Blog Against Sexism Day

Yesterday was Blog Against Sexism day and International Woman's Day. I didn't post anything because I was busy and also, I think my blog is mostly evidence of my views on sexism.

That's not a very powerful statement I know. If you want powerful, please go and read this post by American blogger Flea.

For now, let's take a bit of a global view on Women's Day.

Here's how they celebrated International Women's Day in Iran:

Tehran, Iran, Mar. 08 – Hundreds of women gathered Wednesday afternoon in Tehran’s Laleh Park and took part in a demonstration against the Iranian government on the occasion of International Women’s Day, according to eye-witnesses.

The security forces, which had been on alert to enforce a ban on all gatherings, quickly moved in and within minutes arrested several dozen women, an eye-witness told Iran Focus.

Several women were arrested while taking photographs or filming the demonstration.

The female protestors, who were joined by a number of men supporting their cause, continued to resist attempts by the security agents and the undercover security forces, according to the report.

Many carried placards reading “Women demand freedom and equality” and “End censorship”.

Bystanders came to the aid of the women, some of whom were badly beaten by the agents of the security forces

In Afghanistan, women are now guaranteed 30 percent of seats on buses to combat the fact that men in that country don't seem to think women are worth stopping the bus for, let alone actually having a seat.

By the end of the year at least 30 percent of seats on all public buses in Afghanistan will be reserved for women under a United Nations-backed programme launched in a country where drivers now speed past stops if only women are waiting while men refuse to give up seats for women, the UN said on Tuesday. "It is a historic moment in women's life in this country," said equal opportunities minister Massouda Jalal after signing a memorandum of understanding with deputy transport minister Mohammad Waezzadah and UN Development Fund for Women programme director Meryem Aslan.

This story also contains the understatement of the century:   "Under the Taliban regime ousted by the United States-led invasion in 2001, women suffered discrimination."

Discrimination eh? I suppose that's one way of looking at beatings, rapes, stonings, being forced to wear the burqa, and not being able to leave the house without the accompaniment of a man.

In China, despite the fact that female embryos are routinely aborted and female babies often abandoned, such as the esteem with which women are held in that country, a car maker has created a car specifically for women. Yes, that's right, it can be driven in high heels!  Yay for equality.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, everyone's favourite rape myths continue to be perpetrated in the case of a political leader charged with rape:

"If it really happened to her, I feel sorry for her, because she's ruined somebody else's life politically," said Lindiwe Tshabalala, 46, an office manager from Pimville, Soweto. Echoing other Zuma supporters around the country, Tshabalala contends he's the victim of a complicated political conspiracy, and suggested his accuser made up or exaggerated the allegations.

"She should have screamed if this was really rape," she said, adding that, in any case, it's a women's responsibility to defend themselves. "Even with a gun, you have to come out of that without being raped. Even if he slaps you – you run away, you scream, you do whatever you can to stop him."

Around 2,000 rowdy Zuma supporters turned out at his first court appearance last month, and hurled abuse at a small group of women who carried placards proclaiming: 'Silence does not equal consent' and 'Rape is always a crime'. "Look at those women - what are they doing here? Throw them out!" yelled one man.

Lovely.

Still in South Africa, have you read the rape statistics from that country? Amnesty International states that:

Police statistics for the year 2003/2004 recorded 52,759 reported rapes, with the highest provincial ratio being recorded in the Northern Cape at nearly 190 incidents per 100,000 people.

And around the world,  human trafficking, especially of women and children, is a huge problem.  According to various organisations around the world attampeting to stamp out the practice, its practically impossible to tell how many people are trafficked world wide and what percentage are women sold into sex slavery. Estimates range from 600 000 people to 4 million trafficked annually, as this story indicates.

I could go on, but I'm not sure I have the stomach. Maybe tomorrow I'll find some cheerier stuff to post.

Comments

[Zoe]

Yep, that one just about nailed "powerful" for keeps I reckon.

Amazing.

[Mindy]

Puts my IWD activities of stopping toddler from choking on 5c pieces and cleaning up resulting vomit in perspective. At least I could wash the crap off.

I do wonder if 30% of bus seats on Afghanistan will be empty though...

[shetafacker]

Hi,
The credit limit is usually equal to or just a little higher than the amount of deposit held as security so you gain some credit but not much.
There are several companies that offer a free credit report.
The IRS does not seem to think so.




world record sturgeon



Thanks

[urbaddyRutt]

Just good ol' boys, wouldn't change if they could, fightin' the system like a true modern day Robin Hood.

[newbone]

www.jeep-wrangler.car-dir.com - new car prices, auto reviews, used car classifieds and more.

Look this: Jeep Part, Jeep Reviews, Jeep Prices, Accessory Jeep Wrangler
, 2007 Jeep Wrangler, 2007 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler, Jeep Part Wrangler.

