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    Bhasin Khan Feminism PDF

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    Ty OF THE PHIL 5 Some Questions on ee Feminism and ~ its Relevance in South Asia KAMLA BHASIN, 746" NIGHAT SMD KHAN Wf, A _— “ne Ae Me —- New Dei110017 (© Kal Mia & Nt Sid Kho, 185 SSS ees Pre plied 1586 Copies ofthis haklet can be obiained from Pcie and Asian Women's Forum 25 Kiewit Roa olombo-s sistorciy Wome’ Resoures Centre Flat 4, fst Flo, Shera Plz han of our society" The speaker goes on inthis vein on the theme of women's oppression. A pause—and ther a strong stie- tment, Bat. am nota feminist!" The speaker could bea wore ‘rime minister, professional o¢ artista stoeg women Who, Vey pestiy, ave Cought allthis lives to succeed in & man's word Whe are amaacd to hea, “But [am not a feminist” coming from thom, and wait for them to expaia what they mean by “feminist Invariably, no such explanation is given, The categorical way ia ‘wtih they say "am aot feinist” does aot simply ean that fey Wrenot omit the implication is that is nt good tobe one and for centuries; women have been the__ Rae sake ke —————————____—__——-1 Gulbe aur arenes mesa or P.O, Box 3328, Gulberg-2, Lahore ‘Hearing such statements we cannot help wondering why ari Poko fe eons som ing tat many peopl ake us. Rau 9A. House SI, Dhanmondi ‘recur ony conte that they havent pe emi an Dhaka wens ane anhibed tne comer fab propaga reeset Stale SNe emis and fomiis The medrfr exaple,wheh is ea Wom a seine Seg eterty men, hasbeen respon for we eee a epson. fia abba, A Kali for Wosnen I-84 Panchsils Park ‘New Delhi 110017 itd Tapas Pres (CBT, Nees House, New Det 1002 Teting” "tamu. desteoying” women. This propagandais reinforced by oer fores and groups tha see the emancipation and liberation ‘Stwomen aya threat, with the result that Feri in our counties She stacked and dismissed as "middle cass, "westerized” and “rootles” women "the tac however, are tht feminists in South Asia have never tumt thir bess even symbolically. Large numbers are married, hve chldren and eun thei homes a wel or as badly as any other avon The question then is why feminists are subject to 0 much Muck and wy feminism is 3 often misunderstood, Ws believe that thus becane few people have bothered to try and understand wat {tactusly and what feminists ae ying to do, This booklet is an 1 tempt to respond to some of the more common questions and ‘dou rae about feminism i the hope that at least some of the risundersandings canbe lear (What is feminism then? ‘AL. Unlike many other “isms” femiaiim does not derive is theoreti ‘Si or conceptual base from any singe theoretical formulation, Thee [Bthesfore ao spec astact definition of feminism applicable to wom aa umes The definition ths can and does change be~ owe feminin sbased on historically andr concrete reais Ca eer on ine Ta sat hice ae ee mamayeinteresss retin he 1980 _ Mas bo be arlene ts. the wold fist used) and that it means something qui {hd win country. dlereny by difereat wom depen 0 ‘hoe dss around ee ot ean, consiosnet Even ‘tate amar inde f women hee ae dierent cures and ‘ahha item ning. prt with ard othe reasons (cots torial roo) fr pater ed mae domiation and to $ | _{he neu of womens stuglefora noespiaie sxe) fea csycast race and gener Was, Noernels brood defi fiona omaion ies ta hich was cept y moma Fo \ clade ad Nepal, Pakistan and Lanka ina recent South ‘um morksop) i ean avatenst of womes's oppresion and. p 7 Grploisonin sci, work snd wii he aly, and cones Selon by women and meet change us tution.” “Reding ths defniton anyone who recognises the erence of seh (dsecimantion on the bas of ender), mate domination Sh paratey and who tke some acon aginst tia Femi. / Fron this definition -isolear-that a mece-resogretinn of sesisen is A areata ob copied Say» cles Tite donteton Boston can ae any form, For instances ‘Toman’ deion not be Bunlated to educate bese ad Junoe a ear, oF be real to Be eticted by pura, or het {cuon notte have chr ate, as fount actions a elvan 8 thomont oreatibed struggles. nother word youdom Chavet belong {ot group to bea femins, although inorder to do anything ef: tel iceuch tert be pt of oe The man difeene Between eather fiat and present-day ones stat eal he srgge wa forthe democratic right of included the ight to education and employment the right {own property; the right to vote; the eight to ener parliament the right to birth contol; the Hit 10 divore, ee. In other words, ler femlastsFoupht for legal reform, for legally gual postion in society; the strugles were, extentaly, outside the home and the family, Today, feminists have gone bevond mere legal reforms to fend discrimination: they are Working towards the emancipation ff women, Fomiism therefore now includes the srugle agains subordination o tke male Within the home; my the analy; paint sheir continuing low status st work, in society and in the cultse and religion of the cous; ‘usiat their double burden in production and reproduction. In ‘dition, feminism challenges the very notions of femininity and ‘masculinity as mutually exclusive, biologically determined categories. “Thus feminate see that women have to A0¢ only Bght against ‘Sisrimination but aso for emancipation and liberation frm all forms