I didn't mean that one or other doesn't understand those questions . On the contrary, I wanted to raise a few questions about the calculative silence ,or rather, the conspiracy of silence of the opinion makers including prominent fighters for women's cause. In spite of having fought many a successful battle on the issue of peedanam for nearly two and a half decades, the fighters for women's rights cause here in Kerala do not want to address the core question;ie, the issue of gender justice vis a vis full citizenship, This is esp true in the context of sexuality and autonomy over body. I'm sure Maya has not missed the advertisement by the WC, issued in service of women as tips for their protection against violence. It is mainly addressed to the middle class women and women who have access to the internet, mobile phone and the 'outlandish' concepts of fashion and beauty. It warns against women falling prey to globalization. It virtually ignores the plight of the women Maya had been referring to, who are in fact much more exposed to outright violence and rape within and outside the family in their day to day lives...In many cases they are mercilessly thrown in the hands of racketeers by their own relatives and yet it is they who they are warned against 'misuse' of mobile phones and the internet. If my understanding is correct, it is not the poor girls/ women who are"misusing".It would be more accurate to say that in the course of genuine use of these gadgets, there are chances of being victimized through the misuse by gangsters. In that sense, even while legitimately seeking entertainment and pleasure through the cyber world, one has reasons to be warned. Girls wearing genes, visiting pub, using the internet ,using mobile phones themselves need not be the causes of peedanam. On the contrary, what the cultural elite advices the ill-educated or semi literate girls is to shun these as pitfalls created by the forces of globalization . Again, authenticity to express as individuals is arbitrarily denied to these category of women. It is embarrassing that the chair persons of the state and the central commissions for women have gone on record denigrating questions of sexuality as central to the problem of peedanam. Unfortunately, despite her understanding of the issue in right perspective, Maya argues that majority of women are yet not enlightened enough to express as individuals sans wifes/daughters/ sisters, as persons with rights to citizenship! This is the crux of the issue. Written law is one thing and the unwritten law of the society and family is another. I didn't want to belittle the importance of struggles and campaigns like pennkodathi. But I was only trying to whether they would ever be able to guide or lead the women on the lines of defending their rights for sexuality beyond the bounds of patriarchy. It is not just about pragmatism but politics and gender justice. Do you (Maya) mean to say that the time has not yet come to talk patriarchy?If yes, I beg to disagree. Regards, Venu.
On 5 Mar, 22:03, Maya <[email protected]> wrote: > I do understand these questions. And I know all the sentences nthis notice > were not good a all ( to be frank, it was not mine anyway, though I do > support in the program. ) And some of the feminists (including me) have > raised such questions and have discussed it even long back. But, I think we > have to see some realities. > Having autonomy over own bodies and not being labelled as victims - are > meant for *already liberated women*.( educated/employed//upper-middle > class/ideological/political/social -individual women and groups of them) > Women who are never exposed to the feminist thought are many in Kerala ( > India in general, I would say). And among women from that large category , > there are many who literally suffer ' peedanam' as a vidhi. And they cry out > just because their bodies are injured and because they are afraid of loosing > life. They do file cases and fail and sometimes become helpless with their > superstitions and stigma etc. > I dont think time has changed that much taht we should only do talk to them > about being " active individuals/ collectivities > fighting , challenging the male regime of gender and sexuality on the > one hand, and demanding progressive reforms in education about sex and > reproduction on the other". > They dont even know what gender and sexuality mean. They jsut want some way > first, to save themselves from the brutality that they face from men inside > or outside house. So first the gradual changing steps still would have to be > fllowed. > Socially yes, it is high time to break the patriarchal family and social > system. But In the short time of twenty years, the women`s rights has > not fully enterd into the grass root level of society and major life > situations still follow typical victimization. > So, I think, even though it is time to strenthen the discourse of sexuality > and gender we cannot stop doing something like this at the same time. > > > > On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 3:54 PM, venukm <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Well, we may do well to ask the organizations, or the personalities > > presiding the pennkodathi these questions: > > Do they really like to see women of Kerala ever having autonomy over > > their bodies ? > > Even while we find chapters of peedanam unending here in Kerala, are > > we confident enough to be able in any near future, to stop seeing > > women of Kerala just as victims of 'peedanam'? > > When will we able to find them as active individuals/ collectivities > > fighting , challenging the male regime of gender and sexuality on the > > one hand, and demanding progressive reforms in education about sex and > > reproduction on the other? > > When will we/ they be able to take on this essentially anti-woman, > > protectionist attitude that promotes kind of > > single handed discourse on peedanam, wherein, active agency is denied > > to women on every count? > > When will be able to dispense with the need of outfits like "Stree > > Suraksha Samithis" ,which virtually edifies the dictum of Manu (Women > > should always be protected, and they never deserve to be free) > > Flip side of the institution of peedanam is family, the burial ground > > of every right of women to full citizenship. > > It is high time that we openly defied Culture, Morals and Traditions > > at least to the extent that they openly take sides with an agenda of > > perpetuating patriarchy in all walks of life, be it physical labour, > > reproduction, sexuality or the organization of family. > > > On Mar 5, 12:24 am, Maya <[email protected]> wrote: > > > sorry, the attachment didnt work for the last sent one > > > > -- > > > Maya S. > > > > March 7 Notice.pmd > > > 303KViewDownload > > -- > Maya S. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
