That's My Name
Say my Name.
A woman (irregular plural: women) is a female human. This is what dictionaries read, but,
What is a woman today? A dictionary can define every word in this world, but doesn't necessarily mean its what the world lives up to or how we do. What does being a woman mean to you? I forget I am a girl, up until I am reminded by this cruel male-dominated universe. Yes, I have a role, a very important one. If I'm not the one to change this then I'll fail with making women's lives any better. For centuries, people (I don't write 'men' because everybody contributed by either making the rules, enabling the rules, or following them) have followed a slippery path on the way a woman should be, and this is how we should live, and there are certain standards we have to live up to, and if we fall back or change certain things, then we might as well hang ourselves before our father does.
Say my name.
What is a woman today? A dictionary can define every word in this world, but doesn't necessarily mean its what the world lives up to or how we do. What does being a woman mean to you? I forget I am a girl, up until I am reminded by this cruel male-dominated universe. Yes, I have a role, a very important one. If I'm not the one to change this then I'll fail with making women's lives any better. For centuries, people (I don't write 'men' because everybody contributed by either making the rules, enabling the rules, or following them) have followed a slippery path on the way a woman should be, and this is how we should live, and there are certain standards we have to live up to, and if we fall back or change certain things, then we might as well hang ourselves before our father does.
Say my name.
"I was raped in the bathroom. I keep thinking that if my father were there, maybe he would have stopped it?!... But even so, I got up,and today here I am"
"I had a son at the age of fourteen, and for eight months I didn't even KNOW I was pregnant, I thought I was just getting fat, I found out I was going to have a baby 15 minutes before giving birth, which was when my water broke. Raising a kid was hard, but I was able to make it."
"YOU have the power to change it, it's all YOU."
These anonymous stories and encounters made me feel like my feet were lifted off the ground, and I was carried to a cloud, but then I hit the ground HARD.
Say my name.
"I had a son at the age of fourteen, and for eight months I didn't even KNOW I was pregnant, I thought I was just getting fat, I found out I was going to have a baby 15 minutes before giving birth, which was when my water broke. Raising a kid was hard, but I was able to make it."
"YOU have the power to change it, it's all YOU."
These anonymous stories and encounters made me feel like my feet were lifted off the ground, and I was carried to a cloud, but then I hit the ground HARD.
Say my name.
A single movie could change the thoughts of all of us sitting on those semi-comfy chairs that night. We all suffer, one way or another. We all have our problems that meet big stop signs and bump into huge boulders that keep us from accomplishing what we really want to do. They all made it to the top, even though they've been through shit. They were number one, even though the people around them all had doubts. they were the best, even though they were "just" women. August 2nd, we all remember that. The day every Kuwaiti's nightmare began. Some left, some stayed. Some protested, and the rest hid their young daughters in the closet. I don't have to tell you why they did that. What did the remaining do? Women, in particular, lived to tell story after story where they risked their lives to defend their sands, their neighbor's homes, and our our collective families against criminal invaders.
"I have seen many women who were stronger than men," said Susan Ahmadi, 30, a computer programmer. A seance of Feminism did rise after the invasion among the women who stayed.
Say my name.
Feminism? The belief that women are entitled to rights and opportunities they have been deprived of because of gender differences.
When you come to think of it, some our rights showed up much earlier than the rest of our Gulf region, Shaikh Jaber Al-Sabah had already issued political voting rights since 1999, It was the majority of tribal and Islamist members of parliament that blocked it. You might think it doesn't matter anymore because we already have them now, right? Not really. The voting passed by 35 votes for, 23 against. 23 votes, AGAINST, so a group will always, always remain against you, because you're "just" a woman.
2005, Remember that year? Damn shame if you don't! On April 19th, 2005, lawmakers in Kuwait gave women the right to vote and run for elections. Women have been fighting for their political rights since the 1960's. Did we just wake up to find this? Was this handed to us on a Swarovski plate? It took lots of marching, protesting, demonstrating, debating, and a hell of fighting to accomplish this. A lot of women I personally know would say that it is not a big deal, that having our political right is not important simply because its something they're not interested in. But those are the same women who stayed at home. They were the ones criticizing the protester with their husbands. I suppose it's easy to feel protected by a brainwashed husband.
In recent events, we have seen many political parties, groups, and tribes, some with highly great thoughts that really can make this country move forward, and some bat-shit crazy ones. The ICM (Islamic Constitutional Movement) does not see that women are capable of electing themselves, because it "conflicts" with Islamic law. Now I am no Shaikha, but it's been pretty clear in my eighteen years of life and twelve years of schooling that: Islam is not "against" women's political rights; Under Islamic Law, all human beings are deemed equal. It's what every religion should stand for: Gifting of equal rights despite gender or color or personality. Kuwaiti women, all of us, are very lucky. We dress in the latest fashion, drive, receive good education that's often times an even stricter curriculum from the boys, free health care and try to play an active role in all of our society. We are a very young country with a long road ahead., I say this because Female education in Kuwait began 1937, this is a critical component to the women's liberalization movement of the 90's and 2000s.
"I have seen many women who were stronger than men," said Susan Ahmadi, 30, a computer programmer. A seance of Feminism did rise after the invasion among the women who stayed.
Say my name.
Feminism? The belief that women are entitled to rights and opportunities they have been deprived of because of gender differences.