of oppression by the stat, by society and by men. Since ‘women are visi of exploitation (eg unestal pay, fom wages); Subordination (eg under male domination); oppresion (8. violence against wom), we ae ina poston to tnderand the rolems cing other wore, ad know tat we hav ona ‘rugge to change ou situation and society itsel. Tn ts essence then, present-day femiaism is stugle for te achicvament of women's equality, dignity and freedom of choice © ‘ontol a fves and bodies witha and outside the home. Here we would ike to sy that itis ot enough to simlyasefor @ ‘woman's eauaity vis-a-vis the men inher commaniy, For example, ‘doesnot take a pessant woman very far even if she becomes equal to a peasant man whois himself brutalized, exploited and oppresied by society. Feminists, therefore re not ony asking and fitting for the "equality" of women, but fora just and equitable society—for ‘women and men both feminism a western notion ant therefore quite lerlvane i ‘—Sauthsia?__ AL This question seldom rained at a question. Invariably itis posed asa allegation, an attck, or vena ec, and as such feminists fre "aaturally”to be condemned aw not taken seriously. What i interesting that this allegation is mae most forcefully by those men (and some women) who ae themselves very western, who have 3 jagalas thos Stes arose in Asi won somciousoess-developed- about fn 1855 wrote Book (One La Croted Over the Other) supporting ‘bmn to English medium schools and colleges, and who themseves| speak English, wens western clothes and soon. Such allegations are owsvernever made about modem since or "modernsation”—all 2 rest of westeristion “These sme people 40 not question the foreign origins of the parlamentary or presenti spams for istace; of the develop- front of capitis of private ownership of lad and absent and riism; of of the weology of the Left Granted thatthe tm snas not born in South Asia: but then neither were the industrial voltion, Marsism, socialism. oF for that mater, eve ‘oe four South Aan elon Ease wt ot orn Labre NorranCatuts or tenn Dla ye ier necen ngs ae eat das ec ees Nor dal ay eco Melita ovum encouobeconeditn eat ecemte tt se sys wh emi my be ig, eet A canis a moe proces 3 pa Sou Asis ty [th seniuny at an oreansed and articulated stand ziiast women’s subordination, Thus feminism was not arifally imposed here, nor was ia foreign Weology Feminism and feminist, lemocrate rights andthe injustice of depeving half the population fof its basic rights ln fat, feminist consciousness arose in ABia Sring certain historic psiodsofkeightened posal concious, apelin the (9th and cary 20th conte, during struggles Syuinst forcign rule anc against the local despotism of fendal ‘monarchs. The voices against women’s subordination during this period took te form of a demand for the possibility of widow Fematiage, for a ban on polygamy, the practices of sat and of pueda and demands forthe education sed legal emancipation of (.) Were there dete a Ait aba women’s pon in scety \ reo coo? TK. Yes, he “debits” on women isan old one. For example, the {suc of wiciee wom cou join the ort and Become nun Wa8 dated by the Buddha and Bis followers is the 62h cent Tce has hen continuing debate on women's gt 1 Im many counts of Aaa Inte (SU centr a Chee scholar, Chen Hang Mou wste on woes eduction, before the fam003 4 which started 10 "Mary Wollstonscraft id. He eid: “Thee is noone in the world who ie not eacables and there is no-one whom we can afford not to educate; why be neglectful only in regard to girls? Just afer leaving inaney, they are raised and proteced deep inthe women’s (quarters, They are not ike the boys who go out to follow an ouside Teacher, who benefit from the encouragement of teachers and Friends. wisn girl grow olde, they are taught © embed, to prepare their dowries and tht ial Je consciousness: Hane men bee supporting women's su ‘AL Yes. Many of the ealiet agitators for wom’ emancipation Inthe East were men. Im China, for example, Kang Yu-Wei attacked footbinding and women's subordination: “I now have a task: to ry out the natural grievances ofthe incalculable number of women of he past T now have one great desire: to save eight bundred Ilion women of my own tine from drowning ia the sea of falfering. now have a gta! longing: 10 being the incalealable, inconceivable qumbers of women of the future the happiness of| ‘quality and of independence” In Exypt Ahmed Fares BI Shidyak ‘women's emancipation, and Kasim Amin, around the same time created a sensation with his book The New Woman. tn ran several tnaleintelecuals of the 1880s and 18905 took up th iste of ‘women's rights, opposing polygamy and the seclusion of women; ‘sle in India, (rom the time of Ram Mehun Roy who agitated ‘gaint st and Women’s enslavement, numerous socal and polieal ‘elormers have raised the issue, including famous names Uke ‘Vidyasagar, Ramakrishna, Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi, Nery, anc Syed Ahmed. ore there no women activists Ia Asia dung this period? ‘Yes, there were many, even inthe 19th entary. Some of the [essa know erly agitators on womensrighs were Pandta Ramabat (0856-1922) of India, who attacked Hindu religions orthodony and spoke ap for women’s freedom as eaty asthe 180s and who herself Jed an independent fe; Kari (18791908, a pioneer of women's NOTE: Section of aoe $ t2 1 fave bean trey eed fo a amphi “Fema iw Relant™ by Femi Sty Casi, sont cation and emancipation ia Indonesia, who df tradition to stat 8 airs school; Quest ul Ayn (1815-51) of ran, & Bai heretic who | sbandoned her family, gave up veiled seclusion, preached uaveled in publi, and die fighting on the batlfeld; ia Jin of China ((875:1907) who lft home to study in Tokyo and to vole hese ‘in revolutionary polities and women’s issues. Ju in was arrested for these ativitig and executed. It was she who sid, "The evoltion Will Rave to startin our homes, by achieving equal right for professions; we have momen doctors, coginers, Iyer proton Wt en he pen oe ed femiaim? ‘A. Although women are an active part of our workforce and some have even become economically independent, women in South Asia also have the lowest pid obs f they are paid ata thats Even of those atthe “top” very few are in decision-making and execute ‘oF managerial positions. Most working women tr “family helps” ‘or work inthe informal sector, earning very litle, Wome ate the —_Momien Sugea (rom the Mahavamss) and Gajaman Nona-are wo __.___ 8 be red andthe frst. to_be fired. As soon as factories are ‘So Lankan women who defled the stereotype of feminine pasty and pradery to give expression to their individuality as women, Sula fought King Parakrama Bahu 1 in defence of her kingdom, ‘while Gajaman Nota wrote poetry. some of which was considered by ren tobe too ribald fora womaa With the changes in our society the isues and forms of oppres- sion have changed and therefore the demands in 1980 wl Be slieent to thoss of 1880. What ie important is that the cause re ‘ning the sims and that these cRaAey pa oT-Re Tod ‘cua for and proves of emancipation. The waues which preset shay femins are raga South ASia a both indigenous and very wy, violence against women, rape, equll wags, discriminatory personal laws, the use of religion to oppress women, the negative portrayal of women in the meds, all of these ave eal issues. Many of them Rave also been raid by western feminists but this Git either makas them irelevant for us nor ‘roves that South Asian feminins are “followers” of western feminists 1f some forms of women's oppression ave universal then ‘he struggles mest and wil lo Be unter. sss rating fo seal ‘eedom, lebanese, rated by some western feminists have andy ever been raised by ws here” Un fact South Asian femiists Seldom adhere to (mst are not even ana of) western feminist itcology, nor do we get into theoretical debates and divide our ‘civ by forming alliances with specif ideological postions taken by western feminists In the face of these fics, how can we eall South Asia feminists westera or ielevant? Q Bu is this strate really eelevan today? Afterall, women aon lave many democrat rights~ education, employment franchise, te, And ft tte that we have had womea prime misses and strong, women political teers? We have women it many mechanised and modernised women are replaced by machines a thrown out of ther jobs. The wort example ofthis i the txtle ‘industry in Tia ton where lage numbers of wom workers Bre ‘been retreached. In some cases thee has definitly been en improve: meat inthe satus of women. In Sri Lanka, statistics about female ie expectancy, literacy ee are quit impressive. But oa the whols, {in all our countaes, women are bend mea in every sphere. The figures with regant to women's patcipation in polities ate i fat appalling, inspite of the fact that two of our countries have had ‘women prime ministers, For despitell Us, no South Asian ountry as had more than ahandfl of women members of paliament: tegen: Te pees of afew won i inporant public Pesitions in no way proves thatthe overall satus of Wom I our ‘countries is satisfactory, Surely recent policies have resulted inthe liberation of women? ‘They have brought women out ofthe home and at the workforce ‘and hare made them economically independent. ‘A. While some women have indeed benefited from these change, theie umber is smal, and needs tobe increased. We are Jor more ‘women coming out ofthe home and into the workforce if hey want ‘and need to work. But atthe same time we are apc! policies which Silow and perpetuate the exploitation of women’s labour-i.e the payment of low wages, the preralence of unhealthy working cond Hons, overwork, arbitrary hirag and fring, denial of freedom of association, sexual exploitation, ete. Bu itneeds to beaded here that economic independence, although very important for women's emancipation. isnoteaough. Even economically independent women ar subordinate to their men and families and face crimination at 1 home. The ight for economic independence thus, ony one aspect et womea’s ruagle _ (But surety ifwe wan to develop, we hav to tolerate these forms of exploitation for same time. Once me have developed, the negative features wll disappear A. There is really no guarantce that the negative f ' = that the negative features wil isaopear with evelopment, In fat past expsrences indicate thas in ‘ost cass this docs no: acetal happen, The minel of da Ate follow n.our countess based-on the eapitait mode o> Drodcton and historically, eaptaletdolopmant har weed Ad intend gender pee fle wel tee aetna ‘omen