Busy busy busy busy
Wednesday, September 19 saw Dr. Wangari Maathai at Benaroya Hall with goodbush. Amazing and inspiring.
Interestingly, some of my coworkers are upset that she is not pro-choice. It's been a fascinating discussion where I find myself relatively unmoved by that fact. I think it would be unusual for a Kenyan, even a high-powered fairly feminist MP like Maathai, to be pro-choice. Abortion is not really an option for women in Kenya, let alone legal, safe abortion. Certainly, I would like to change this, but I'm not really interested in whether Maathai is pro-choice or not. She has done an incredible amount of work on behalf of the women in her country and sub-Saharan Africa in general, is a tireless advocate on behalf of the environment, and a really remarkable woman in her own right. I don't think her stance on abortion has anything to do with whether she has accomplished amazing things, nor do I think it discredits her or her work in any way. I'm frustrated with co-workers who tell me in hushed tones that, did I know? She's anti-choice. It seems to me somehow different when we're talking about public figures outside of the US. I think it's important to take into account the way most Kenyans feel and the political climate there. Do you think Maathai would continue to be elected as an MP if she came out as pro-choice? Absolutely not! Not to mention that most Kenyans are decently conservative Christians or Muslims, the type of folks who wouldn't be pro-choice here in the US. There are just so many more things to take into consideration than whether someone is pro or anti choice.
Yes, Maathai says "Abortion is Wrong" but she also apparently thinks that HIV was created in a lab (both articles, btw, are from a super conservative website and, considering the source, are not that damning). Both tidbits of information, I think, make her very typically Kenyan, which is not a bad thing at all. As a Kenyan woman, she has done incredible things for her country and the world.
(Not to give Maathai a bad name, I should also include this Wikipedia article where Maathai says that she does not, in fact, believe that HIV was created in a laboratory to exterminate Africans.)
In other news, this last Sunday was my birthday party. Yaaay! to all the folks who came. It was a good good time and I cooked the prettiest thing I think I have ever cooked. This was shortly followed by a beautiful and simple Mabon ritual with my family. Blessings!
Sandwiched in between there, we watched Zus &Zo which was delightful. I loved that we got it because it had a "gay theme" and it wound up being much more about the complicated relationship between these three sisters. It was really a delicious movie despite the well-wrapped up and cheesy ending.
Interestingly, some of my coworkers are upset that she is not pro-choice. It's been a fascinating discussion where I find myself relatively unmoved by that fact. I think it would be unusual for a Kenyan, even a high-powered fairly feminist MP like Maathai, to be pro-choice. Abortion is not really an option for women in Kenya, let alone legal, safe abortion. Certainly, I would like to change this, but I'm not really interested in whether Maathai is pro-choice or not. She has done an incredible amount of work on behalf of the women in her country and sub-Saharan Africa in general, is a tireless advocate on behalf of the environment, and a really remarkable woman in her own right. I don't think her stance on abortion has anything to do with whether she has accomplished amazing things, nor do I think it discredits her or her work in any way. I'm frustrated with co-workers who tell me in hushed tones that, did I know? She's anti-choice. It seems to me somehow different when we're talking about public figures outside of the US. I think it's important to take into account the way most Kenyans feel and the political climate there. Do you think Maathai would continue to be elected as an MP if she came out as pro-choice? Absolutely not! Not to mention that most Kenyans are decently conservative Christians or Muslims, the type of folks who wouldn't be pro-choice here in the US. There are just so many more things to take into consideration than whether someone is pro or anti choice.
Yes, Maathai says "Abortion is Wrong" but she also apparently thinks that HIV was created in a lab (both articles, btw, are from a super conservative website and, considering the source, are not that damning). Both tidbits of information, I think, make her very typically Kenyan, which is not a bad thing at all. As a Kenyan woman, she has done incredible things for her country and the world.
(Not to give Maathai a bad name, I should also include this Wikipedia article where Maathai says that she does not, in fact, believe that HIV was created in a laboratory to exterminate Africans.)
In other news, this last Sunday was my birthday party. Yaaay! to all the folks who came. It was a good good time and I cooked the prettiest thing I think I have ever cooked. This was shortly followed by a beautiful and simple Mabon ritual with my family. Blessings!
Sandwiched in between there, we watched Zus &Zo which was delightful. I loved that we got it because it had a "gay theme" and it wound up being much more about the complicated relationship between these three sisters. It was really a delicious movie despite the well-wrapped up and cheesy ending.