Reclaiming Feminism
huffingtonpost.com | Mar 8th 2011
It shocks, disappoints and angers me that in a world where man has traveled
to the moon and where we can connect to people anywhere on earth instantly
online, men and women are still not equal.
The statistics are sobering. Across the globe, gender-based violence causes
more deaths and disabilities among women of child-bearing age than cancer,
malaria, traffic accidents and war combined. Even in the war-ravaged
Democratic Republic of Congo, it's safer to be a soldier than a woman. Women
do two-thirds of the world's work for a paltry 10 percent of the world's
income and own just 1 percent of the means of production.
On the centenary of International Women's Day, I urge you to stop and think.
Last year, I did just that. I participated in one of 119 bridge events for
International Women's Day involving 20,000 women across four continents. It
was a moving and powerful show of strength. I saw many wonderful women
there, standing up for equality, justice and peace. But I was struck by how
many other amazing women weren't there. It seemed to me that some people
must think we already have equality. Nothing could be further from the
truth. Yes, huge gains have been made since 1911, but we still have a
mountain to climb. We need to persevere with this for the sake of our
daughters, our granddaughters, and the generations to come.
Motivated and inspired, I became convinced that collectively we could make a
loud noise. I want this year's centenary celebrations for International
Women's Day to be a turning point, a catalyst for tangible and positive
change.
Despite the fact that half of the world's population is female, women's
rights have become marginalized as a "minority issue." Many young women feel
that the label of "feminist" is, at best, irrelevant to their lives and, at
worst, a stigma to be avoided at all costs. Sullied by stereotypes of hairy,
arm-pitted man haters, the concept of feminism and its principles of
equality and anti-sexism need to be refreshed and reclaimed by a new
generation. Feminism shouldn't be an F word. We should embrace it.
From Milwaukee to Malawi, women are being short-changed on life chances.
From India to Illinois, women face violence just for being female. Of the
1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty worldwide, the vast majority
are female. For many, just getting an education is a real struggle, major
decisions such as who to marry and when to have children are made for them
by others, and without economic independence or a say in their own future,
the chances of women escaping the poverty trap are virtually nonexistent.
Whether you're a woman or a man, this affects you. And you are part of the
solution. The impact of inequality is felt by every woman worldwide -- your
friends, your family, your colleagues, your neighbors, the people you
emailed today, the woman in the car next to you, the faces you saw on
television and the voices you heard on the radio. How many have been abused
or faced discrimination today?
The 100th anniversary of International Women's Day is a moment in time.
Let's make it a moment that counts. Let's make it a moment that lasts.
Annie Lennox is a singer, song-writer and performer, a renowned
international icon, and the winner of numerous prestigious awards, including
several Grammies and an Oscar. Annie is also an internationally recognized
and highly respected political and social activist. As a Global Ambassador
for Oxfam, Annie has taken part in a wide range of activities, events and
international trips, working hard to raise awareness about on AIDS and
women's issues.
Original Page:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/annie-lennox/international-womens-day-feminism_
b_831876.html
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