Foret a Europe he hom adeaton oe ee of production (fod, clothe soa, can, se) and eee alae ioran in hi practon we nal ane seenas sad animal rearing Wik the Indust! erotion noe foe of women change. On the one hand poo won oee fend {0 nok ctor ad mins (tcp abou) sad alae tent terion of worker. wile ow the ata eee ae Bourse ner ent in th home as hoses aad oe uid te reprodustion, thts to producing his -Distenting- inde} -peient Bourgcis women who refused to conform were raced {nd penalised. With this the ideology of the explitation of poot ‘women and the setuson of rich women was perpetuated. Ofven the ‘ature of development in out countries, thee same toatencna aleudy exist here and ae likely to contin . ata wat elvan ar develope ‘rome South A. Eumpean imperil dirs tnked te the European api ‘yom hoe un at ae cloned sn Bog et lor changes in thm. Ths changes wor ot oly palate dinate but ao fundamental to etsing cone a Systems, a hat they fundamental seed ve ote ese Beanie Women were sual affcnd by all hoe change polices al racist nonaats mdse posses fro ‘08 won than what it we to be. For tampa, reco focitin women worked primary 1588 primacy in ond production Under colons hugh they contin io produce Ta the cee Sroupe stout in apc, nary art real nee sei 18th century Europe to 5 | casherops, drove womea to work on tea, cfs, rubber and other plantations, and also to work in factories and mines ‘Asin Europe, in South Asia also women ofthe bourgeois were kept inthe home but were given some education and a few basic right. But inspite of these, basic laws were patearchal wit the maa 5 the undisputed head ofthe family. ‘Thus with the growth and development of capitalism both in Europe and inthe colonies, patriarchal structures nerstreagthened __ Won. ost their earlier rights in household production and were ‘exploited inthe eld and ferry, of confined tothe home. In all phores the cultre of capitalism iiiated in the 1th cen tury by colonialiss reinforeed and established patriarchy snd patriarchal socio-econoaic values more firmly. Unfortunately for ‘our countries, ou inks with our former colonial maser continus to this day. Not just our economic system but ous polite, legal and ‘educational sjstems to ae stil bated on Bish ones, Q. Can you bret explain the word patriarchy bocatse ane hears i souten, AL The word itself means the rle of the father oF the patch, )Treters toa socal system where the father contol all members of the family, all property and ott economic resources and makes all tajor decisions. Linked to this soil system isthe belie ofthe | ‘ology that man is superior to woman, that women are and shold ‘econtoled by men, and are part ofa man’s property. This thiaking fonms the basis of many of ou religious laws and practices, and explains al those soeal practices which coaie womea tothe home, and contol ther lives. Our double standard of morality and our laws wich pve more rights to men than to women ae also based ‘on patriarchy Now when one uses the word patriarchy, it refers tothe system that oppresies and subordinates women in bat the private and the public sphere Qo the ral reason for inequality in the workplace the fat that omen are less produtive that mea Becatne they ae more in ‘ermed ith Rome ie? | ‘A. Capitalism uses this argument based on he view that 2 man 38 head of the household i paid “Family wage". 4 wage that covers subsistence for himself, his wife and his chien, According j 9 ‘to this view, women engage in productive work ae merely supple ‘menting the family income and can therefor be pad les than oes ren for work of equal vale. The relity is somewhat diferent Suiits have reveled that in many countries as many a8 25 rer ent 40 pet cet ofa amis ether lve primarily onthe earnings of women or are single-parent households headed by woonn, Ment ‘ofthese women ive in poverty or hold poorly paid jobs, and ase scrmunated agsnst inthe workpce hy capils!patarhy's Assumptions, zefeed io above, —— Tt also teu that in addition to workin the factory, eld or plantation, women have to spend maay hoursattendag to household shores—eooking, cleaning. washing, fetching water and Brewood, shild care, and soon. Women thersfore experincs the double don double burden, double shift. et That is they beat the burden of ‘aid work” (sa part ofthe workforce) and "unpadwork nthe ome). This double burden also makes idl for women to get better jobs, to get trned and to move up the profesional ladder Q. Despite ll his, surly with modersisation momen will be given thei de pac ia scity—thee domestic chores wl ins and. they wil 0 ut and Become eomomically independent ‘A. Evidence as shown tht the male biases inrent in the concep: tion and implementation of modernisation programmes his mathe nalised women and bis infact, in sme cases. removed them fre the workforce. For example ia both Punjabs (India aa Pakistan) te green revolution with increased mectinsation has depeived ‘women of many of thir traditional agricultural jobs, and nce technical shill are impacted primailyo solely to men, women forced into unemployment. Further, the increasing wets seneated by such enterprises has made it possible for wealthy peasant amen €9 confine the women of thet files to ther hoses a5 status symbol 4 Sri Lanka the Mabavel scheme has rested