Today is the international women's day. I spent the day in El Pedregal, Majes about two hour's bus ride from Arequipa. Some of the organizations that we support had arranged a day of activities in cooperation with other organizations as well as with the authorities. I was there to document the activities in the form of pictures that will appear on Svalorna.se shortly.
The day started out with a demonstration that passed through the main streets of El Pedregal. People carried banners and balloons to highlight that today is the international women's day. As we marched through the city we got both appreciative cheers and incredulous looks from passers-by. There were also some people who joined the precession as we passed, so in short there was a really good atmosphere.
At the end of the demonstration we arrived at the main square where information tables, distributing information about domestic violence and the contact details for a hotline, were set up. There was also a big stage where the mayor among others had gathered to hold speeches. This is the part that really left me speechless. There was one lady who talked about how important it is that women enjoy the same rights as men, but I could hardly believe my Swedish ears when I heard one man after another praising women first and foremost as the ones giving birth. Of course, the intention was to emphasize how important women are in social life, but I couldn't help to cringe. Women do so much more than giving birth and caring for their families. How about honoring women as workers, artists or politicians? How about acknowledging the achievement of women in the public as well as the domestic sphere? This discussion is very well known in Sweden but seemed completely absent here.
Tonight I went out to see a friend. On my way I was subject to various cat-calls such as “Hello beautiful”. Somehow it underlined that despite being western and liberated, I am no exception from the objectification that women are exposed to worldwide.
Giving credit first for being mothers may just be a difference in values; don't assume that it means they think other contributions are irrelevant. It may just mean that they value family (and their own mothers) more than they value the ability to do what the other half of the population can also do. I'm not saying that that's the case, I don't actually know...but if that's something they already revere, then you should build off of that, not try to teach them to respect something else instead.
SvaraRaderaAnd the cat-calls are because men are pigs everywhere. :)
In northern Europe there is a social filter in effect, the cat-calls are still there. We just can´t hear them as clearly as in Peru.
SvaraRadera