March 8th, International Women's Day
From the White House
Tribute to Women
International Women's Day 2010
Women against hunger
Women's Day NATO
MSH Health Impact
Women in the news
Women have been in the spotlight since the beginning of time. Some times the news was good some times it was and is downright awful. For religious people the early female protagonists of the news such as Eve, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, or Dalilah have a positive and negative side to them. Eve was the first woman but also got Adam thrown out of Paradise . The Virgin Mary was the mother of God but also became pregnant in somewhat “iffy” circumstances. Mary Magdalene was a devote follower of Jesus but was also considered a prostitute. Dalilah was a heroine for the Philistines but a temptress that deprived Samson of his strength.
This duality pertaining to women is not just a thing of the remote past or related to religion. If we consider Indira Gandhi, the first and only female Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977, this duality is evident in the attacks against her politics, her views and her actions. In fact, it resulted in her assassination by her Sikh guards in 1984.
Another controversial woman was the United Kingdom
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is yet another “Iron Lady”. She is Africa ’s first elected female leader. She is also the President of Liberia. She is a descendent of the original colonists of Liberia who are ex-African slaves from America
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27th, 2007. She had just returned to Pakistan on October the 18th after a self-imposed exile in Dubai Pakistan
Aung San Suu Kyi was born on June 19th, 1945. She has won reputed prizes such as the Rafto Prize, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding and even the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1990 she was elected Prime Minister of Burma, officially known as the Union of Myanmar. However, the military junta did not let her assume office; instead, she was placed under house arrest. She has been in and out of house arrest for 14 years despite international pleas for her release. She cannot leave the house and what is even worse she cannot receive visitors. In May 2009 an American swam across to her which which caused Suu Kyi even more strife. One of her famous speeches begins, “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”
But women aren’t in the news just because they are politicians or leaders. Do you remember the Lorena Bobbitt case? John and Lorena Bobbitt, an American couple, became famous worldwide because Lorena severed her husband’s penis with a knife in 1993. The case sparked endless jokes, limericks, advertising campaigns and has become an urban legend. The fact behind the unusual behaviour is that Lorena accused her husband of marital rape and domestic violence. This violent way of putting an end to a marriage brought marital rape and domestic violence to the spotlight worldwide making this particular “bad” news not so “bad” after all.
A classroom activity: The amazing world of women
Visit these two websites:
Now read the questions and try to find the answers.
a. International Wildlife Foundation b. International Women’s Forum
2. What does FWHC stand for?
a. Feminist Women’s Health Center
3. What’s the name of the test for cervical cancer?
a. Pap smear b. Yeast treatment
4. Where can you find information on menopause?
a. On the IWF page b. On the FWHC page
5. Who is the IWF president in 2009?
a. Gay Cook b. Esther Silver-Parker
1. What does IWF stand for?
a. International Wildlife Foundation b. International Women’s Forum
2. What does FWHC stand for?
a. Feminist Women’s Health Center
3. What’s the name of the test for cervical cancer?
a. Pap smear b. Yeast treatment
4. Where can you find information on menopause?
a. On the IWF page b. On the FWHC page
5. Who is the IWF president in 2009?
a. Gay Cook b. Esther Silver-Parker
Would you like to know more? Go to the sites below they helped me prepare this activity:
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According to this utube video, this song was sung around 1975. I remember being in Art class, our teacher was really cool so we had CKLG (nowadays, http://www.jackfm.com/) in the background. It was one of my favorites along with many others I will tell you about as we go along. Sit back, listen, enjoy, but, people, think:
How much has changed since then?
What is it like for women today?
Just take a look at the lyrics... I hope you agree with me, we've gone a long long way but there sure is a heck of a lot still to be done!
(Helen Reddy and Ray Burton)
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
You can bend but never break me
'Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'Cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul
Oh, yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand
Oh, yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
1 comment:
Thanks! This helped so much! I've seen a few
rather confusing blogs lately, this cleared up some confusion I had.
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