in certain clay Problems, wih very itt land being allotted to independent women farmers. Consequently, these women are deprived of crit ang andso on, They are thus forced into low-paid, unsiled jobs ox back imo the home, thereby being deprived of any opportunites for ssonomie independence. Similar tends exist tn Bangladesh aod Nepal. Therelor theres ide hope thi the present kind of deveons ‘ment and moderation will improve th ral sats and condition ofall women in our counties. This is what makes it nosey for ‘ feminists to point out where development is running against women, and demand beter policies and programmes. Would you call a woman who decides to be jast a housewife feminist? ‘A. Fitst ofall, we wouldn't say “just” a housewife, knowing what and how much a housewife does, Feminists do nat ble o lok own upon housewives or housework. In fact one of our mayor Steugses sto have housework recognised and valued so that women who do tare recognised valued and respected, Ihousework ft the respect. the recogiton andthe value tht ave its due, mes would ot only start ackaowledging it but might ls stat doing. ‘A woman who chooses tobe w housewife and fees he individual- ‘gy and talent are fully uulised by it can stl be a Feminist Beng 2 feminist doesnot necessarily mean workiag outside te heme, Alt ‘cans is having a real choice based on equal opportunita. The élement of choice, of women's own will, what important. Out fesing though is, that i women coud realy choose nto be Fall lime housewives we would no find so many doing this work ‘But this choise must-be-gentine- The decision should not be made because of conditioning. or because of indieet or dicot resure from others or because there ae no other options salable Atthe moment, however, itis vey iu to determine which is “conditioned” decision and which a free one. Because of our ip bringing and our condoning, our aspirations have been limited and stud, and this conditioning is someties 0 wall ntemalsed that itis itcult to say what a fee choie actually is Having sid this ‘we woul keto reiterate that a feminist can choose to bes fll tiny howsewit,if that is what satisos he, provided she ean retain her independence and her individuality and provided her pactae does ‘ot wield power over her because she snot earing, There meat be quality and mutual respect within the home, Femisism snot about presenbing what women should or should not do: feminists are fighting fora society where a woman bas the freedom to choos, where se i not forced tobe a housewife, where she isnot pushed into typically “eminine” oles and low paid “Terni” jos, ad hee she seated with respect We eject male-female polarity and malefemale stereotypes. Every girl should have the icedom and ‘portunity to do and be what she wants to do and is capable of doing. Because she is born a gil dolls and pots and pans shouldn't u raturlly be hor only toys: nor should she be shoved into dresses ‘which dow allow her libs to move, oF be confined to the four trl of a home, or be pushed into kome-cence courses, of Be Forsed tobe subdued and submisive Bacau she has to adjust to hat husband's family, ete The consort of feminists areas simple and reasonable a8 this However feminist conser are aot only the few narrowly dened women's” fue lke rape, wifseating,contaception and equal wages Magy-of us teiove that everthing in the world.concers.__}_teating erm. like. chaicemu, sportsman, mediaoman. etc. Now Women boctue everything affects us, Since fomiists seck the emoval ofall forms of inequality, domination and oppresion| through the creation of just social and economic oder, national and iteretioaly al sues are women’ issues Thee sand has fo be women's point of view onal sues and feminists sck to fnceprate the feminist perspective ia all spheres of personal and ‘ational lie. Women must thetefore ake & postion on everything ‘vote i nuclear waar, war between tw9 countries. ethnic and Communal cont, pois, economic and development pois, Inuman rights and coal betes or enviconseatal issues. In ft ‘spite tte imited human and other eesoures women's organise tions ace already saved ia many ofthe above. In Sei Lanka, or instance, women are actively ashing for @poldical solution to the ‘nie problem: in Pakistan women Aave coasitenly and daringly ‘opposed arta, ant-women avs which hve been imposed on them, {in the name of Iam. By doing this Pakisani women have also ‘opposed the Maral Law cepime aad Islamic fundamentalism. In Tha, women have been actively involied witha range of isues Including envionment and eommural violence Women’s groups in ‘South Ana have also prepared eriques of government development plans and policies fom a feminist perspective. and have ben in ‘ole in ofr areas of mation ie Qt done feminists get unnecessarily worked up about litle things” For example, docs it matter if 2 woman is called = ‘“Ghirman”? Surely we cm change everything? [AL Although the langage se has aever been a major one in the ‘Scns that one o ur larger campaign have Been a.ound it, we do find imporeant to challenge, to try and change its usage, since it *ideoloesal, altar and ator implications. Language, word, are important sad we hav to fecoais tha our languages are seis | | { } UNIVERS (Ty OF THE PHILIPPINE? ‘Hat they convey