As armies of men all across this world aim their guns and sharp knives, having declared war on young girls and women, the Western feminist movement seems to slip deeper into a strange torpor. Or, it malingers. Or simply ignores the tragedy affecting poor women of the world.
Now, that old American grand dame of the female struggle against discrimination and male domination seems to have cashed in her Social Security check and retreated to some retirement spot. So little is heard from her, one would forget she once was a roaring lioness. That, one supposes, is the way of the flesh. We grow old, toothless and fatigued.
And yet, those issues that Betty Freidan talked about and fought for still confront women - American, African, Arab and Asian. The fact is the present crop of victims was suffering when Freidan and Steinem sounded the clarion call of the feminist battle - to liberate white women. Today it is the girls and women of Darfur, victims of organized and brutal Arab rape; the women of East Congo who are at the mercy of crazed men with guns and machetes; girls of Pakistan tortured, raped and flogged when they complain to authorities; and Afghanistan - where a new law permits husbands to rape their wives.
But they are all far away women; dark and invisible to the educated middle-class American womanhood - the once long ago bra-burning sisterhood - today's bankers, soccer moms and doyens of the middle class hearth. I am sure they wait in vain for the enlightened women in the West to come and rescue them from the darkness that surrounds them.
But there's, much closer to home, a group of women who could use the know how, the mental strength and academic prowess of yesterday's feminist lioness. Black and Hispanic women in American inner city have been abandoned by NOW, and most of the white feminist movement.
The one thing that keeps poor women poor is: lack of education. That in addition to deep mental health issues and poverty. For decades I have watched as poor black women's condition has stagnated or grown worse; as HIV/AIDS has become a disease of black women; as their children are driven into our prison system like cattle. I have, like NOW watched from the sidelines.
But I have not seen yesteryear's aggressive warriors march down our nation's establishment's streets for poor women. I'm still waiting to see large numbers of feminists volunteer to go into the ghetto to train these victims of male domination how to free themselves from the yoke of misplaced masculine power.
It's obvious that the black male dominated organizations like NAACP, the Urban League and the black church have become old and senile, incapable of dealing with the problems of drug addiction, mental health, poverty, incarceration of black males. They threw up their arms in despair, resignation many years ago.
But the feminist movement should not have suffered the same fate; not as long as an important constituent had not been emancipated - poor black women. Black girls desperately need older, educated and better to do women to light the way for them. As is well known, enlightened women are the key to the fate of a people.
I too have to admit that there are small islands of goodwill, women - black and white - not necessarily self-identifying as feminists, who are helping some black girls. It's not something one hears about or sees happen in a large scale. Certainly little has changed in the condition of poor black women. And here I must also add that many religious groups, including the antiabortion and anticondom Catholic Church (as opposed to more liberal groups like NOW) are "helping" women in faraway dark places.
The problem is that, even though, one of NOW's founders was Rev, Pauli Murray, a black woman, NOW was effective in securing white middle-class women's equality to their brothers, as well as propelling white women into positions of prominence. As the goal of white sexual parity was reached, the feminist movement slowly lost its vigor and enthusiasm.
I find it sad that so much of NOW's energy, knowledge, and potential for great works has been lost or simply left to lie, dormant, as millions of poor black American women see little improvement in their condition. They are impregnated early; have many kids out of wedlock; are uneducated and in poor health. The cycle is repeated generation after generation.
One suspects that the intention of the initial feminists had a universal coloration to it. In practice though, the movement served to raise the lot of white American women, while doing remarkably little for poor blacks; and even less for black women.
A small segment of the black middle class womanhood tries hard to fill the void; to help black girls. It greatly needs the help of other races, other groups, to give voice and meaning to the lives of poor black women and their children.
It's thus absurd for me to expect the Americans and for that matter Western feminists to go to the rescue of African, Asian, or Arab women who find themselves within the crashing jaws of primitive customs, unforgiving religious practices and a manhood that tenaciously holds onto its superiority using violent rape and murder as their weapons.
But as absurd as it is, I still can't help but wonder: What went wrong?
Sure, more education must be implemented, more help should be provided to those women in need, but it's not that simple. To do so you need fully support, you need to convince all women and feminists that education those who have been abused is key in achieving their identity and others. And to be honest I don't think we are quite there. Again, feminism is too complex to label as a failure.
All I can say is that by choosing to become a Feminist professor I contribute to women's empowerment by educating individual and I think that is powerful.
Every able person in the United States could commit to mentor one underpriviledged child here , and then commit as well to one overseas endeavor that educates or improves the health (including the reproductive rights) of women. Are we really so put-upon ourselves that we don't have this much to offer? Are we all members of V-Day and Planned Parenthood? Have we taken our men to see "Until the Violence Stops" and "The Vagina Monologues"? We know, not just by instinct, but through research, that the well-being of every community on the planet lies in the well-being of its women. I myself commit here to do more. I can afford to. Can you?
