An Idea... Followed by Some Thoughts

I was thinking about doing a series of posts as to how certain facets of our lives affect women. It would be something like the following:
1. Culture
2. Religion
3. Race
4. Reproductive Rights
5. Body Image
... and possibly some more.
For people who are reading this, I want you to know that I am no expert on this subject; it is just something that I am extremely passionate about. I hope that some of you can share my feelings on these topics, and that through this, I can create a forum for healthy discussion.

In high school, I did a lot of Model UN. I used to love the humanitarian committees the most, especially those dealing with the welfare of children and women. Along with other people at international and national conferences, I attempted to devise solutions to time-old problems: female genital mutilation, sex selective abortion, women in government and business, aid to women, sex trafficking, etc. Every time a resolution passed or an agreement reached, I would beam, proud that a bunch of high schoolers were able to think it through and find an answer. If we could come up with a solution in three days, surely the rest of the world, in all its vast intelligence and resources, come up with a workable solution that could be applied everywhere?

Wrong.

What I realized then was that the biggest thing standing in the way of changing the treatment of women and children is culture. Well, I don't know if it is the  biggest thing, but it seems quite significant. Culture can be enriching, especially when we learn of those that are different from ours. But it is certainly not surprise that each culture has some level of misogyny--maybe that's not the right word-- but some level of looking at women as submissive, second-class citizens. It is a terrifyingly tragic unifying factor.

And with that, I'll leave you to your thoughts. Expect an exciting discussion on the role of culture in the treatment of women and girls! :)

My First Post of the Summer... and a Few Feminist Musings

I don't know whether it's a passing craze or anything like that, but I've decided to start a blog. Nothing much really; I'll be talking about what I've been up to everyday, but most importantly how I feel about issues relating to women in particular.

I hate that people think that women are just fine after having achieved the right to vote in 1920, especially in America. Granted that women in America are much better off than those in other more oppressive regimes in the world, but there is still so much to be done. I still cannot fathom how this lack of equality even came to be. It surprises me that women still continue to be paid 77 cents for every dollar a man makes for the same work, and that women have to keep fighting for what I would consider basic rights, such as reproductive freedom and access to quality child-care.

As a budding young woman myself, the current workings of the system has forced me to think about my future. Will I have to sacrifice my career if I have children? Will I be able to provide them with a quality education without drastically cutting my hours at work? Will I be a bad mother if I dedicate myself to my work, or will I be a bad professional if I choose to miss a few meetings in exchange for attending parent teacher conferences and piano recitals? And most importantly, can I pull of Claire Huxtable (from the Cosby Show)-- can I really have it all? It is these questions that plague me, and other young women like myself, I'm sure. I'm not exaggerating the current circumstances. I just want to feel empowered enough to start a flourishing career without having to sacrifice it all?

I may be just on the cusp of adulthood, but these questions and concerns are still quite real for me. Of course, these questions only concern women like me, who actually are given a shot at a decent education, alongside men, in the most competitive university classrooms in the world. What about those women who will never be able to empower themselves financially or through literacy? Sure, microfinancing is definitely an option especially in impoverished nations, but how do we get these women their rightful place in the classroom? Producing a culture of tolerance and equality from an early age may be a fair start. If young boys learn that young girls are just like them in many ways, they can start to find their own middle ground. They can learn to treat women with respect and look at them as equals, both in and outside the home.

Perhaps that's why I'm blogging. In the hopes that I might find my own middle ground--balancing work and familiy-- when the time comes.

In the groundbreaking book The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan discusses the average housewife's day: caring for her husband and children, chauffering them around, cooking and cleaning, and creating domestic bliss. In the end, they ask "Is this all?"

To the women (and men) of the future, I ask "Is this not all?" I challege you to find the answers to these probing questions and in your own little ways, take a step forward.