male superiority, and that they enchde and belittle ‘women, Since language, like religion and ideology, tends to per petuats & male Bias and a mule point of view, why ten should we accept something which discriminates insults or doesnot resognse ‘ur existence and ovr actual roles society? Faclicr, when women had not entero now area of work (when ‘ete were no women chairing, sporting, reporting, when there were fp women scientists, o tealogiars), language rect a reality By certain aspects of langoage are outdated because soil realities bare changed: since women are increasingly found in these aeas of actiy, there is no reason why thee should not be words lke slairperson. sportsperson, one-woman show ot, and that the ‘hied person no always be he, Rimself and his. Toes not ake auch effort to do lingual justice to women; ait equie is conscious ‘fc for it to become part of our vocabulary. . Dost feminists destroy peaceful homes? ‘A. Well yeu many feminist ayactaly deo homes (e wil eat ae with he pace a,b thy do tin the as way ras destroys ens commy wien thy ef fo ake (carry) shit!! Or whea peasan's or workers disturb the harmony of a village or 2 factory when they stand upto 8 landlond oe an inde ts feral om pason'spas maybe aster pons power, Can a woman who tate cing fer mera Mee aig and te mins epee of domes wok he tna chldhing be cael one beaker? Woda e's sonia who rsctsbeng jaa stow ohhh ho res {bec lerhstand's de, who fs tospend et oft fe teling He asband pure is carer orale anions 8 ttouemater? Ina woman vo ans to ne oo ea ho tas her ova deat snd ambi, doen bean ia submis sci sleingwiekngahone ot ite an who lotta he apse bts ay th ae desioye™ Feminists (meaning Nomen ho Want pect and isi) do dar hooes but nt "penel” hems, Bese the escthincs” of mot homes baie, bind We he “ta van w te wt ty tet a and etn dr ‘ey he ane of trot pt fee sa aon he b \erst demolished fetings, individuals, emotions and dreams of aum- terless women, As long as women do not abject such injustice, Uhre is peace. As ong as womea don’ ask mea o share housework, to take turns to wake up at night to attend to howling children, there is pene. When women start aking for equity and Justice the trouble sats. Whea women sart resenting the pain, the nse and the fasiation, and when they start expressing tis, the “peace” i disturbed and you Ber remarks like, “Afra whole day's work do ‘coms Home to face sh unpleasantness?” Let us take a closer lok at our peacefl homes. Ther is ample idence to som that there are cont, tesion and violence within families tn milion of Roms of ll stata, wives are beaten, hue lated and pressurised, fn millions of homes the very birth of ils ‘bag omen, Female infinticde has Been wit us for centuries. Now, sith the hep of snc, Indias have aso resorted to female foe ‘us. Further rscurch shows that fomale babies are breastfed for shorter periods, given fs fod and less medical attention compared to male babi. Ts this “peaceful” for women and sit "peacful” when brides ar burnt for insuificient dowry, divorced at will, of But are feminists against motherhood? A. Feminists ace not agaiast women having children. But we 140 not consider motherhoed to be every womai’s destiny, nor do ‘we equite womanhood with motherhood, We believe that every woman should have th choice of whether or not to have elds. At present such a chee does not exis a many of our couatte, legally, socially 0° psychologically, and our struggle therefore i for women to obtain it = Further we fee! that although only a woman can bear a chile, any- concen bing remeron donc enh ving birth toa chil It means Joking afer, nurturing ans caring for another human being. It means helping smother person develop ~physialy, emotionally and mentally. Such mothering c8n be done by anyone, not necessarily onl bythe woman who has given birth, There ate many women who cannot bear childen but make evcillent mothers. On the other hand, there are those ‘wno bear numerous childeen ut ace unable to “mother”. The ability and capacity to mother isnot necessarily nasil tis nat biologically determined. Ie depends on wanting and Iesaing to yall mulated by reatives™ “Those who want to maintain such “peace” at all costs ar like [raimins who want fo preserve the east stracture and. ensue the ‘harmony of Indian vila, o lke lanlonds who want o Keep the system of bond labour infact. Tanti incredible that promesive People become champions of tradition only when it comes 19 ‘women? We donot blame peasaats and workers when they try and Change the system: yet women who refuse to be confined. dictated to, and misused are Blam for eesting disharmony. (st ater {he patriarchal social system which erases women and thee person ales that is responsible for eveating disharmony, for breaking up fames? ‘While most feminists are aot against the home and the family wwe do take the postin tat the only way to save both sto change the nature of female-male relationships within them. Peace and hemony can no longer be maintained at the cost of women, We ‘not alk of democracy outside the family and yet allow male Aicttorsip inside Infact Ne belive that rel democracies and ‘eralitarian society can ony be established if we practice demo ray, equality and mutual respect within the fly. Real pease in society can