Many thanks for echoing what I was trying to say. In the end the feminist movement has failed, in the same way many others lost their way. The reason I think is, groups get to be too big, falling into the pitfall of all large organizations. Personal ambitions clash, etc. The original objectives are forgotten and propping the organization becomes the most important thing. My hope was to reestablish a discussion of what we can do as individuals and as groups of people. As you say, there's so mcuh we can each do, and as groups, so much we can accomplish - both in America as well as in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.
I believe GIRLS' EDUCATION IS the solution to Man's fate. To that end we must all try to help and contribute in whatever small way we can.
Thanks.
Pius Kamau
"Eventually, Stanton's oppositional rhetoric took on racial overtones. Arguing on behalf of female suffrage, Stanton posited that women voters of "wealth, education, and refinement" were needed to offset the effect of former slaves and immigrants whose "pauperism, ignorance, and degradation" might negatively affect the American political system"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cady_Stanton
Without being able to postpone the babies, forget it. These girls will be crushed early. Then the best that you might do is pick up some of the pieces.
Of course birth control as part of the stimulus package was loudly ridiculed by the Puritans. And we've been having an "abstinence only" discussion for how long now?
With all due respect, the men who are committing acts of violence against women in the countries you mention are all a mother's son, and they are often also husbands--and many of them are fathers of daughters. And yet they view women as property, as their servants, and as objects to be used and abused, not as human beings.
And yes, the same problems exist in this country.
I would suggest that the solution lies with changing the attitudes and behaviors of men, not women.
Thanks for your coments. And you're right. It's men perpetrating the injuries and delivering blows to women and women's children. If you begin by educating girls; teaching them that they are as good as men; that they don't have to have sex with men to be "fully human," to be loved, it would be a good place to start - in the reeducation that we have to do for our girls. Until a woman can say NO to a man, she is a vessel of his desires and actions. In addition to saying NO girls have to be empowered - eductaion does that.
Men have to be educated too; but they have had power in their hands fo so long. They are priests; Generals; CEOs, etc. They have failed miserably. We must work on women. Poor GIRLS of the world .
Thanks.
Pius kamau
I hope that in wriing this piece I have in some way shown I value women's place in society, and that I probably am a man who belives women deserve all the privileges that men enjoy. Isn't that what a male feminist is?
Thanks.
Pius kamau
Who do you think is taking on issues like the sex trafficking of women and children? Getting safe birth control to women? Working to stop rape and genital mutilation? Working to get equal human and economic rights for women on many countries? These and many other issues like girls' educational rights don't always come down to whether people are liberal or conservative. We need the support of good men and we need to stop making feminism a dirty word.
Excellent article.
The questions you raise should be profoundly embarrassing to liberal progressives.
Read comments here for awhile. You are more likely to read that "we shouldn't interfere in others' culture" than any outrage at the treatment women get in other countries. I read that very thing here on HuffPo many times in response to the Pakistani girl who was beaten.
I think these are people who would dismiss slavery by convincing themselves that the slaves were fed and seemed happy.
I hate to say it, but you will find no champion on the left. You need to look to conservatives for that.
UNless of course someone needs an abortion....
That's true, but don't leave out what accompanied that "right"! Lynchings, tar and feathering, beatings (not only by "civilians", but also by police) , shootings, dog attacks, poll tax, grandfather clause, etc.
"It's still an issue of Gender Equality, race is just a red herring, a way to distract people from the fact that gender equality will change ALL inequalities"
Nah! Minorities will never benefit from anything that whites won't benefit more from. Just look at the civil rights movement, minorities were doomed once white women were grouped in with them. You really think black men and white men earn the same? Or for the matter, black or hispanic women the same as white women. White women have the highest life expectency in the U.S.
Research shows that worldwide, when the household money is handled by the female, regardless of who's job brought in the paycheck, the entire household and community is lifted up.
But the race to claim the biggest right to victimhood doesn't get much accomplished.
Remedying gender equality, not just in the US but all over the world, would go an incredibly long way toward accomplishing the goals that Mr. Kamau mentions. Across the board, empirical data demonstrates that societies in which women are educated, economically independent, and enfranchised with the vote are better off than those in which women are systematically oppressed.
Many thanks for your really good and wonderfully considered observations. Thanks.
The point you make and I reiterated in the body of my esay is: educating women is the key to improving a society's standards. I have advocated and urged our policymakers to try and give free education to girls in places like Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, etc. The key to countering religious extremism is education - teaching children useful knowledge not just the Koran, etc. Teaching girls frees their societies. The same goes for our inner city girls.
Thanks.
Pius kamau
Yeah, I know 3 or 4 stories have emerged with females sexually molesting young males, but the sheer percentages are overwhelming, 97% male still, and is anyone else tired of the "But women do it tooooooooooo," whine? I know I am.
DV stats, and how! As a white woman I have faced discrimination many times over the years. Sexual harassment has been the bane of my existence. Now in my late forties, it finally has dissipated, though I think it also has to do with people tolerating that behaviour less.
