Feminist? Priviledge
The experiences I had today, coupled with some of the movies I've been watching recently, make me acutely aware of my own priviledge, especially to be a feminist. I watched Osama a few nights ago, a film about a little girl in Afghanistan that her family dresses as a boy in order for her to work and provide for the family. In the movie, most of the men in Afghanistan have died, and the Taliban will not allow the women to work. They must be entirely covered when they leave the house. The Taliban regulates the behavior of the women in this film through force. Several Americans are arrested for providing services as doctors or filming anything in the country for the press. These individuals are executed by firing squad. The girl gets caught as a girl dressing as a boy, but instead of execution, she is pardoned on her execution day if she marries an old man (she is perhaps 10 years old?). On her wedding night, he lets her choose from a number of padlocks that he will use to lock her in her room. What a wedding present.
In America, I can wear whatever I want, like tank tops and skirts. I am allowed to protest. I am allowed to call myself a feminist. I am allowed to post this blog entry. I can dress like a boy if I want, work if I want, and marry who I want. I can support my family rather than being locked up in someone else's family. I do not have to choose between a miserable life as someone's slave wife or death.
I am a graduate student, but I make 3x the amount of money per month as most of the women I spent the day with. This week, I treated myself to a Dell Jukebox that cost over $200. My friend treated herself to two CDs that cost a total of $10, the first music she's bought in a long time. I can afford to shop at the IGA. I can afford to go out for meals a few times per week. I can rent $20 worth of movies per month. My legs work, I weigh less than 500 lbs, and I've never spent the night in the hospital. I've never had major surgery. But my friends can still read what they please, listen to what they please, and marry who they please (or choose not to marry).
Do I want the rest of the women in the world to have what I have? No. I want all of us to have more. I want to live in a society where being a feminist won't get you stoned. Guilt? Priviledge? Gratitude? Definitely.
In America, I can wear whatever I want, like tank tops and skirts. I am allowed to protest. I am allowed to call myself a feminist. I am allowed to post this blog entry. I can dress like a boy if I want, work if I want, and marry who I want. I can support my family rather than being locked up in someone else's family. I do not have to choose between a miserable life as someone's slave wife or death.
I am a graduate student, but I make 3x the amount of money per month as most of the women I spent the day with. This week, I treated myself to a Dell Jukebox that cost over $200. My friend treated herself to two CDs that cost a total of $10, the first music she's bought in a long time. I can afford to shop at the IGA. I can afford to go out for meals a few times per week. I can rent $20 worth of movies per month. My legs work, I weigh less than 500 lbs, and I've never spent the night in the hospital. I've never had major surgery. But my friends can still read what they please, listen to what they please, and marry who they please (or choose not to marry).
Do I want the rest of the women in the world to have what I have? No. I want all of us to have more. I want to live in a society where being a feminist won't get you stoned. Guilt? Priviledge? Gratitude? Definitely.
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