March 8, 2004 I knew that February was the National Black History Month, but it came to my surprise that March is the National Women's History Month. Of course the residence hall in which I live had been plastered with so many ads promoting the Vagina Monologues that I didn't know the wall behind it consisted of more than sheets of white paper, and if I had actually attended all the seminars promoting women's empowerment (read: girl power!) I would have had to quit school. And, what really should have cued me in on the whole Women's History Month was the influx of articles in the Wildcat talking about women's issues; to understand the feelings of its readers regarding women and their genitals, the Arizona Daily Wildcat has even provided an wildly crude poll asking, "Does the word 'vagina' make you uncomfortable?"
|
But I, probably like so many of my fellow students at the UA, never realized that these were merely signs indicating something bigger, something greater than just girl power and body parts. It is National Women's History Month. Although this month does entail honoring the great women leaders of the past, it also involves attacking American culture. Feminists love to point out where American culture fails, shaking their fingers at the violence and misogyny that women go through in America because of the patriarchy. They point their finger at the white, heterosexual male claiming that it is his fault for the abuses perpetrated against women, since he has allowed it to happen both directly and indirectly. Their attacks range from respectable to plain ludicrous. You have women protesting football games, because violent and competitive sports foster homophobia, thus promoting violence against women and effeminate males. Even the language is violently anti-woman, or so claims the crazed feminist. Nevertheless, these well meaning (or maybe not so well meaning) women forget is that their own behavior has perpetuated violence against women, as well. Their actions truly constitute violence against women, by women. For instance, sexual "liberation" has exacted a cost from women of more than their virginity or femininity. It has taken away their respect in the eyes of men; it has made them more susceptible to violence. Sexual liberation has made women expect to be violated--to want to be abused--and feel that there is no problem with it. To bring up an over-addressed example, the Superbowl half-time show fully illustrates this desire for violence. Janet Jackson, while flirting with Justin Timberlake, was continually being smacked across her posterior, seemingly with her permission as indicated when she would slightly bend over for Timberlake to hit her. As a final act of violence, her cohort in crudity violently ripped away part of her outfit, in what was benignly called a "wardrobe malfunction." Though Jackson is not the object of young girls' adoration, Justin Timberlake sure is. The Superbowl was a family event, so no doubt there were many young girls watching the television enthralled and absorbing little movement and reaction that occurred on stage. No doubt, they were being taught that women desire such harsh sexual behaviors. During the last decade, the Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues have gained prominence in the women's empowerment movement. According to Vday.org, the goal of these series of plays was to "stop violence against women and girls." Yet, what it tries to stop, it promotes. One monologue features a sixteen-year-old girl who was plied with alcohol and seduced by a twenty-four-year-old woman; under any court of law, that classifies as rape. Why, then, is this rape considered to be empowering, but a rape of the same sort by a man would have been considered violent? And when has the ends ever justified the means? However, one of the most obvious forms of violence against women that has been supported by most "anti-violence" feminists is abortion. I do not want to debate the morality of abortion, but we all must concur that abortion carries many of the same major risks as any other surgery. In a woman's best interest, she ought to have all information available concerning the risks associated with abortion as well as other procedures available--like childbirth. However, Governor Napolitano of Arizona disagreed. |