Happy International Women’s Day!

Just a short update to wish you all a Happy International Women’s Day (shut up. I know it’s a day late. It was five minutes to midnight when I started typing this..)

Take a moment to appreciate how much we have to be thankful for, and what this day represents. Remember the women (and men!) who came before us and how hard they worked to achieve what is sadly often taken for granted now. Treasure what you have – if you are educated, well fed, housed, clothed, equally employed, have access to relevant, affordable and accessible healthcare; given opportunities, choice and respect – then you are better off than most other women in the world.  Remember that, and take time to appreciate it.

If you fit the above criteria – then it is your responsibility to ensure that your position of privilege does not remain so indefinitely.  Do something – volunteer at a women’s shelter, organise a fundraiser, make a donation to organisations that help women in developing nations (I suggest Amnesty International or Women For Women) or just simply talk. Talk to people about what you think and why, ask questions – LOTS of questions, encourage debate around the dinner table or at the pub. Do your research, read books, browse the internet. Get informed and get vocal. Keep it local or set your sites on International aid – every little helps.

To conclude -I will leave you with this article.  I love this one, because it explains – without anger or aggression – precisely why there is no International Man’s Day.

Leaving aside the fact that there actually IS an International Man’s Day I do understand what the author is getting at.  I am tired of people whining about the very existence of IWD because (the logic goes) if men and women are equal – why do women get the big shiny parade? Completely ignoring the last couple of centuries of marginalisation, abuse and exclusion of women throughout the vast majority of cultures on earth and the ongoing effects that are still felt even in westernised countries (To say nothing of the extent and effects of extreme misogyny in developing nations). To feel threatened by IWD is to deny the existence of male privilege which, to my mind constitutes appalling arrogance.

I am really tired of having to explain that the minority of cases in which women are advantaged over men does not nullify the fact that even here in the lucky country – our culture is still one of sexism and discrimination against women.

However, this should not insinuate that I am opposed to International Men’s Day. Of course not – there are issues that affect men either exclusively or more frequently than women, and a lot of that is due to social attitudes that often prevent men from seeking help for mental health or for physical illness. There’s a reason why there is a higher suicide rate amongst men - the amount of accessible and visible  mental health and support services for men is far less than those for women and when it comes to family court disputes I know that courts are usually far more in favor of granting custody of children to women – unfit parents or not, purely on the fact that they are women. The only beef that I have with International Men’s Day is that blue-ribbon winning conservative, queerphobic tosser Warwick Marsh is one of the co-ordinators.

What this does come down to – I think – is recognition of privilege, wherever you have it. Despite my whining, I am hesitant to turn the whole IWD debate into a longwinded game of ‘Who’s more oppressed’ – and so what is important is to recognize the nature of  gender-based privilege and discrimination and to have the humility and grace to consider another person’s background and experience before going tilting at windmills.

Personally speaking that’s been a hard lesson to learn, but after a period of unease and indignant pouting – I do not feel threatened by International Men’s Day. One person’s liberation does not automatically insinuate another’s subordination. Giving equal rights and consideration to one person does not mean that another is automatically stripped of theirs. Compassion, respect and opportunity are not a bucket of water – they will not run out if everyone gets a fair share.

Right. I have a politics class in just over seven hours and I have not yet slept. Just watch the pretty Youtube video and let me sleep.

Until next time.

~ by soverysmall on March 8, 2010.