Femininity

I've been thinking a lot lately about womanhood. About how, in 2009, women are still second-class citizens in much of the world. I'm not just talking about the third world, by the way. A militant feminist I am not, but pro-woman I am indeed, if by that we mean that women get paid the same amount for the same job, that they aren't shunted out of leadership roles and valued less than men. (is that being pro-woman? or is that just...normal? it feels like I'm saying I'm pro-yellow. Why would anyone have a reason to think that there's something wrong with yellow in the first place? Especially if yellow gave birth to all the other colors. But I digress.)

Madeleine Albright blasted Saudi Arabia for their treatment of women in the late 90s. A notable voice responded, saying :

"I am not sure whether a culture in which women are draped in burqas and are not allowed on the streets except for specific reasons respects human dignity less than a culture in which women are dressed in g-strings and paid to dance on tables"

Ziiiiiiiing.

Now, please understand my point and the point of the speaker. This is no suggestion that Saudi is any great protector of women's rights. The idea is simply one as old as time itself: Before you obsess over that splinter in your friend's eye, make sure that you don't have 10 splinters in your own.