We see images of women being ‘moral policed’… a lot of us are horrified… a lot are actually cheering on!
I could go on and on about how women are the most oppressed but lets face it, it is the same
argument… “things are getting better, see women can drive, they can vote … but they Should Not have a
say in how to be… how to live’. They are beaten, kicked, denied: both literally and figuratively and yet
the western world views itself as a better place for women than the rest of the world, where as the fact
of the matter is it is Not so. Let’s try to sift through some if the consistent themes across the globe with
the exception of a few sparse tribes here and there.
Protection: I wonder why men think that women Need protection when it is their own minds that are
not strong. Through the ages women have always been strong. Its best if women are left to mind their
own lives the way they see fit. If protecting women means creating laws that actually harm them then
isn’t that counter intuitive. Let’s not use the excuse of protection to ‘control’ women.
Religion and Morality: Iranian government bodies claim to be moral policing women. Are they moral
policing men? Are they beating up men to death for noncompliance of dress code, etc.? USA just
reversed the right to abortion for women in the name of religious and moral implications. Why are only
women bearing the burden of upholding the religion and morality? How come men get away with rape,
with being treated like saints, with being held as the leaders of religion and nations, with being law
makers and decision makers.
Who decides who should have control or not? As part of my journey, I see parallels between racist and
patriarchal behavior. It is about control and using ‘protection, religion and morality’ as instruments to
oppress. I have American friends and Indian friends who would treat their girls different from their boys
without realizing so. I have Asian and Middle eastern friends who would do the same. I have South
American friends who have seen and experienced the same. It is a universal problem. The conditioning is
deep and through generations. Just like how it is difficult for white people to accept racist behavior, it is
difficult for all people to accept patriarchal behavior, including women.
The rational person in me says, so what? There are problems bigger than a piece of clothing, or than a
choice of food, or than venturing out at a certain time of the day or night, or being at home with people
one is supposed to feel safe…
But the point is when and where do women have choice to live how they want to? There are cultures
that treat cattle and livestock with more respect and dignity than the way they treat women, there are
communities that treat men like gods and women just as baby making machines, There are tribes that
treat women as mere currency… the list can go on and on.
Have women had enough?: The tipping point is near but not quite so. In my honest opinion women
need to band together, we need to be unapologetically shamelessly who we are, who we want to be.
We need to figure out ways to stop handing over agency and control to men. We need to decide what
our moral duties are, not men. We need to work towards rallying for each other, and break through the
old boys clubs across the globe.
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