Stand Up For Yourself, Be Proud to be a Woman!
Violence against women is very prevalent in society this day and age. It occurs everywhere in the world and varies in many different ways. Women are beaten, raped, mentally put down and belittled, mutilated and publically displayed. To some women this is a way of life. Such as in Kenya, where they do female genital mutilation (FGM). I see this is a crude way to control women and keep them “pure”. It is unsanitary and painful process that requires long amounts of healing. This procedure is a horrific act opposed onto women. FGC is done to prevent women from enjoying sex, in order to prevent them from having a baby. It is done so that a man may control his wife’s sexuality, and several cultural practices have risen from it. It can leave them in a horrible mental state full of depression. It is done at an early age. In some countries the girls are ripped out of their bed in the middle of the night. Sorry, but if someone forced me to have this done, I would murder them, it takes away our dignity. But, I have to be open, just because I am against something; this is something the people of Kenya believe in.
In Born into Brothels, it was sad seeing how the children knew what was going on around them, yet they thought they could not do anything to help. The girls grew up thinking that in the future they one day would be in this situation. Most of these women were forced into prostitution at an early age by men. These women and children live in awful situations and conditions. The director made this to show the children that there is a better life out there and not just the sad life they have grown up in, in hope they do bigger and better things and hopefully get an education. Yet when the children got accept into school the parents either didn’t let them go or made them withdraw?! Why would anyone want their child to go through what they did? It’s sad because brothels are all over the world today and many children live through this. Watching this made me really realize how good we have it over in America, yet I’m sure things like this happen everyday here also. Through the photography, we are able to see how the children feel and it’s of shame, pain, sorrow, regret, loss of hope and extreme poverty.
Women are sex symbols and sold every day by the title, “sex sells”. Most women are the “most” oppressed. For example, in Transformers uses Megan Fox as a sex symbol, running in slow motion, bending over a motorcycle. We cannot hide from the media. The media and ad’s portray women in so many different lights. It is kind of sad but recently the television has changed the kid friendly “Dora the Explorer’s” body to be more feminine, with curves and more sexual face. It’s sad how even kids are now being taught how women are “supposed to look”. There are no “ideal” women.
This subject made me go back to my Women’s Lives book from this summer, the subject on violence against women…. It is sad to read all of the statistics in Violence against Women in Women’s Lives. Like on page 254 that “76 percent of women who reported that they had been raped or physically assaulted since the age of 18 said that their partner or date committed the assault.” It also says that between 1992 and 2000 63% of rapes and 65% of attempted rapes were not reported to the police. . On pages 192-195 of Fighting Back it tells us what rape is and why women are often blamed for being raped. “Were you at a bar, where you drinking, were you being a flirt, were you wearing a short skirt?” I can tell you that almost every college girl will go to a bar at least once, flirt with a boy, have a drink, and even wear a cute skirt. This does not give the guy the right to rape me, I am not screaming “hey, come rape me and take away all my dignity and pureness and who I am.” On page 187 of Fight like a Girl, “the person who hurts us is the person who is supposed to love us.” Abuse to women is not just physical, it’s mental. Like it says how men look at Playboy and Hooters?! Are we supposed to live up to that? I know my boobs aren’t that big and I’m not that beautiful or have the opportunity to be half naked bending over Corvettes. Please!! It makes me sick thinking that 50-70% of women will experience sexual harassment at a job. What is wrong with this world? Like it said, violence is real and yes, it is often used for entertainment, but it is not something that should be looked at lightly. Please understand that every woman is better than being raped, put down, and beaten. Stand up for yourself and be proud to be a woman.
In Born into Brothels, it was sad seeing how the children knew what was going on around them, yet they thought they could not do anything to help. The girls grew up thinking that in the future they one day would be in this situation. Most of these women were forced into prostitution at an early age by men. These women and children live in awful situations and conditions. The director made this to show the children that there is a better life out there and not just the sad life they have grown up in, in hope they do bigger and better things and hopefully get an education. Yet when the children got accept into school the parents either didn’t let them go or made them withdraw?! Why would anyone want their child to go through what they did? It’s sad because brothels are all over the world today and many children live through this. Watching this made me really realize how good we have it over in America, yet I’m sure things like this happen everyday here also. Through the photography, we are able to see how the children feel and it’s of shame, pain, sorrow, regret, loss of hope and extreme poverty.
Women are sex symbols and sold every day by the title, “sex sells”. Most women are the “most” oppressed. For example, in Transformers uses Megan Fox as a sex symbol, running in slow motion, bending over a motorcycle. We cannot hide from the media. The media and ad’s portray women in so many different lights. It is kind of sad but recently the television has changed the kid friendly “Dora the Explorer’s” body to be more feminine, with curves and more sexual face. It’s sad how even kids are now being taught how women are “supposed to look”. There are no “ideal” women.
This subject made me go back to my Women’s Lives book from this summer, the subject on violence against women…. It is sad to read all of the statistics in Violence against Women in Women’s Lives. Like on page 254 that “76 percent of women who reported that they had been raped or physically assaulted since the age of 18 said that their partner or date committed the assault.” It also says that between 1992 and 2000 63% of rapes and 65% of attempted rapes were not reported to the police. . On pages 192-195 of Fighting Back it tells us what rape is and why women are often blamed for being raped. “Were you at a bar, where you drinking, were you being a flirt, were you wearing a short skirt?” I can tell you that almost every college girl will go to a bar at least once, flirt with a boy, have a drink, and even wear a cute skirt. This does not give the guy the right to rape me, I am not screaming “hey, come rape me and take away all my dignity and pureness and who I am.” On page 187 of Fight like a Girl, “the person who hurts us is the person who is supposed to love us.” Abuse to women is not just physical, it’s mental. Like it says how men look at Playboy and Hooters?! Are we supposed to live up to that? I know my boobs aren’t that big and I’m not that beautiful or have the opportunity to be half naked bending over Corvettes. Please!! It makes me sick thinking that 50-70% of women will experience sexual harassment at a job. What is wrong with this world? Like it said, violence is real and yes, it is often used for entertainment, but it is not something that should be looked at lightly. Please understand that every woman is better than being raped, put down, and beaten. Stand up for yourself and be proud to be a woman.
Comments
It's important to understand that these families live in an entirely different world. In their world all energy is thrown into survival, it's the first priority, rather than education or art. Survival means putting food on the table. To do that you have to work and work that is most accessible and lucrative for the uneducated child living in the Red Light district is prostitution, selling alcohol, etc. It's a vicious cycle.
I'm betting that the children that were removed from school by their parents are seen as economic stimulus for the family. The children had been exposed to a different world, a world where opportunity and success were tangible ideas. But their parents never knew that world. They couldn't see beyond what is in front of them. You can only start changing that mindset through the newest generations, as is seen in "Born into Brothels." Perhaps the children of those children will be allowed to flee from the cycle.
Yes! We are all ideal in being true to ourselves, and this is something that girls need to know! We don't have the same personalities, same voices, or same habits... so why should we all look the same? It makes so much sense, but girls and even grown women have the hardest time grasping. It is such an easy concept, but society and the media make it so hard.