A Privileged Life

A recent survey of 165 countries ranked Canada as the third best place in the world to be a woman. This survey attempted to analyze the expansive rights and the best quality of life for women by analyzing factors such as overall ratings of justice, health, education, economics and politics. Canada rated an overall 96.6 (out of 100) just behind Iceland in first and Sweden in second place. The worst 3 ranked places for women were Yemen (12.1 out of 100), Afghanistan (2.0 out of 100) and Chad (0 out of 100).

Seeing this study makes me feel really privileged to be a woman in Canada. Having access education and health care as well as the right to participate in the politics or economics, are small rights that I know I have taken for granted. To think that there is such a range of quality of life for women around the world makes me feel blessed but at the same time spoiled.

How often is it that we stop and appreciate the little things. For example, I recently moved in with a couple close friends. If I lived in a lot of other countries I could possible not have the right to leave my house let alone to live independently. I moved out of my parent’s home so I wouldn’t have to respond to anyone but myself, but really that nothing in comparison to some of the things that other women in the world are fighting for.

Much of the fight within feminism revolves around the fight for equal rights. This is a well-known fact. But how is it that we can create equality for ALL women of the world if there is such a disparity of quality of life. For starters how can we define equal quality of life since we are all holding such polarized definitions. And how can we make social institutions that allow women in countries that were poorly rated have a better quality of life without imposing our western ideals upon their way of life. Is any of this even possible?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2011/09/20/best-and-worst-countries-for-women-the-full-list.html

mademoiselle NO more

Feminist groups in France are seeking to remove the title mademoiselle on all official forms and replace it with the title madam. They argue that men are not asked to check off damoiseau (young, unmarried man) however women are asked to check off mademoiselle (young, unmarried women), making them to publically identify their marital status. They seek to remove the double standard between men and women in regards to formal titles.

I never thought about until discovering this article online but how much does the title of Ms., Miss., Mrs. or Mr. (North America’s equivalent of madam, mademoiselle, damoiseau or monsieur) say about an individual before you even know them. Those titles introduce not only our relationship status automatically, but also imply our gender. I can’t speak for everyone, but the fact that one several aspects of my life can be summed up by checking one box (i.e. Miss) on a form.

I wouldn’t blame French women for wanting to remove the title mademoiselle. Personally I think North American women should take a few pointers from our French sisters and think carefully about our titles and possibly even begin to petition them.

http://connexionfrance.com/Mademoiselle-anachronistic-madame-damoiseau-squire-young-unmarried-woman-13044-view-article.html

Don't try this to save your relationship

A Nova Scotian man has just been convicted of sexual assault (for a crime that happened way back in 2006, by the way). According to CBC, he had been dating a woman for several months when she began to talk about breaking up with him. He thought that if she got pregnant, it would save their relationship, so he poked holes in all their condoms, without her knowledge or consent. It sort of worked - the woman got pregnant, but when the man confessed to her, instead of being overjoyed, she called the cops.

Leaving aside the obvious - who could be that messed up to actually believe that this would save a relationship - the issue is whether this was sexual assault, or aggravated sexual assault, which was the original charge brought against him.

Sexual assault, in Canada, is defined as sexual contact with a person against that person's will. Aggravated sexual assault is basically sexual assault that could potentially seriously harm/kill that individual. Rape with a weapon is aggravated sexual assault. Having unprotected sex with someone without telling that someone that you've got HIV/AIDS is aggravated sexual assault. But is having secretly unprotected sex with someone with the sole aim of getting them pregnant sexual assault, or aggravated sexual assault?

Personally, I would argue the latter. The woman ended up getting an abortion, and got a uterus infection from that abortion. Whether or not you agree with that choice is up to you, but pregnancy itself can be pretty darn dangerous. According to the WHO, in 1995 500 000 women died worldwide of causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. 20 million of them experience ill-health related to their pregnancies. Deliberately impregnating someone against their knowledge warrants an aggravated sexual assault charge in my opinion. What do you think?

I'm out of the kitchen, take that!

Since I began telling my friends that I am infact a feminist I have recieved a lot of comments about "get back into the kitchen woman" or "make me a sandwhich". I know some of them are just joking however it makes me wonder. Does making something as serious as women's rights into a joke help to inhibit or promote the cause? I would actually have to argue the later. While by no means am I condoning making jokes of serious and important issues, I don't think you can fully be comfortable with an issue until you are able to make some humor with the subject matter. What do you all think? Does the ability make lite of serious matter make you a better activist?

PETA's New Campaign

I didn't know where to begin with this blog until I came across this new campaign by PETA. In attempts to create awareness around animal rights, members of PETA have decided to strip down. 
However, while women are fighting for sexual liberty and sexual equality, in my mind this campaign does nothing but establish the objectification of women. Comparing women to animals and selling sex in the name of their cause.
It seems to me ironic that a feminist organization like PETA (fighting for the rights of animals) is exploiting women in the process. Makes you wonder how much other feminist campaigns are willing to exploit others in the name of their cause?

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/PETA+naked+campaigns/5443807/story.html