Well behaved women rarely make history.
Last night I called my weaver's up to see how they were doing. I had gotten news that they had gone down to Piura city to do some sales, and decided to catch up. Sipriana, the president of the association and one of my best friends in Santo Domingo, was down and I took advantage to talk with her...which I had not done since December. It was like old times, the jokes were the same. She updated me about the successes and triumphs of the last few months. Apparently last month they had S/.8000 worth of sales ($2,500), which is 4 times as much as the record when I was there. They are doing many things on their own too, which proved my point I kept repeating to them...that they were strong enough to handle things on their own.
Sipry also told me about some frustrating things, like how some weavers are still getting pregnant all of the time (they are scared of the birth control pill), how there are abusive husbands around, and how the municipality has been promising them a place where they can do their sales, but has been stalling for over a year now. Apparently the mayor keeps saying that it is coming, and when he was out of town, one of his assistants told the women that they do not own that area. That statement irated my weavers, and they told him off, and said that there are contracts signed and that the mayor was the final voice, not him. I think that this assistant was surprised, and he told the weaver's that they are acting like women in Lima, irrate. I was almost jumping up and down for joy at his comment, it meant to me that they were sticking up for themselves.
Apparently now the women also decided to take a stand and build their store themselves. They pitched in to buy adobe, and carried it across town. Yovanni said her arms never hurt so much. Next week the wall will go up, and they will start having their own store. They were tired of waiting for the mayor's politics and took matters into their own hands.
After hearing all of the things they are doing on their own, building a wall, contracting out, telling guys their rights...my response was "Estoy tan orgullosa de uds, tengo un dicho que siempre digo a las mujeres en lo cual he trabajado en los estados unidos....Mujeres bien comportadas raramente entran en la historia" which translated means "I'm so proud of you guys, there is a saying I always say to the women I have worked with in the states...well behaved women rarely make history." I proceeded to say that if they followed stereotypes of what they should do, they would have never gotten this far, and that many people respect and trust the association to make it because they are strong. Some people may be intimidated by this, but that doesn't matter they are changing stereotypes of what women can do and the ideas of this small town.
I also told Sipriana that when I come to visit them next week that I will reiterate the need for them to control their reproductive lives. Some women are on their 4th or 5th kid before reaching the age of 30. Since the association started, 2 years ago, 7 kids have been born. I will just remind them that if they want to raise kids with love, and to still be able to work and save some money, they need to take actions. I will say that they do not have to tell their husband if they don't to, that it is their right as a woman. I will also tell them that they should not worry that the pill will make them sick, millions of women worldwide, for half a century have been taking it regularly.
One of my weavers said that the best thing I taught them was to be strong, and to stand up for what she believed in no matter what others think. I could not be more proud of hearing that. I know that I have a strong personality, and that sometimes it puts off people...but if I am teaching women whom have been taught to be quiet and take the backseat to men to take a stand...and I see them do it, surprise people, and be successful....I know that its a middle ground to my personality, and worth everything.