As for the poverty, I would point out that I know lots of single moms, but very few of us receive any child suport. I live in a declared "no tolerance" state for deadbeat dads, but they won't put mine away because of jail overcrowding. I was told that they are the last ones on the priority list. Never mind that he owes me about 50K now. The other single moms I know are in similar positions. Every year we recveive a letter asking where the deadbeat dads are. I always write back, "Isn't it YOUR job to keep track of him?" I haven't had an address or phone number in years.
As for the feminist movement, I think the author made some excellent points early in the column. As a young woman I volunteered for the National Organization for Women for three years, working from 4 to 12 hours a day, every day - except holidays. I am appalled at the lack of interest in young women today in furhtering our cause - it SHOULD be humankind's cause.
Social justice movements in the U.S. don't seem to follow any particular template. The twentieth-century labor movement definitely got most of its energy from the working class but was always very heavily male dominated. Indeed, one of the only times unionists and management cooperated was right after WWII when they conspired to push women out of paid employment and back into the home.
The 1960s antiwar movement was the purview of white middle- and upper-class student activists, while the concomitant Civil Rights movement sprang from all types of African American socioeconomic groups as well as sympathetic white supporters. Both movements also were male dominated.
Sadly, the U.S. peace movement has never managed to gain much traction so I don't suppose it's the same as these others.
My point is that the women's movement is not unique for focusing on white, middle-class women's concerns. But these other movements show that it didn't necessarily have to be that way.
Women who identified as "Feminists" were insulted by men, and other insecure women, at the core of their being--as being cruel, unfemine, ugly, unlovable. No wonder younger women kept repeating, "I'm not a feminist. . ." (Does anything threaten a male more than being accused of "not being man enough?"
Ths Black man is blaming white women for not supporting Black women enough. Please look in the mirror, sir! We all, black and white, need your help, support, thoughtfulness to work on these problems. Not your scorn.
We have earned the right to become sexually obsessed by the age of 14, and to use technology so our daughters can send nude photos of themselves to teenage (and older) boys...we've earned the right to be as sexually open as we want, but have to fight for equality at the Doctor's or Pharmacy.
Sexually open means being available to men, but never expecting commitment...American "men" can't even commit to buying a cup of coffee unless they are assured of a pay off for it. I'm in the dating world again, I know whereof I speak.
Hillary Clinton's recent presidential campaign speaks VOLUMES about the state of "Feminism" in America...she was torn apart by the populace for her face, her body, her clothes, her hair, her voice, crossing her legs, NOT crossing her legs....mmm, give me some of that old time Equality!
Thanks Old Guard Feminists, you really sucker punched the rest of us. I stopped using the words Feminist/Feminism a longtime ago. As far as I can see, all it got American women as a group is disrespect and more work.
I know it looks like I'm man-bashing here but the truth is, I believe our system has failed men just as much as women. Perhaps the shortcoming of the feminist movement was that it turned a blind eye to the endemic problems in the male psyche. Men need to be liberated too - from all the constraints and expectations put on them that damage their egos and create these crippled man-boy people in a rebound effect. I think that's what's going on anyway... perhaps it has something to do with having both parents working and out of the home...I don't want a return to the apron days but if women are to work, we do need the men in our lives to step up and shoulder their fair share.
I live in SoCal and can't even keep track of the men I know in their 30's and up who live like frat boys, act it, etc....skateboards are still their primary source of transportation in some cases, no exaggeration. They wear clothing to reflect the same. Who doesn't love a white guy in his 40's that talks like a rap star, huh?
American men hit 21 and reach a maturity freeze.
"ME"
Once the "ME" overpowers the "US", everything turns into Hell on Earth.
I'm 47- when I graduated from high school/college I inherited the "feminist mantle"----looking back, all I can see is that women now are expected to work a fulltime job (which has grown from 40 hrs/wk to 45/50) raise children--usually alone--monitor every bite that goes in their mouths, scan the internet for health updates/alarms, spend as much time on their education as teachers (I'm very well educated from public school, my mother did not pour hours into it, I and my teachers did) and on and on...
When the day is done I have to keep hearing how i can open my own doors cause "You girls have equality now" .... I can barely make 79 cents to the male dollar. Two Words: Glass Ceiling.
And in marriage I still did 90% of EVERYTHING; when I was not at home, "Daddy babysits"....his own kids.
....cont part 2.....
You married the wrong guy. That's not a matter for feminism but for couple's therapy.
"I can barely make 79 cents to the male dollar. Two Words: Glass Ceiling."
We know a bunch of couples and more often than not she makes MUCH more than him. She is an executive, he is a scientist. Or she is a scientist and he is an IT guy. Or she is an executive secretary and he drives out merchandise in a truck. Why is that? Because the women are more practically oriented than the men. We like to screw around with "stuff" but hate paperwork, while women are more interested in the social engineering and legal aspects of problems, which happens to lead to management positions which are paid better. Sorry... but glass ceilings are industry and education dependent and have almost disappeared in some industries.
Thank you so much for the enlightenment, I'm going to go buy a new lipstick now that I have nothing else to worry about and no valid issues!