AND GOD MADE WOMAN TOO

I wrote this to an interesting post written by a blogger here and thought to bring it in here, too, to talk about. Let's hear it from everybody, too.

Why must we talk bout the feminist movement in terms of shedding or not shedding one's cothes? I don't think that's the all of it. What these groups of women or individuals are trying to say is - women's rights - the right to be a human being on equal terms with the other human being (man) created by God. It means the right to exercise one's brains - or express one's own opinions - or engage in activities to develop one's talents and abilities - or make intelligent choices - or conduct one's self normally in a society of civilized men and women - or fight back at violence or abuse on one's person. All these not as an appendage to the male - but as a person. A human being's basic rights. Is that asking much? Figure that out.

I understand that any idea or principle will have to go through the sieve of culture and tradition. Or so i've seen. We are so many different races, cultures, and traditions. Yet... can't a good idea work side by side with tradition? Can't something like respect, consideration, understanding and intelligence be applied to make it work?. I don't have the formula to such venture, but isn't that where the challenge lies?

Say if you want to dress as you please, you can- but you have to work and live with your own traditions, too. Tradition tells you who you are. It is your identity as a people, as a nation. But that doesn't mean that you cannot behave as an individual free to make his or her own decisions or exercise your basic rights as a person, including choice of clothes. But then again- it is wise to temper this with your own tradition. I am not a stickler for tradition myself, but I am proud to know it. Sometimes it gives me an amount of safety, security, in ways which i haven't thought about until something happens.

Like all ideas -- pluck out what is good and useful to you - and reject or squash to the ground which isn't. The feminist movement or idea may sometimes be taken to extremes thus making some people quite uncomfortable with it. In which case I remind myself to look it carefully in my mind - understand what it's saying or what it wants to do - and then see how it would work right here where i am at this point in time-- in my generation-- with the issues hurled at me-- facing the realities of my time . That requires a lot of serious thinking, doesn't it?. Right. And we have been equipped by God to do just that - man or woman!

posted on Sunday, November 20, 2005 4:28 PM