only be established i we experince peace at home “ ‘othe and this ean be done just as easly by a man. Men can be ‘mothers too and some men ac. Most women, however, se mother oo as ther desiny but isi du both to lack of aleratives and {0 a glorification of motherhood. Women are admiced for thei ably and desire to sacrifice, to suffer and ta live for others. Ths has been a prycologia! tap fer women. Such glrifcation i ike the sugarcoating on biter quinine, and women for generations have filen for this bit of sugar and accepted rol that ha con: fined, suffocated. and immobilized them. We wamen do not have special limbs o look after childen, nor do we have speci glands hich produce love and care! the world really considered motherhood, sacifce and living ‘and caring for others to be the most nble f activites {i that what you got Nobel prizes fr) men wold not have allowed women to monopolse them. For all hee peaise of ssh ality men ate averse to practising it themssles. In fact if sacrifcing, living fo others is noble and superir to all other activites, i brings ‘out the best ina human beng then, we fee, we women should not be sls! We should give men an equal opportunity for experienc ing mothering, sharing and caving Femiaists believe that children would grow up beter if they 1s 9 the best of bowk their parents, quite apart from the fact that TF mothering were shared by both parents it would not remain 2 burden only for women. Mothering would then (and only chen) become truly creative, joyous and Tun for everyone concernd, | In short, feminists are not agsiast mothering and motherhood— | ‘weorly want every woman to have the right (0 decide whether and Whoa she want to have children and we want to share motherhood with men, 2am ty en ts ‘ing ? Why is it always under attack? Why is it so oftea + find mepescted? Why dn nite 0 mach ost? ‘A. Tisnotatal suprising that people es heated by minim ‘They ae ute onetwhen thy sy, "Vou know we dont ind things like women’s welfare but this feminism is 4 problem.’ } Fominm malas people waconfotabe trea spas the ‘aly wc ens th snc ofthe Rome, which cones the mt Imac of ur rctonhps. whch qsston om etd bul ada nd Shavou pass swell oa acs ad Surtcigions, Anything ch dic a ths Rs be testing iat women gun patry, one we gueion mule get ioc and male domination, we seal ron ur own fathers, brother sans sos and end since hse S15 the men wo person pty for the mos pif Si immed way Te anf not ony for the em who ae Gtostoned but alo forthe women ho asthe questions. We Sion wonder wher what weave dong mig nether iis fell work i wheter we cn avai bong biter i we fe ad Toa! subs or Hatant sexism ll the tin a th Home, a nok {edi soriay, What do we do whin our hands got the mags it ou lator, or when tir work and poesons and ambitions fut pcedencs ove urs? What does ma nd do When et Solr gre nove tort ori alowed too to honor ven | procs on other matter? Wht happen oe daughter when | {fete no tare ofthe family proper Coa mother whom ber ‘ou impos his wll on ter bec ea man?” What do ne 0 won nea ile, idle and opps? Yet the slate Nav sjcton to such teste ven es, nd 6d far, rigty so oc any calleng nthe! to fe stats go. Sine finn clogs txety avery evel Ns eats call 6 tus satse quo of interpersonal and family rations, The sng Fes talnge i prsent for both mes and Wome, bat Pa fre to fc upto becaut the pin of maintaining the Tae jue is qreatee Women can only gain by the stage for Ta ulin to lose bu thi chains: Men ave alo toga jn this new society that feminists want to ereate but many are in ny antagoni, partly mile class wan nelle ae despte tht own cats oigin often alack feminists for Seip mide css and spars ; is phenomenon? ‘Aiough atone level it seems that feminism in South Asia Md tothe le cas thi not the full ptr, Tse ae the stuaion fo two rssons: Ses, he media on mentions wha esas er artala, They not ony struggle bu alo wre ean commute the ideas through dierent media ine nenonapun,mguines steet teats, soa and telson. ee Re SRSS: move about urban middie case women and txt arafidlod, we tend to thnk that working css women snd one chr dow fel oppeted o teat they 0 nothing jet nih Rho it This fr from being tue There are in tren thousands of women and. wees groupe i te working {lass who ore casing Noma’ Uses, in addition to ising Issues of elss, poverty, et. of members of SEWA ‘Anmolabaé, "Working Women's Forum, Marts, women's fanghans ergtaeed bY cROS, Hyderabad, NUERA KOR! BRAC and Snowe in Bangladesh, just to name a few, have been raising raaeetike alcoholism, wife-attering. equal wages, sexual ara BES cee Women inthe Chipko movement raised issues related (0 fhe environment and energy from a woman’s point of view. Even St ihe dda! eel ural women wage emit rages when they decide to attend literacy classes, of join women’s groupe wean ie wishes oftheir men or when they daze to stp the ais ut of thet husbands fom coming dawn on them, or raise public tara against sexual harassment by landlord, pty offiials ot alc sos ke urs ted of om ai _omaaTo become a Tesi you don Eaves kane ie wos itaon nr do fon ote fo be equpred wih eon AL that is needed is reogniion of piracy aad 6 Shee a wv gist ss Yl ap i im But edt instal dtinination an double stands SERS an eet takin cakage nae ames ES ee eee ee peep