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LCHR responds to Steinem's editorial
January 8, 2008
By Nadine Hoffman
In her recent New York Times editorial, “Women Are Never Front-Runners,” American feminist icon Gloria Steinem writes that the reasons for sexism “are as pervasive as the air we breathe.” This fundamental truth, along with her equally valid observation that “anything that affects males is seen as more serious than anything that affects ‘only’ the female half of the human race,” plays out on a global scale daily, with sometimes deadly consequences.
The systematic disregard for “women’s issues,” however, has repercussions for the entire human race, not just the female half. Women form the backbone of society. They are at the center of community life, and the source of life, yet their voices are often silenced and ignored. Politics is just one of many realms where women find themselves “never the front-runners.”
The plight of refugee women speaks volumes about their perceived worth. Darfurian women live in fear every day while collecting the firewood necessary for their families’ survival. They are literally hunted. They desperately need an alternate source of fuel, like solar cookers, or some measure of protection when they go out of the camps. Yet, they have no place at the negotiating table, and their needs go unheard.
Human trafficking victims are overwhelmingly female, and their plight, too, has not been sufficiently addressed. Like the women subjected to “honor crimes,” those who are sold into slavery are treated as nothing more than property to be used and discarded without regard for their basic human dignity. Though victimized, those who live through these ordeals become survivors, a testament to their incredible strength.
In spite of the many ways in which we allow the world’s women to be devalued, they are the ones who hold the key to change. From the environment, to poverty reduction, to international security issues, the role of women is pivotal if we are to create any lasting transformation. If women were equally valued and their elemental needs met, it would lead to stability and prosperity envisioned in the Millennium Development Goals.
Women care about the quality of their children’s lives, which means they are personally invested in peace and conflict resolution at the grassroots level. They strive to ensure the continuity of generations, and with the support they need, they can not only improve the basic quality of life of their daughters – and sons – but also provide them the opportunity to become tomorrow’s global leaders.
They say that the world is flat, and that globalization has leveled the playing field for all. For women, the world is a mountain, and they are still stuck at the bottom. As American women, who, though still never the front-runners, have been afforded with opportunities that most of our non-Western sisters are denied, we have a moral responsibility to defend the rights and opportunities of women the world over. We can no longer ignore the suffering of women brutalized by war, cruel cultural practices, and grinding poverty.
Their struggle is our struggle. Their power is our power. |
