The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) turns 30 years old today. Read the full convention here. Amazing. The international law of the equal rights for women is slightly older than me, yet, we still have to fight for the same issues. Women still make less money than men, they're still less likely to be hired or be found in power positions, they still do more housework, they're still the ones tending to children more, they're still the ones expected to change their last name (and dare I say, with that part of their identity) upon marrige, medicines are still being developed based on men not women, women are still abused, raped and beaten, sold and traded, women are still a lesser kind of person.
Article five of the convention is about fighting the stereotypes of genders. How are we doing on that? These stereotypes are so set in our culture than we're fooled to believe we chose them. It's not about choosing a pink blanket for a baby girl and a blue blanket for a baby boy. Small things like that don't really matter, it's about the whole idea of men and women. What they're supposed to be and what they actually are. If you're constantly told "it's because you're a girl" or "you're such a woman" of course you'll believe that the personal traits that have more to do with your gender than your personality. Apart from this there are everyday and real issues.
Men and women are not polar opposites. It's not about "culture vs. nature" or "hard vs. soft" It doesn't make you less of a man to make dinner. What saddens me is the fact that we notice when a man makes dinner and it's taken for granted when a woman does it. How often do you hear a man say "Oh my god, I couldn't believe it, she made me dinner last night. It's oh so sweet, I now must be forever grateful and put out for a week straight." Making dinner is expected from women. Always being ready for sex is expected from men. Buying flowers and chocolate is expected from men, and the woman is expected to see this as a sexual invitation and be grateful that be brought her something in return for her preformance. I used these examples because it's something we can relate to, and they're easily identifiable.
What'd happen if we just stopped? If Facebook stopped asking about your gender, if no forms had that little box you tick? If the Oscars didn't have "best male actor" and "best female actress"? Would all of society fall apart? I honestly don't think so. But at the same time I don't think the world is quite ready yet. My worst fear is that it'll never be. That'll we continue to be amazed by female firefighters and male nannies.
This isn't all for the benefit of women, men can, and will benefit from a more fair approach to humankind. Equality is a right, and you should fight for yours, and not see it as a contrast between cleaning a drain and water the plants. You can, and should have the both of both worlds, only when everyone will embrace them both can they be one, and when it is a human world instead of a man's world we won't have to fight any longer.
So no, I don't think we should switch positions, men wearing dresses and women suits. I think you should instead wear what you want instead of it being a reflection of the gender aspects they represent.
Article five of the convention is about fighting the stereotypes of genders. How are we doing on that? These stereotypes are so set in our culture than we're fooled to believe we chose them. It's not about choosing a pink blanket for a baby girl and a blue blanket for a baby boy. Small things like that don't really matter, it's about the whole idea of men and women. What they're supposed to be and what they actually are. If you're constantly told "it's because you're a girl" or "you're such a woman" of course you'll believe that the personal traits that have more to do with your gender than your personality. Apart from this there are everyday and real issues.
Men and women are not polar opposites. It's not about "culture vs. nature" or "hard vs. soft" It doesn't make you less of a man to make dinner. What saddens me is the fact that we notice when a man makes dinner and it's taken for granted when a woman does it. How often do you hear a man say "Oh my god, I couldn't believe it, she made me dinner last night. It's oh so sweet, I now must be forever grateful and put out for a week straight." Making dinner is expected from women. Always being ready for sex is expected from men. Buying flowers and chocolate is expected from men, and the woman is expected to see this as a sexual invitation and be grateful that be brought her something in return for her preformance. I used these examples because it's something we can relate to, and they're easily identifiable.
What'd happen if we just stopped? If Facebook stopped asking about your gender, if no forms had that little box you tick? If the Oscars didn't have "best male actor" and "best female actress"? Would all of society fall apart? I honestly don't think so. But at the same time I don't think the world is quite ready yet. My worst fear is that it'll never be. That'll we continue to be amazed by female firefighters and male nannies.
This isn't all for the benefit of women, men can, and will benefit from a more fair approach to humankind. Equality is a right, and you should fight for yours, and not see it as a contrast between cleaning a drain and water the plants. You can, and should have the both of both worlds, only when everyone will embrace them both can they be one, and when it is a human world instead of a man's world we won't have to fight any longer.
So no, I don't think we should switch positions, men wearing dresses and women suits. I think you should instead wear what you want instead of it being a reflection of the gender aspects they represent.
1 comments:
Well said, Molly. I agree. It would be nice to just be who we are. But that opens another can of worms, doesn't it? <3
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