Okay, so I'm usually not political. I'm usually all about relationships and the lovey dovey stuff. I like to give you advice on your relationships and other romantic issues you may behaving. I mean, it's what I'm good at. But this topic was brought to my attention while reading SuperFreakonomics. I know, this book came out like five million years ago, but it's been sitting on my shelf forever. So I decided to crack it open. And thank goodness I did! It's filled with all kind of randomness that makes you want to keep reading it forever. But this is not a book review. So let me get to the point.
Anyway. In the opening chapter, the authors talk about the way that television has indirectly helped elevate the status of women in the rural parts of India. To be honest, I really didn't know much about this topic. I assumed, like most naive Americans do, that women everywhere were on the come up and that gender equality would soon be the norm everywhere in the world. Not so. According to the book, women and girls are so undervalued in India that in some rural parts, parents still practice gender selection. This means that boy babies are kept while girl babies at best will become second class citizens to the males in the house and at worst, they will be killed. I found this SO ironic because Indian women are considered some of the most beautiful women in the world. It just didn't make any sense to me. I had to find out more.
So, in my usual way, I decided to Google the topic. And oh boy!! Instantly articles on inequality and poor treatment of women popped up. Don't believe me? Type the search term "Indian Women" or "Indian Woman" into Google or Bing. See what you get. A bunch of articles about unpunished murders of Indian women, their unequal access to education, and just their overall sucky treatment. And keep in mind, I didn't go into this search with an agenda. This is literally what popped up. I couldn't believe it.
Now I just want to say that I am referencing the rural areas here. Of course in the big cities, the inequalities are not so obvious or evident. It's usually the secluded areas and tribes in developing countries that still practice sexist ancient practices. In their defense, they really haven't been exposed to anything different. When you're used to living on way for your entire life, it's hard to break away from what you know. And that's where SuperFreakonomics comes in. If you want to know how, read the book. It's pretty awesome.
I think this chapter hit me so hard because I was thinking about the larger picture. I mean, we celebrate women here in America (for the most part). My daughter would have the same opportunities as my son. Women are outnumbering men in higher education and we're starting to stake our claim in corporate America. In my household, the domestic duties and the bread winning are split between the two of us. And I know we are not alone. More women are working outside of the home. More women are putting off marriage and bearing children in order to build their careers and do something they love. It's great.
So when you see an article about a culture who still has a ways to go as far as gender equality goes, it makes you stop and think. We are so confined to our own realities that we are insensitive to the realities of other people around the world. Think about it like this. On September 11, 2001, America asked the entire world to mourn and grieve with us at our loss. But on July 7, 2005, did we grieve the same way with London? I think not. Because it didn't directly effect us. I mean, the attacks were on the news. But the media used them more to scare us than to actually think about the loss of life and the fear that terrorism causes. It's sad but true.
At a time where America is airing it's dirty laundry by broadcasting the happenings in Ferguson, I will challenge you to remember that there are people suffering around the world. I am so well versed in African American history, but honestly, I really don't know much about other Black and Brown people around the world, especially women. There are young girls being forced to entertain adult men in the sex trade. There are women being abused and battered in every corner of the globe. There are mothers and daughters in India who cannot enjoy the same liberties as their husbands or fathers. Be a global citizen. Take care of home, but don't forget about those abroad who need a voice too.
Since this is a topic that is new to me, I'd love to hear what you guys think. Any articles or posts that you find around the internet pertaining to this topic, shoot them my way! You can find my contact information below. Or even if you have an opinion on the matter or you just want to correct something I said, I'd love to hear from you too. I'm so open to learning something new and expanding my horizons. And you should be too.
E-Mail: sankofah8@gmail.com
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