Either way, I'm writing today about perspective. Yesterday, my friends and I were chatting about stuff when one of them mentioned, "What would you ask God if you died?" I thought about it and then mentioned one of the most sensitive issues/topics this 20th century: feminism.
Things like "I wonder why women are treated like commodities" or "respect" came up, and as we were dealing with Islam and Christianity, we all had questions that were similar. They talked about the hijab and how it doesn't stop people from whistling at them or guys hitting on them - issues like that. There was a short discussion and we left it there.
Today, James and I started talking about this. I asked him about things like "why is it that men treat women like this and that and think that they should e.g. "be in the kitchen making sandwiches" and stuff. Then he said that it all depends on perspective.
"I understand that some men treat women like commodities but why is it that women consider being at home and "making sandwiches" as something inferior as compared to being the breadwinner? When there are things that people want, they tend to see their current position as 'inferior', that's why so many women demand better things like equal pay and jobs nowadays."
This was what he said. And I can see his viewpoint. Something we agreed on was that people in general tend to have viewpoints that are biased towards themselves, especially when it comes to getting something that they want. Like "I want this job, I'm the best candidate" and stuff like that. Also addressing the gender stereotype that boys are better - it all stems from waaaaaaaaaay back, and things like wanting a son for a firstborn is ingrained into us, mostly.
Things like continuing the family name and being the breadwinner and stuff, etc. Also it is proven that firstborns are better developed due to the attention their parents lavish on them, and also receive better treatment etc. This resonates in the workforce, where there are more men than women present.
Let's say someone applies for a job. 10 applicants are male and 3 are female. The job is more likely given to the male due to majority. Another issue is that women tend to be more sentimental, and men think more logically. Due to this, some people may be inclined to give the job to men. Also makes it easier to get along if they're all males. Simple.
Sometimes it's not about the woman, as seen above. But sometimes it is. Women can also be treated unfairly at work, due to their superiors being mostly men. Often they are objectified, and sometimes hired due to their "hotness" (e.g. Hooters LOL) and things like that are what feminism tries to eradicate. Often stories are told about women who have been approached by their superiors for sexual favours, and when rejected, they lose the job. Their foothold in the corporate world may not be very strong.
But either way, we agreed that feminism exists for equality - same pay, better treatment, and things like rape shouldn't be a joke, or taken as a joke. People say they want things to change - but they don't want to make the change. And I think that if we want things to be different, our generation has to take a stance against it. Raise our children with the mindset that women are to be respected, and that rape is wrong.
It's not hard to educate children the right way. The irony in this is that the older generation says that our current generation is screwed up - but they were the ones who raised us. Racism, sexism, anti-gay rallies and protests - these things shouldn't exist. And if we raise our children correctly, they shouldn't even be happening.
Start now. Tell your friends, tell your friends to tell their friends. It's never really too late to change things, until it becomes irreversible.
