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.

I AM ME

 Sexual stereotyping can be a confusing issue for many people. It is not only a question of hetero or homo sexual tendencies.

The expected gender behavior patterns are deeply entrenched in most societies. Acting in a manner outside of these patterns leads to distrust or ridicule.

Even heterosexual people have a combination of gender attributes to some degree. Those of the opposite sex are expected to be suppressed, so as not to upset the accepted rules.

For males not interested in portraying any sort of macho image this can create problems.

No matter what your gender or sexual orientation; the bottom line is you are a human being. Everyone of us has the same basic needs. We all want to be loved, and accepted for who we are. We need shelter, and sufficient security to find our own unique role in life. Each of us is of equal value; no matter what our circumstances, or where we stand in the social pecking order. 

 In 1985 when this was painted society was going through one of its periodic witch hunts.

In this case it was a time when males were getting blamed for every ill that was in society. Male chauvinism was the buzz word, and it seemed that every one of us was on the verge of domestic violence and child molestation. It was never considered that women also held a degree of responsibility for the general social breakdown that was occurring.

The unequal treatment and devaluing of a womens role in society was an issue that definitely needed to be addressed.  The earlier Womens Lib movement had at least bought some of the issues in to focus.

As is usual when a part of society starts to get its legitimate rights back, the pendulum swings too far the opposite way. Instead of reaching an equal importance compromise; it turned in to a different and better attitude.

I don’t dispute that there are male predators. Males do also carry out most acts of domestic violence. This however is still only half the story.

There are also female predators. Their actions and the damage they cause is usually more in the emotional or psychological area. The results of this can be as equally devastating as actual physical abuse. They don’t get the same press though.

I suspect this is because most males would refuse to admit any sort of weakness in these areas.

What this witch hunt mentality did was to increase the feeling of alienation within society at large. The equally important roles of the sexes was being ignored; creating a society where nobody was sure what role they could play, without having some sort of disapproving label stuck on them. This applied to both sexes.

Being female meant if you wanted to be a home maker, and focus on raising your kids, you were denying your potential; and being a drudge, or male slave.

 Being male meant you could no longer safely help an unknown child in distress; no matter how innocent the situation.Showing affection to a child,especially a young girl,was highly suspicious behaviour. 

It therefore became very rare for a child to experience kindness and support from any male not within a very limited family circle. As the adult male population had to ignore situations where they may have been able to give assistance, the general state of distrust within the community just increased. Children never learned that it was possible to ask and receive help from both sexes if they were careful.

My Tale

 Personal insecurities had meant my relationships had not been very successful, and I had allowed myself to be very battered emotionally by them.

 Never having considered a woman to be of less importance; and having an abhorrence of violence in any form;to find myself being suspected of both, and unable to work out what  male role I was expected to play; I simply gave up on  sexual politics.  

Not wanting to engage in the battle of the sexes; I  basically decided to try and become asexual, or androgynous.  This state does become natural after prolonged spiritual practice; at the time I took this attitude though, it was really avoidance; and a way of protecting myself from further emotionally bruising.

Instead of learning to get stronger emotionally; I buried myself in my artwork, with the intensity of a workaholic. Although it enabled me to focus totally on my artwork, it prevented me from dealing with a lot of the emotional problems I had. It wasn’t until I started doing Meditation that I began to overcome these.
After nearly 20 years I feel I have got rid of the majority of the emotional garbage I built up. I am now comfortable with a state of semi androgyny. The continuation or not of this situation is no longer an issue.

  Has your sexual identity or orientation caused you problems?

Want to share your story?

If you wish to contribute to this site please email me 

 phantompharoah(at)gmail(dot)com