A Message to Girls...
(Apologies to those who follow me in more than one place, but I just have to post this everywhere because it's important. And because I've spent most of the afternoon reading it and its links.)
Dear Girls,
You are powerful beyond words, because you threaten to unravel the control of corrupt men who abuse their authority...
Soraya Chemaly, A Message to Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You
Their actions, from one end of the spectrum to the other, are designed to fill you with self-doubt and, ultimately, fear -- either bodily or spiritual -- because otherwise you, and the young boys around you, will be fully aware of your strength and potential.[...]
They seek to teach you, subtly, through small slights and gendered expectations, that you are "different," weak, unworthy, incapable. The sadness is that, in their perception, if you are none of these things, then they are not strong, worthy and capable. This is not an excuse, but an explanation. It's why they find infinite "benevolent" ways to undermine and disparage you, all in the name of "God's word." When that fails, they resort to violence. All over the world, their anxiety is manifest in a spectrum of actions ranging from mild paternalism, respectful of "proper boundaries," to deadly enforcement of their rules.
I was in tears reading this. If it makes me a radical feminist...then good. I care too much about my nieces not to be.
This entry was originally posted at http://akamarykate.dreamwidth.org/340202.html. You may comment either here or there.
Dear Girls,
You are powerful beyond words, because you threaten to unravel the control of corrupt men who abuse their authority...
Soraya Chemaly, A Message to Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You
Their actions, from one end of the spectrum to the other, are designed to fill you with self-doubt and, ultimately, fear -- either bodily or spiritual -- because otherwise you, and the young boys around you, will be fully aware of your strength and potential.[...]
They seek to teach you, subtly, through small slights and gendered expectations, that you are "different," weak, unworthy, incapable. The sadness is that, in their perception, if you are none of these things, then they are not strong, worthy and capable. This is not an excuse, but an explanation. It's why they find infinite "benevolent" ways to undermine and disparage you, all in the name of "God's word." When that fails, they resort to violence. All over the world, their anxiety is manifest in a spectrum of actions ranging from mild paternalism, respectful of "proper boundaries," to deadly enforcement of their rules.
I was in tears reading this. If it makes me a radical feminist...then good. I care too much about my nieces not to be.
This entry was originally posted at http://akamarykate.dreamwidth.org/340202.html. You may comment either here or there.