(no subject)

[eumelia]

When I first read about the murder of Dua Khalil (for there is no "honour" in the killing of a 17 year old girl for any reason), I didn't write about it because it's a known thing.
These gender based murders (and they are gender based, make no mistake) have nothing to do with "honour" and everything to do with control, or to be a little more brash Cuntrol.
In Israel, these murders have been reported more than once.

Then I read what Joss Wheodon had to say* about Dua Khalil and thought, how can people think that is something "special" when all it is a symptom of the same thing which is perpetrated throughout History:
Extreme measures of gender control.

*Basically agreeing with him other than the womb-envy thing... over simplification much, Joss?

In addition, the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.

וכמו כן, צריך לעצור את רצח העם בדרפור.

Comments

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Is it gender... religion certainly enjoys oppressing women, throughout history. But religon also oppresses Everybody Who Is Other. As a form of tribalism. I'm sure, for example, they would have quite happily beaten to death the boy Dua Khalil was seen with, no?

I tend to think organised religion makes victims of everybody. But. I'm quite strongly anti-organised-religion.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about organized is probably one of the banes of humanity.

I tend to believe it is gender based, because take circumcision for instance, in the countries where you have "honour killings" you can also fund female genital mutilation. In boys, circumcision is seen as an act of covenance or a rite of passage into manhood, while in girls it seen as removing something "unclean" and such nonsense. Also boys are considered redeemable, girls are always "tempting" or "unclean".

(Just so you know I don't think male circumcision is in the best interests always and in any event the way it's done now is not the way it was done in the past)

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I have to keep reminding myself that it is not all religion par se that I hate with a fiery passion, but far more specifically organised religion. (Although I do still have a fair few issues with all religion. But at least the quiet peaceful solitary kind of religion of personal spirituality generally does far less damage.)

I despair sometimes. I used to think that mankind would surely outgrow its need for the childish mental trappings of religion. But the older I get, the more convinced I am that basically, nothing ever really changes, and that we are still basically the same animals today as we were thousands of years ago.

Well, most of us anyway. A few have evolved.


The thing I find very odd about the cutting of the rose, female circumcision, is that it seems not to be men doing this to their women, it is other women. Every time I've seen something about it, young girls are being taken for the surgery by their mothers and grandmothers. And the mothers and grandmothers are so indoctrinated into the tenets of the faith, that they think they are genuinely doing the right thing.

You're right though. Women are seen as being irredeemably weak and worthless. I... sometimes wonder if any of my female christian friends have ever actually read the Bible, and seen what it says about women.

(And yep, I don't think male circumcision is a particularly good idea either. There is no sound medical reason for doing it. And plenty of very good reasons for not doing it. NOteably that men who are not circumsized have significantly more sensitive penises, and thus gain more pleasure from sex. I have this whole theory about why religions are pro-circumsision, and how it's all to do with them wanting men to get less pleasure from sex, so that they get more frustrated, and make more war and violence and oppression of women.)

(I was circumsized when I was a boy, back then it was in fashion with doctors. Any sort or UTI, and they circumsised you. I really wish they hadn't.)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

The thing I find very odd about the cutting of the rose, female circumcision, is that it seems not to be men doing this to their women, it is other women. Every time I've seen something about it, young girls are being taken for the surgery by their mothers and grandmothers. And the mothers and grandmothers are so indoctrinated into the tenets of the faith, that they think they are genuinely doing the right thing.

When I was 12 my mother decided it was time for me to wax my legs, so there I sat on the kitchen counter, my soft nearly invisible hairs being plucked out of my chubby legs all so I could be "beautiful".
I still wax my legs, a decade later, even though I hate doing it.

Just though I'd share since it's topical in a less extreme way.
Sometimes I feel like such a dum-dum.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

12? Gosh, that sounds young.


Of course, if I may say, smooth legs do feel ~good~.


... that doesn't make me a bad person does it?

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Pfft, of course not, I like smooth legs as well :)

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

God women's bodies are beautiful. Elegant and flowing and my mind is drifting off... :)

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Gah. Sorry. LJ has been a real pain about posting comments for me today. Error messages a go-go.