High heels and picket signs

Can you imagine protesting in dresses and high heels? Today is the last day of Women's History Month. Therefore, I would like to dedicate this blog post to the AMAZING women who have fought for the rights I have today. Did you know that women's suffrage groups marched for nearly 100 years before women gained the vote in 1920? These women were ridiculed and even imprisoned for challenging gender inequality.

Although there are many rights afforded to me today, there are many women across the globe that still suffer from gender inequality. A friend in India told me about a woman who was only allowed access to maternal health care if the husband was present because he was to make all of the decisions for her.

The campaign for women's empowerment is far from over. Women still live in fear and are not afforded rights to property, a voice in their government, or even power in relationships. We have celebrated the achievements of women during Women's History Month. Now we need to stand up for the women who could achieve great things but are in bondage due to gender inequality.

This cartoon represents the fear of what might happen to society if "natural" gender roles changed. Women were ridiculed in cartoons and made to look like they were malicious, man-hating, and unresponsive to their children.

The hard work

When I was in Kenya, I had the opportunity to attend a women's conference. I was so excited to hear the women’s stories that I beamed with activist pride. If there is one topic I LOVE to discuss it is women’s empowerment. I knew that the conference was being held in another slum so we would have to walk. Two women came by to get me and we began our journey. As we walked others joined until we were a mass of laughing women crowding through thin dirt hallways, some with children on their backs.

After a long morning of walking we finally arrived at a building that was nothing more than sticks with thin sheets of metal for a roof. Two other women spoke and then I was introduced. When I finished the floor was open to questions. To be honest, I remember little about what was spoken because I can’t stop thinking about the questions that were asked. 

One by one, women stood up and asked questions that reflected the vulnerable positions that they found themselves in. These women were wives, mothers, and entrepreneurs. They had the weight of their families, poverty, and the world on their shoulders… but their concerns stemmed around keeping their husbands happy. If “he” wasn’t kept happy then he might beat his wife or even worse leave her. The fear that they would lose everything and be left on the street with their children was overwhelming. Some women offered suggestions for looking and acting more pleasing. I sat horrified that after all that was said, the reality is that marginalizing cultural norms ensnare women in vicious cycles. The barriers are too deep and wide for some women to cross; barriers which include the refusal of property rights, gender violence, and lack of access to education and resources.

I met with another group while I was in Kenya called Mother’s Concern. These women understood that barriers were too difficult to break down alone so they joined together. They meet together to do job training, share resources and their lives. Together they helped a teenager and her baby get off of the street, a woman with AIDS start a business to support her three children, a women escape from a violent husband, and the stories go on. 

Networking is important for women’s empowerment work. The old adage says “there’s safety in numbers.” But there is also power… power in sharing stories, spreading resources, and widening opportunities. Women joining together will only go so far, we also need men to stand in the gap to teach other men. I was so proud of the men in my group while we were in Kenya… the way they interacted, stepped into “traditional” women’s roles, and listened to women’s voices. Reconstructing gender roles and balancing power is the hard work that needs to be done.  

To read about the UN’s work for gender equality, click here.  To learn more about Mother's Concern, click here.

Feminism 101

I think I wear a sign on my forehead that says, "Tell me your thoughts on Feminism." I tell people that I am involved with women's empowerment and automatically I am a RADICAL, bra-burning, man hating,  dare I say the word... FEMINIST! My favorite part of these conversations is that the person then decides to explain why they don't agree with me (even though I usually haven't said anything yet). 

This is the part of the conversation when I hear:

“Men and women aren’t equal. Have you ever seen a woman play in the NFL?”

“Men are just stronger than women. Women's bodies weren’t built for athleticism like men are.”

“Women cry all the time and are so emotional. They just aren’t as strong as men.” 

To me, these comments are proof that most people don’t understand feminism. Feminism is not a battle of which sex has more physical strength or athletic ability. Feminism is the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.  In particular terms this means women should have equal opportunities to education, employment, voice in our governing systems, ownership in resources, and balanced power in relationships. 

In September of 2000, it became apparent to the world that gender inequality was a factor of extreme poverty. So for all of the people who don’t think sexism and inequality exist please visit the UN’s webpage and read the goals that deal with gender equality, education, and maternal health. Feminism is important because it is a movement that seeks to give a voice to a segment of people who need to be heard. 

Our society places value on a woman's body. Just watch a movie, log on the internet, or read a magazine... we are what we look like. Women I have talked with in other countries find that their value is placed on their ability to please or serve. To be a feminist is to value women's stories, thoughts, and voices.

ROAR! Feminism is worth a discussion. What do you think... are you a feminist?

I am woman, hear me roar

"I Am Woman" was a song written by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton back in 1972. Helen wrote the song because she had difficulty finding a song that encapsulated what being a woman was about (since "I Feel Pretty" was not making the cut).

This desire for a song that reflects women's empowerment is the same desire I want to reflect in this blog. My desire is for an outlet to "roar" about the injustices against women. This blog is not about man hating... which is truly unproductive. In fact, I have found that women can often instigate injustice against other women!! This is a problem that I will discuss in a future post. Instead my goal is to bring awareness, vent my frustration, and hopefully offer action steps to seemingly impossible issues.

If you are reading these posts, I encourage you to dialogue with me. I would love to have intelligent discussions about sexism, feminism, international development, and poverty. I see a connection between these topics that the global community can not ignore. I hope you join my conversation and roar with me.