butane cee ey ey pie rp eps ge pepe ot ee aed ato ey tata po stom msec shar ser ae edo However as stated eile, middle elas educated women are tion Thus sna easy nor pests No ruler wiingy hes up Aes nde wt ES ena GCE son Tn porte ary terete wy of i a tail sess ef nb uu en Feats ami roms en mee cena a ne beree ori hei a a i pda eer. gar or aa oe eee Seleecetees ef ectsantn. oe ons tei a lee a ae re a ae class groups do (and have done) in all other movements for societal 4 Freedom for them: physieal freedom, as well as freedom of ex- ae ‘resin and of choice : heiress ep ‘Thora other fears as well that men have had about indepen dent aad competent women, They ae seas women wil compete with them for bs If you define women’s role essentially as that Sttowenies ten you can hr ham when tht abou rege Shae thes when convent and neces. the definition of nuns le changes and womens compete and tht P30 A. Feminists do or hate men but are sgsinst pacar, male ‘domination and the maleness ia mn (and in those women who might imbibe sinilar belaviour patterns) which is expressed a8 domination, selfishness, agaression, violence, et. Wo ure against men. who do no! assep women. tic Ul who treat women _ Wom oe Shes Sm No ation wll aot ‘as thei propery or otherwise view them only as commodities. Une be posible, People wll got jobs aeconding to tei competence and Itsy most men do dominate ad do fan sch ques ih fo bcase they ate malo femal hs i iiely ao some ‘them. This is true even of the most ardent “democratic” and - : " rset _" ate cease eee eee Pe een ae 1 ee Sea eae een eee ae a tee meena es ee ae la oa Sie me “) , ay coming vrais consumer (especially of nny ens su “nee ‘They are in fact as much victims of their own conscious ee a Zn sort, since feminism challenges the tau Uo, a nes and of conditioning and socisty ax woman ae, and s tapped Z In short, since feminism challenges the status quo ans. sxopases, in the images and roles that society has determined for them. Out Howser we belies that just as women ate not naturally more eee a oa Ca sess ec mn eae soa ee eS aa a nt Qf men's fberation is so connected fo women’s liberation and A, Feinss ete ema of al fms of ei A ae we sony wey ot ee iryereai is new order necessarily includes men. Of course in such a situa A. Men far feminism and ate against change that would also Thi » w + tion theyll definitly lose theie male authority, domination and ‘other advantages but they wil pain by iia other ways a sity self will gain. Fr instance i every child inthe family (and not just male chien is allowed and encouraged to grow and Rourish there would be more talent and ereitivity in the fly ani the| ration Families would also be more rvouretul, mofe eeonom cally viable and otherwise stronger i the women weee nt forced to remain dependent and heipless, nssding constant protection Men would hive fewer economic responsiiiies and presutes and more importanily would be able to expres thei own individual | {clinations In this new society. They could do work that i 20% | considered “feminine”, stay home if they so desired. A_ whole fange of Wie giving actives that they are now eteladed [rom would fll within thie reach: feminism would Uberate mon From ‘tho roles and images that socety demas of them, (Q. If yousay that mn wll aso gui bythe feminist movement then why do nomen generally organise themslses ily all-vemen soups? ‘A. The women's movement bulls, in the fist instance. om the |__assuenption that. there seein commonality of interest amon women. While the feminst movement proposes soviet tat wll be beneficial forall, itisnecesay that, corn sages ofa struggle and while working with otter movemen. women understand the mature of thei oppresion and pln strategies to change the sit fon, amoag themssives, The rational of th is no diferent from that unod in support of the autonomy of oter oppresed clase, We do for instance support the autonomy of pestnt an oF worker Stragaes: we support the autonomy of cass ethnie and national ‘movements, and So on, This distinction & even more valid forthe women’s movement Because the problem hete i far more complex find long term Its ulimae resolution requies not the tiumph of fone group over another (it this cae, fomale over male) hit a Peshiking and resiractaring of all aspects of ace. Other asses um achieve thee ams within patriarchy: they con Scene victor by overcoming oF eliminating their amagoniss: they car fad ‘common cause without internal clas, cite igus and eth diferences. But the women’s movement can do none of thse. It ‘must resnive and overcome cis and other dferences within lt. emt change the eens of sity it mus comers dhe antagonist. In this sense it isthe most dicult stugale of all and women ust “dentity for themselves the process that twill ake. In other words ‘separuie women’s organisations are a necessary and important stage in the srugle But they are oaly a stage. Slowly the move- reat will negate itself with movements for fundamental changes in Society and in the mode of functioning of exiting insiuions. ‘But even whle we have separate women's groups we welcome and valu the support of sympathetic man; we join the struggles of working las and. peasant-groups, of groups fighting or

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