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RE: FEMINIST? NAH MATRIARCH? YAY!

in #equality8 years ago

That's an interesting perspective. Thanks for the detailed response. Some of my ideas are certainly challenged. However, I think it ultimately comes down to a specific context. In certain countries, including India, the fight began from the right to be born - female foeticide was rampant and still is, then about education, which was somewhat successful but still has miles to go. At the same time, due to rapid and uneven economic and cultural change, sexual violence in fact seems to have increased, or at least has become a louder noise trying to disrupt the conversation. Casual sexual violence is commonplace in speech and in action, and horrendous cases of sexual assault are far too common. We haven't reached a point where workplace parity and equal pay is something anyone is even talking about. Which is not to say that is a necessary indicator of a woman's right to choose or every single woman must buy into the construct of working oneself to death. That would be equally oppressive. However at least in India the right to seek an education and seek work comes bundled with several other opportunities - the right to step out of the house unsupervised (literally), the right to physical activity and exercise, the right to better sanitation and healthcare, the right to choose a mate and the right to their own body and sexuality. There have been several fiercely feminist movements over several years and several social reformers who have been killed trying to balance these power structures, and it matters very little if they called themselves "feminists" or not - but in the modern construct yes they very much were. When I asked you to read more I meant about what is happening around the world, but surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, maybe), you seem to have contextualised and restricted feminism entirely to very specific aspects of its history in a few western countries. Yet again, I would encourage you to read about what is happening outside of your corner of the world.

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I am very grateful for the reply! I see what you mean about the treatment of women in a heavily patriarchal society.
Equality is a fascinating subject overall & you are right I have never physically left Europe & my experience is limited to what I have seen with my own eyes. Even between nations here there are enormous differences.
I live in the UK & for a time I lived in rural Spain. I was stunned to discover that women in my age group there had not been educated, even as far as reading & writing! However, the way that their family life was structured preserved the medieval & in some ways I saw it's advantages.
Women there were matriarchs & respected in that way. Younger women in Spain are fiercely feminist & highly educated.
I have read books written by Indian, Afghani & Chinese women & the struggles they are experiencing seem to create astonishing strong characters from what I can see.
In the UK we have every type of immigrant imaginable & that provides us with some insight into the way that different cultures work.
I love them all very much because they bring to us new skills & knowledge, an appreciation of our own circumstances & insight into where we go wrong.
One thing that strikes me about the Indian women we have here is their femininity. They have influenced the UK significantly with their love of ornament & colour but most particularly with their academic achievements.
We have a long way to go before we dispense with patriarchy completely, despite all our efforts!
Onwards!