Rita Pullen,
Where Have I Been? Where Are We Going?
Where have I been?
Ive lived in a civilised country where:
A woman who went alone to a pub, a cinema, certain streets was considered to be asking for it and had only herself to blame if she was harassed, or worse.
Benefit legislation was built on the assumption that women would care for the old, the sick and the very young and that such caring would require no acknowledgement or remuneration.
There wasnt a way of describing sexual harassment so, when someone at work touched us, inappropriately and against our wishes, our only option was to put up with it or be met by derision for saying He touched my bottom.
Women were routinely paid less than men for doing work of the same value.
A woman could be sexually assaulted on a crowded commuter train and be told that it was her fault for wearing a mini-skirt.
A woman had to have a mans signature (that of her father or husband) to be allowed to buy something on credit think of that next time you flash your Visa card!
A man could not be accused of raping his wife.
Men in the workplace had to be called Sir or Mr xx, but a woman was always called by her first name.
A man could kill his wife because she nagged him, be charged with manslaughter and given a suspended sentence - but a woman who killed her husband, after many years of physical and mental violence could be imprisoned for life for murder.
and, although many changes have been brought about by feminists, in this civilised country
We still care so little about our future generations that being pregnant, giving birth to and breast-feeding babies are accorded very little respect and even, in the case of breast-feeding, have to be done discreetly (ie in secret) - possibly because these are things that men cant do.
Women still earn less than men.
Only 5.6% of rapes result in a conviction.
etc etc etc etc etc..
Worldwide, the situation is even worse
A female foetus is more likely to be aborted than a male foetus.
Women are enslaved and tortured by traffickers.
Women are exploited by men for the pleasure of men.
Female children are less likely to get an education.
Women in war zones endure military violence and sexual violence.
And yet we survive; were strong; we overcome. If we work together we can do even more.
Where are we going?
Lets pull together and go to a world where we will work to ensure that, NO woman, wherever she lives in the world, suffers because she is a woman.
Lets do something every single day, however small, that helps and supports another woman have a chat with a stressed or lonely neighbour; lobby a politician its all positive.
Lets be proud of being feminists and proud of the men who can call themselves feminists, too.
WE ARE THE MAJORITY WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. LETS DO IT!
