The marginalization of women in third world countries

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It is necessary to read this article, read the entire 7 pages and the comments that follow.

This article covers a lot of the topics we have mentioned in class(WGS).

This article begins by highlighting a specific situation or a "real-life" example of the dominated women in third-world countries finding power through investment assistance programs. The article opens with the story of Saima, of Pakistan. It tells of her husband, who like other men in
Pakistan culture, has complete power over her. He even beats her because of his failures. He is described as a "deadbeat" who is in a large amount of debt. Despite their poverty situation, her husband and his family still relied on Saima to produce a male child ( even though the "man of the family" is a failure). There is even threat of her husband finding a second wife. A "second wife:"? She needs a second husband to make up for his failures and lack of success!! Just the notion of this man even having the ability to marry and take more than one wife demonstrates in this culture like many, a man's complete dominance and power over women.
This story changes when Saima joins with the "Kashf Foundation, a Pakistani microfinance organization that lends tiny amounts of money to poor women to start businesses". With the help of this organization she is successful in starting her own embroidery business. The tables have turned and now she is the most important aspect of her household. In a county where women are only good for one thing, producing a male child, and girls are a curse or burden things have changed in Saima's family. Without her, not her husband, they would not make it. Many worldly organizations focus on helping women and children. Why wouldn't they, women carry the children that make our future. With the help of these type of organizations the role of women in this world could be drastically turned over and maybe, just maybe equality will settle in and all sexes will be the dominant, the powerful.

This entire article points out several instances where women and children are marginalized. I don't want to give a summary of the article because the authors clearly point out those who are marginalized. The main focus are women like, Saima of third world countries who live under systems of dominance. The article even points out crime like murder, abuse, starvation, rape and even enslavement, committed against women in developing countries.

I am leaving out details and specific examples that you can find in the article.

The article concludes that aiding women in their struggle for education and escape from poverty is very economical and beneficial. This article points out that women are the key to success in third world countries.

In WGS we cover several readings that point out the oppression of women by systems of power including husbands, the government, and oppression in the workforce. As an American White Woman it is hard to relate to the women of third world countries. I don't personally know anyone that has been enslaved or held back from an education just because she was female. I can almost guess you don't either. This fact of the marganilzation of women is reality. Many women in "developed" countries never give thought to or recognize the extent of how the female gender is dominated, controlled, and ultimately killed. We would like to think that our unequal salary, unequal sport roles, and national power are the tip of the iceberg on the mistreatment and oppression of women but, these are micro examples when compared to the global mistreatment and oppression of women. Do we add to the oppression and mistreatment of these women by ignoring and not acting. When no one stands up and takes opposition against something so wrong, nothing changes. Just ask yourself would you want to live the lives of those women?

Violence from a mans point of view...

This is one of those rambling blogs where one might find herself venting at certain events.

Some women find the perfect gentle men to be the type to open doors, make compliments, be the bread winner, and fulfill her every request. To many women that I know personally, this is the perfect man. Ive dated guys with these qualities and found them far from interesting, I like a challenge. Anyway, lets focus on the issue at hand. Many women find this perfect man to also hold the quality of being tough, willing and able to take a punch from a woman he has verbally offended. This message is often thrown out in tons of movies. A guy might hit on a woman in an offensive way and she will reply with a slap in the face. This slap is seen very innocently to most people, however, some men, will jump right back and slap the women that same instance. I even catch myself saying, "well, hes a man, its different". Its not, the old saying "two wrongs don't make a right", and "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" applies in these situation. Its not right for the man to make the derogatory comment but, its even worse for the woman to use violence in return. Many women should realize that violence is never ok, even if it is used against a man. Men, even with their power an dominance, feel too. If it hurts for him to slap you, it sure hurts for you to slap him.


These images are somewhat shocking but, not as shocking as this next one.






































This image, even in myself, sparks a different feeling then the previous ones. I am a lot more outraged by the last one than the other ones. Naturally I find the first to acceptable compared to the last one. Even though I can reason that all three are wrong, I feel trained to find the last one horrid. What do you think?

Without privilege

Power, privilege, dominance and oppression.

These four terms stand in the way of a free and equal world. It is hard to imagine in this "modern" world that something as necessary and just as equality is a stranger to America. Many Americans, many white Americans don't realize, or take advantage of their natural privilege they were born with, their race. White males dominate in many professional institutions such as politics. This dominance and possession of power is discouraging and depletes hope in many oppressed non-privileged people.
Many Latinos face discrimination and oppression because of the anit-immigration views of many Americans. Cnn's article on Latinas and Education describes how Latinas face discrimination in the classroom. The article reports the hardships many Latinas face while trying to complete a public education and move on to a higher education such as college. Many Latinas face instability due to their "immigration status, poverty, limited English, and lack of parent involvement". The governmental support of Latinas is not established to met their needs. Many young Latinas take parental roles in the household because parents are absent due to work. The article reads, "Many Latinas are influenced by family and societal expectations, often based on stereotypes of Latinas as submissive underachievers and caretakers. When these stereotypes are internalized, they may cause Latinas to doubt their chances for academic and career success." This lack of support for Latina education has led to alarming dropout rates of 41%.
The dropout rate for Detroit a very poverty-stricken city, in 2008 reported a rate of more than 75%. Less than 25% of Detroit students graduate high school. This report was done by a Colin powell supported educational advocacy group. That rate is hard to imagine to exist in such a "modern" world. This is an example of the dominance in education, the privileged rise while the oppressed fall. Its not often that a white, upper-class person is promoted or elected to a higher position or a political office. Why would any one that did not fit this dominant Anglo mold ever expect to gain these successful positions? Their lack of professional role models depletes goals of success. While the dominant stay in their leading power roles, the cycle continues.
cnn video