[wpfreeblogs]

For blinkandyoullmissit.typepad.com visitors -
register free WordPress blog on http://wpfreeblogs.com/
and enjoy!

[Foobikupy]

Here every day new ... simply super are all of words of lishni it's cool ,
that stood in every house 100 mg of experiences !

[SleeliFax]

ONLINE - DRUGSTORE!
PRICES of ALL MEDICINES!

FIND THAT NECESSARY...
VIAGRA, CIALIS, PHENTERMINE, SOMA... and other pills!

Welcome please: pills-prices.blogspot.com


NEW INFORMATION ABOUT PAYDAY LOANS!

Welcome please: payday-d-loans.blogspot.com

GOOD LUCK!

[SleeliFax]

Excellent webforum!
we beg pardon http://taxi-crimea.com
Well, thanks!

[Acomplia]

Write your comments here, please. Because I cant say any thing here. You say it .

[Idetrorce]

very interesting, but I don't agree with you
Idetrorce

[Sara Jacobson]

recoin sipylite manchester benzoid oversleep tacheography calorification villagey
Polish National Credit Union
http://www.softgreen.co.uk/

[music]

very interesting.
i'm adding in RSS Reader

[cridlidwize]

All of excellent day!

On what a cursor it is made this forum works? I want to create Web site about a world jazz and to make for a WWW site a this a cursor.

How to do search necessary?

I am necessary wish to find http://babolon-5.bestprospecting.net/pet-postn-pals.html
but I am not able to do it.

I require your answer.

[SAGESSELM]

At Halliburton/KBR, sexual assault is just part of the workplace experience for women Like many viewers, I watched this ABC 20/20 report when it first aired in December with jaws-open, eyes-bugging horror. It told the story of two women workers for Halliburton/KBR who had been sent to Iraq. There, one, Jamie Lee Jones, a young computer tech, was gang-raped on her fourth day by coworkers after being drugged; the other, Tracy Barker, was sexually assaulted by a State Department employee. Both immediately reported their assaults, only to have KBR first lock them in isolation, then question their accusations. In the case of Jones, it even "lost" the medical report that documented evidence of gang rape.
Click on a small picture to see shocking photos:

[Clarke Lauren]

If you are ready to cope up with this new changing society, you have to keep all sorts of luxury with you. Now a day's possessing a car is status symbol for everyone. You too have such thoughts but financial calamity can drag you from your passionate desire. Moreover if you are having bad credit history in the market then it will be very tedious to get loan amount through lenders. At this stage, no credit check auto loans will play a vital role and can easily put you on financial ease.. To find auto finance loan scalculator, auto loan poor credit visit http://www.advancedautoloan.com

[Ellis john]

If you have a chequered credit record which is proving the stumbling block in your quest for complementary money in order to buy a vehicle then it’s time you contemplated about procuring auto loans bad credit. As the name signifies, these loans dish out the requisite sum to persons suffering from bad credit so that they can buy a car of their own. To find online car loans, quick car loans visit
http://www.driversamerica.com

[Marry James]

Life now a day's become so fast that we can't wait for a while to glance to our past. You want to give a new dimension to your life by keeping all luxuries and that too very soon. Keeping a branded car has become status issue now days and you are also in that race. Buying luxury car is not a big deal now a days but arranging that large sum for it will become a big task. You have to give a glance to all of your savings and bank balance so that you could make it and that too be soon. Why to take such tension if instant auto loans are ready to give the car money at any time To find auto financing, bad credit auto financing, auto car finance, bad credit auto finance. For more information log on http://www.modernautofinancing.com

[SigeeXeflen]

Snx for you job!
It has very much helped me!

[car man]

A nation cannot rise higher than the way it treats its women. Educated women result in a educated country

[car man]

Used car are always better to buy especially when you taking about bad credit car loans. They are more affordable but more importantly a new car losses 15 to 20 percent of its value from the time it leaves the car lot

[4 junction city payday loan 6]

It's fairly simple to obtain a payday advance. Generally speaking, a proof of employment is all that is needed to obtain these short-term loans.

[No Fax Payday Loans]

Payday loans are one of the best ways to lend money when you need it urgently but you experience shortage of budget. No fax payday loans truly are a great safety net in saving you from financial chaos in the event of skinny paychecks or those pesky surprise bills. Best of all, the entire process, from applications to the deposits and even repayments, are done online, often with no faxing. This makes building a brighter financial future not only fast, but also easy. For more details about this payday loan just visit this site: http://personalmoneystore.com.

[jason kenny]

Do you know where people can get a GalileoScope?

[Jane Remmings]

Unfortunately, all over the world, sexism is rife. Both males and females need to stand up against the sexism that is pushed onto both sexes.

I've made a petition to the UK government about just one aspect of this. May we all place pressure upon those in charge.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/PositiveSexism/