The Views and Concerns That Women Face
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The views and concerns that women face all over the world are generally the same. Still today, women all over the world are fighting for equality. Whether we will ever achieve that has yet to be determined. The difference in the concerns that women around the world face is basically the severity of their equality. I feel as though, for the most part, issues that women of one country face, women of other countries have either faced already, or, in some way, they can understand and sympathize with what other women are dealing with.
When reading the article “Japanese Women in Transition” by Heichi Keiko, there were so many similarities in what these women face as to what American women face it was almost as if I were reading an article about American women; or women from any other country. When Keiko refers to the “Tokyo residential area where [she lives]” and describes how the “housewives clad in short, above-the-knee outfits get on their bikes, tennis rackets in baskets, and petal offÐ for the tennis courtsÐ…” I pictured suburban mothers loading up the tennis rackets in the back of their SUVs and driving off to the tennis courts. Keiko goes on to point out that “housewives commuting to tennis courtsÐ…are, after all, outnumbered by those commuting to work.” I sometimes believe
this to be true of American women as well. This article also discusses how “many women manage successfully to juggle work outside of the home with active participation in community affairs.” This is also an issue that American women face. Many women take care of the home, have jobs outside of the home and then still become involved with activities in the community such as, home and school association or sports with their children. Keiko talks about the husbands role in the home as well. The husbands work outside of the home, and then hand their paycheck over to their wives who, in turn, handle the bills. The husbands views this as “a fulfillment of obligation” and, in turn, expect their
wives to take care of the home, while they relax ” in which to garner strength for the coming days work”. Based on what I have read, the only difference that stuck out to me was when Keiko stated, “many women would in fact regard their husbands entrance in the kitchen as an unwelcome intrusion”. This is definitely not the case in America; women are more than happy to share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities with their husbands. In fact, American women would be nothing but pleased if their husband stepped into the kitchen.
After reading the “Statement of Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD)”, it was difficult to compare African womens concerns with those of American women. Except for the brief mention of genital mutilation, which is a far more serious concern than those in which the American women face, the author does not really discuss or go into detail about the womens concerns or issues they face. The author is very critical of both the Westerners as well as the African women. The authors demands on the African women seem a bit harsh to me.
“African women must stop being reserved and shake themselves out of their political lethargy. They must make themselves heard on all national and international problems, defining their priorities and their special role in the context of social and national demands.
On the question of such traditional practices as mutilation, African women must no longer equivocate or react only to Western interference. They must speak out in favour of the total eradication of all these practices, and they must lead information and education campaigns to this end within their own countries and on a continental level.”
Some things are easier said then done. The writer seems to have all of the answers, how about some solid ideas as to how the African women do this. We received no background information on these women. Do they have the courage, resources or even knowledge required to speak up for themselves? They are being mutilated, if they speak up and try to refuse, will they be killed for this? Women in a situation like the African women discussed in this article need help along with compassion and guidance, not someone barking out orders.
The excerpt from Madhu Kishwar, “Love and Marriage” greatly angered me. So much of the article was his “feelings” with no actual facts or studies to back them up. He seemed extremely judgmental and arrogant at times. There are obviously differences in marriages in Western life, where the people who are to marry chose their spouse on their own, and in areas like India, where most or all marriages are arranged. There are pros and cons to both I suppose. Kishwar failed to point out any positive aspects in choosing your own spouse; however, he did discuss both the good and the bad aspects of an arranged marriage. His examples as to why arranged marriages are better than “love marriages” are not substantial enough for me. He speaks of an experience his friend Giri Deshingar had while working as a pool typist in England.
“Like most Indian men he never wore a wedding ring. Mistaking him as an eligible bachelor, his female colleagues showered him with attention and competed with each other in wooing him. However, as soon as they got to know through a chance remark that he was already married, they dropped him like a hot brick. No more teas and coffees and other gestures of attention. Suddenly he became invisible for them. They would not hesitate to discuss their boyfriends and love affairs in his presence. He found them absolutely cynical in their calculation of who they were going to select as a target foe loving attention. The experience cured him of all naД”ve notions about love and romance.
This “story” from a friend holds no weight in my eyes. This is one incidence and only a small fraction of Western women. There is no way you can pass judgment on all Westerners idea of love and marriage based on secluded incidences like this one. Kishwar also speaks of the women involved in