When you come to think of it, some our rights showed up much earlier than the rest of our Gulf region, Shaikh Jaber Al-Sabah had already issued political voting rights since 1999, It was the majority of tribal and Islamist members of parliament that blocked it. You might think it doesn't matter anymore because we already have them now, right? Not really. The voting passed by 35 votes for, 23 against. 23 votes, AGAINST, so a group will always, always remain against you, because you're "just" a woman.
2005, Remember that year? Damn shame if you don't! On April 19th, 2005, lawmakers in Kuwait gave women the right to vote and run for elections. Women have been fighting for their political rights since the 1960's. Did we just wake up to find this? Was this handed to us on a Swarovski plate? It took lots of marching, protesting, demonstrating, debating, and a hell of fighting to accomplish this. A lot of women I personally know would say that it is not a big deal, that having our political right is not important simply because its something they're not interested in. But those are the same women who stayed at home. They were the ones criticizing the protester with their husbands. I suppose it's easy to feel protected by a brainwashed husband.
In recent events, we have seen many political parties, groups, and tribes, some with highly great thoughts that really can make this country move forward, and some bat-shit crazy ones. The ICM (Islamic Constitutional Movement) does not see that women are capable of electing themselves, because it "conflicts" with Islamic law. Now I am no Shaikha, but it's been pretty clear in my eighteen years of life and twelve years of schooling that: Islam is not "against" women's political rights; Under Islamic Law, all human beings are deemed equal. It's what every religion should stand for: Gifting of equal rights despite gender or color or personality. Kuwaiti women, all of us, are very lucky. We dress in the latest fashion, drive, receive good education that's often times an even stricter curriculum from the boys, free health care and try to play an active role in all of our society. We are a very young country with a long road ahead., I say this because Female education in Kuwait began 1937, this is a critical component to the women's liberalization movement of the 90's and 2000s.
Say my name.
We make up about half of the population of 2.274 million and cover third of the country's workforce. We are supposedly guaranteed the right to work for equal pay, but the Gender Inequality Index might have another thing to say about that. Labor itself has changed, for we no longer have traditional jobs for women like nursing and teaching, we see all new types of positions in Government and private sectors, some are even managing the oil industry, or founders of an independent business, professors, ambassadors, Ministers, and most recently: Military Fields in the Kuwaiti Army. An estimated 33.8% of the total workers are Kuwaiti females, the highest in our Gulf region.
This past month, Kuwait's constitutional court has granted women the right to keep their own passports without needing to be forced to give their husbands and guardians to obtain it. This change is a big deal."It undermines her free will and compromises her humanity," the court said, according to a copy of the decision provided by a lawyer involved in the case.
You can thank Fatima Al-Baghli, the Kuwaiti woman who triggered the court and petitioned for the right to obtain a passport without her husband's consent. She said her husband had refused to give her and their three children their passports and other personal identification documents to prevent them from leaving the country.
This year has been a pretty special one, thanks to the four women who won the elections. These women share more than their gender. All four advocate for progressive change and were educated in the United States. All hold doctoral degrees, ranging from political science and economics to education.
“We also have a woman who won who is married to a non-Kuwaiti, one who is divorced, one who is not yet married, one whose mother is Lebanese. We represent different social standings.”
This past month, Kuwait's constitutional court has granted women the right to keep their own passports without needing to be forced to give their husbands and guardians to obtain it. This change is a big deal."It undermines her free will and compromises her humanity," the court said, according to a copy of the decision provided by a lawyer involved in the case.
You can thank Fatima Al-Baghli, the Kuwaiti woman who triggered the court and petitioned for the right to obtain a passport without her husband's consent. She said her husband had refused to give her and their three children their passports and other personal identification documents to prevent them from leaving the country.
This year has been a pretty special one, thanks to the four women who won the elections. These women share more than their gender. All four advocate for progressive change and were educated in the United States. All hold doctoral degrees, ranging from political science and economics to education.
“We also have a woman who won who is married to a non-Kuwaiti, one who is divorced, one who is not yet married, one whose mother is Lebanese. We represent different social standings.”
I love that!
I am ending this by sharing facts about the active women in our society who are fighting for positive change. Feminism is their name, feminism is mine:
I am ending this by sharing facts about the active women in our society who are fighting for positive change. Feminism is their name, feminism is mine:
*Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah: Under-Secretary of Higher Education and one of the Amir's most trusted advisors. Named International Woman of the Year for 1996-1997 by the International Biographical Center (IBC) in Cambridge, England.*Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah has exerted most of her efforts in the fields of education, culture, and women's causes.
*Nabila Al-Mulla: Appointed as Kuwait's first female Ambassador. She was formerly a deputy permanent representative of Kuwait at the United Nations. Presently serving as Kuwait's Ambassador to Austria.
*Fayza Al-Khorafi: Distinguished scholar and professor and accomplished scientist, she is the first Arab woman to be appointed Rector of an Arab university (1993).
*Sara Akbar: Petroleum engineer, member of the Kuwait Oil Company since 1981. Played a distinguished role in extinguishing the oil fires following the Gulf War and cleaning up one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Received the 'Global 500' award from the United Nations Environmental Program in recognition of her work.
*Badriya Al-Awadi: Considered the top legal expert on human rights and women's rights in Kuwait. She holds a Ph.D. in international law, has published over ten books, and has taught law at Kuwait University for the past seven years. Ms. Al-Awadi's concerns include eliminating illiteracy and raising awareness of women's legal and political rights.
Comments
oh and
IN YOUR FACE for all those who stand in your way of Blogging! whatever you do you will NEVER put our NOUR HAHA down! NEVER!
So keep on writing girl! and keep up with these interesting topics very informitive!
Love you Loads!
Dalal H