BY STEVEN KASZAB
More than 50% of humanity continues to be under siege. This group amplifies all of our humanity, all the better parts of us, what makes us better than the animals. Members of this group will often provide that hushed voice in our ear giving advice, direction and empathy. Mother, sister, aunt or spouses are all familiar tags for this group.
Womanhood can accomplish much for itself and humanity too, but men continue to build barriers and provide stumbling blocks that stifle their progress.
60% of our global population still see women as: objects, possessions, servants and chamber maids, people that need to be protected as the weaker gender, teachable and frivolous with money. Yet womanhood is such things, but so much more, better than mankind in so many ways.
Iran
A revolutionary movement has spread throughout the Persian lands; lead not by men, but by the victims of male misogyny. Iranian Clerics and their foot soldiers persecute women on a daily basis. Religious Police enforce the dress and social codes ruthlessly, punishing young and old sometimes to death. Women protest against these laws and have been arrested, beaten and murdered for their beliefs.
Egypt
More than a dozen women have been arrested for indecent dress. Many influencers such as: Egyptian Salma Elshimy dress provocatively to garnish attention and add views on social media. Wearing leggings, knee-length dresses, swimwear and often no head dress, these women would attract likes on social media in America, but in Egypt they are viewed differently, often accused of spreading immorality and posting items that contradict social norms and modesty values.
Most of Middle East
Women will dress in western dress and the public often verbally and physically abuses their mannerisms. Religious norms demand humility from these women and have no difficulty using violence to get obedience from them. Female journalists and broadcasters are threatened and often attacked by religious fundamentalist of Muslim or Orthodox Jewish faiths.
North America
You would think such things do not happen in America, or Canada, but the instances are rising annually. The religious right use: social media, protest and lobbyists to force legislative votes that could change the way women live daily. End all rights to abortion, LGBTQ+ Rights, force dress codes on school children, and apply strict gender barriers. These are just a few issues under attack by a movement that would like to return to a more puritan way of life.
Forcing their attitudes upon others culturally, socially, religiously and politically has become a norm in American State legislatures and Washington D.C., and the Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Several incidents of book burning, and censorship show us this movement means business.
Conservatives and Republicans alike see women returning to a more traditional role within their version of the nuclear family. Create more jobs by encouraging females to play happy housekeepers.
Africa
Several nations have laws forcing women to submit to their male family members, whether that is father, brothers or husbands. Forced marriages, of very young girls to senior men continues to be a problem, as the authorities either know not how to, or do not want to enforce their laws. Men within African society continue to control and manage every aspect of their society.
Totalitarian Regimes
North Korea, China, Russia and 33% of nations throughout the world allow various forms of equality to the female population (police, military, civil servants), but their pay and treatment by their male counterparts and managers remains: prejudice, misogynistic, financially inferior and oppressive.
Sexist attitudes towards women are commonplace, with few good paying jobs available to them. Female children are still aborted in favour of male children, a cultural-financial practice. Dictatorships keep female poverty well above that of their male counterparts, with the belief that a dependent female is a happy female.
Most government authorities appear intent upon reinforcing societal discrimination by persecuting woman and girls instead of dealing with real life problems such as: domestic violence, sexual harassment and violence directed towards women and youth. Females face a growing threat from morality-modesty pressure groups, and the boys club to remain dependent upon traditionalistic customs and rituals often directed and managed by men.
We cannot even talk about equality between the sexes, because a war is going on where men see females not as partners, but as tools of the trade, sexual outlets and objects to trade and sell. Financial, sexual, political, social advancement of our female friends will continue to stagnate along, while our leaders present us with platitudes and self-accolades for all that has been accomplished for womanhood.