree here, but you make a big generalization.
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Michigander
04/21/09 11:38amIm all for the feminist ideal of equality for women but it seems that there is a segment that argues for equality with conditions. An example can be seen in push for women to be allowed to fulfill any role within the military (including combat positions). Men in the marines have to do at least 20 pull-ups, while what do the women have to do? Hang on the bar for a minute after someone hoists them up first.
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Shannon Perry
04/21/09 1:27pmMichigander, as a feminist and a veteran, I agree with you. Women have the capability of reaching the same physical fitness standards in the military- with work. So make them live up to the job. As to the OP- yet another “I’m not a feminist, but…” article. Eh, at least you’re paying attention. I think as part of the solution, foreign aid should be tied to human rights efforts.
facts
04/21/09 1:49pmI am not commenting on the idea of this article, but it is another example of someone leaving out certain facts to make their point stronger. Like someone said in an earlier post, it is not whenever they want but once every so many days. Also, you didn’t mention the fact that women also have the right to sex once every 2 months. Is it fair that men can get it more often? No, but they also have the opportunity to rape their husbands if they are neglected in the bedroom. Next time use all of the facts in your argument
Marines facts
04/21/09 3:14pmMichigander, I get your point but you should note that 20 pull-ups and 18 minute 3 mile runs are the very top score on a Marine PT test. Men can do less (and slower) and still pass.
Michigander
04/21/09 4:44pmYeah, sorry…you can tell I was in a bit of hurry by my grammar mistakes too :)
Men need 20 p.u. and
Borat's big, fat, hairy producer
04/21/09 4:58pmMichigander:
Do us ALL a favor and just shut up.
Wait...
04/21/09 5:23pmWomen are people?
Something that could have been brought to my attention yesterday…
Finally!
04/22/09 10:37amDo we have a successor to Thea Neal?! (AT LAST)
womens rights
04/22/09 12:59pmWomen have rights?
Guess I need to unlock the basement door …
Borat's big, fat, hairy producer
04/22/09 4:01pmFinally!
Please explain.