phantompharoah

FEMALE EMANCIPATION

 There has been a great improvement in some areas towards a more equal treatment of women.

In many societies though the subjugation and exploitation of women is still very much ingrained. Even where advances have been made you don’t have to look too far to find that ingrained attitudes still lurk beneath the surface.

Despite our so called advanced intelligence as human beings; a large proportion of our innate behaviour patterns are still firmly locked in the animal kingdom. Here the sexual roles and hierarchies are clearly defined. Survival and perpetuation of the species is pretty much all there is to life.

Herd animals always have a pecking order. Each gender having its own. The power plays within these can be pretty brutal; but they do not impact on the opposite sex. Stripped to its most basic level this sums up human life as well. The difference is that our increased intelligence enables us to identify and exploit situations for personal advantage.

 The biological fact that males are physically stronger than females has enabled them to use this as a means for domination and control of female behaviour. Masculine insecurity usually lies at the bottom of these sort of actions. If they are unable to compete successfully in the male pecking order; interfering with female behaviour allows them to regain a sense of power in their own minds.

The unpleasant reality is that people of both genders will pick on others they perceive as being weaker when they are either frustrated in their ambitions, or feel threatened in any particular way.This is purely an attempt to boost their own self image or ego. People will also rarely own or accept their faults or weaknesses’s as something they have to change themselves. Finding a scapegoat to take the blame is the common course of action.

 The treatment and exploitation of women is just one form of a very wide spread mind set that needs to change. Difference of beliefs,lifestyle,or race, are seen as a threat by many people. This is what is at the bottom of every single conflict. Instead of being able to celebrate diversity, and learn from it, the reaction is generally to try and suppress, or wipe it out. Everyone is so attached to their own world view they are unprepared to simply allow differences to co-exist.

The fact that women are the glue that holds the fabric of society together is seldom recognised or acknowledged. They are also societies teachers; providing crucial early learning for both sexes. Societies where educating women is not considered of any importance are condemning themselves to stagnation. Without the strengths of both genders being equally celebrated, and valued, a balanced society can never be achieved. Sexual role stereotyping is not a solution. Learning and accepting who you actually are is.

 It is only by gaining this sort of self awareness that all forms of bigotry, and discrimination, can be overcome. A person who is truly self aware places no importance on what another persons gender,race, or belief system might be. They are able to accept difference for what it is and simply let it be. Every human on this planet has the same hopes,dreams,and needs. No one is more valuable than any one else. We all have our role to play no matter what level we are capable of operating on. Any form of discrimination is an indictment against the person doing the discriminating.

Devaluing a persons role robs them of the possibility of achieving their true potential. It takes away their sense of self worth,and dignity.

 Strength should be used to support; not suppress.

 These paintings were done in 1981 as a comment on a woman’s right to be themselves and not be forced to live or act in a particular way simply because some male couldn’t handle it.

 Have you experienced discrimination within your culture or society, and how do you feel about, or deal with, it?

If you have experiences or issues along these lines that you would like to share, or discuss, with others please feel free to submit any articles.

You can send articles to

phantompharoah(at)gmail(dot)com

These could be about discrimination in any form; not just gender based and can be published anonymously or with an avatar if you wish.