Cover image via Unsplash
My own awakening to the injustices against women happened in my teens. When I came across [Feminism] (http://says.com/ph/stories/search?utf8=✓&q=feminism) in college, it was a time to accept the fact that I could no longer UNSEE them.
Fast forward to today and women still get abused or discriminated against deliberately or unconsciously. These women could be your mother, daughter, wife, girlfriend, sister, best friend, teacher, your boss, your colleague.
These women could be you and me.
It´s 2016 and a great nation we call the United States of America has yet to have a female president and one of its famous celebrities, Jennifer Aniston, had to find it necessary to write an [open letter] (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/for-the-record_us_57855586e4b03fc3ee4e626f) to the press…
…detailing her frustrations on how she is portrayed and seen through the scrupulous lenses of "male journalists and paparazzi" which make up the majority of those working in the tabloid industry.
Up to this day, at the age of 47, an awkward photo of hers could produce so many false and irritating stories about her changing body and her "expected" pregnancy. A constant reminder of a "purpose" that up to now she hasn't fulfilled.
Image via Pro-Choice America
Pornography affects the growing number of young Australian girls who display negative self-image
During my trip in the mountains of Australia, I found myself in an interesting chat with my travel buddies as we geared our conversation towards the topic that was being talked about on the radio. The interview was about how pornography affects the growing and alarming number of young Australian girls who display negative self-image, confused about how they should behave around their boyfriends especially when it comes to sex.
This leads young girls to think that when their boyfriends want sex even without their consent, it is OKAY
Girls are taught to behave properly to prevent themselves from getting raped instead of boys being taught NOT to [rape] (http://says.com/ph/stories/search?utf8=✓&q=rape). Therefore, some women who get raped find it difficult to come out and pursue the perpetrator for fear of shame and blame.
Image via Tumblr
If a 16-year old goes home to daddy, pregnant, she might be labeled as a slut. While a guy of the same age who is able to get a girl pregnant is just being a "man". And while a woman who dresses sexy may be judged as "easy" and deemed to be raped, her image in advertisements and commercials are cropped and edited to perfection by male photographers, writers, and directors.
As I write this post, there is a child who is getting married to an older man because their culture dictates that a girl can't be on her own and should be taken care of by a man
In Afghanistan, it is a tradition to let the female guest help other women in the kitchen while the male guest is invited to relax with the men in the living room. The women are only able to eat the meal they themselves cooked after the men have finished eating.
In Africa, genital mutilation is still practiced. If a family is poor, the education of a male child is far given more priority than that of a female child.
Image via National Geographic
"Horror of female genital mutilation described as 'Christmas' by woman who cuts young girls."
Image via Express
When a woman is lucky to get a degree, she doesn't receive equal pay even when she performs the same kind of expertise as those of her male counterparts. The objectification of women is prevalent.
**Pornography and overly-sexualized photoshopped pictures of women in magazines are so unreal.**
In China, there is a term called "Sheng-nu" which literally means "left-over women" referring to those who at the age of 25 or older are still not married
It is then customary for Chinese parents to engage in an event called Marriage Market where they look for a match for their children. What a sad and absurd situation to not be able to choose when, who and how to love! **Click below to see the video.**
This video and Jennifer Aniston's open letter only show how personal decisions such as getting married and bearing children come under scrutiny by members of our family, friends, strangers or new acquaintances.
A single woman gets asked about when she is going to find a boyfriend. A woman in a relationship gets asked when she will get married. A married woman gets annoying questions as to whether she is going to procreate soon and when. After one baby, she still might get asked about whether she's ready for baby number two.
Image via Tumblr
Does the life of a woman really have to be contained in these detailed steps? Does it really matter if one remains unmarried/childless by choice?
Would it affect the quality of the air we breathe if a woman falls in love with another woman? Can't we be the ones to make decisions on these bodies that we own?
Most have the tendency to assume that there is something wrong with a woman who never married or never had children
Many consciously or unconsciously create harsh and insensitive images of an unmarried/childless woman as a lonely, picky, discontented and selfish human being while an old bachelor is simply depicted as a busy playboy who parties with women half his age.
Sporty girls are seen as unfeminine so a lot of them are discouraged from getting really good at a sport they love and instead get limited by the roles and behaviors that are expected of them.
Image via We Heart It
When children grow up conforming to expectations, we are not allowing them to achieve their true potential
When children grow up conforming to expectations, we are not allowing them to achieve their true potential. Does it have to follow that a female child's favorite color should be pink and her interest should be ballet? Look at what gender expectations do to a little boy who prefers ballet to basketball.
Image via Rebloggy
Many boys grow up being caged in a "macho culture" where they are expected to learn how to "man-up"
They pretend to be so strong that they can't cry and instead turn their focus on the negative, doing drugs, hitting on and looking down on women, smoking, drinking alcohol and lots of other risky behaviors to prove they're man enough. Look at how culturally imposed gender roles are limiting EVERYBODY.
The United Nations' [HeForShe] (http://www.heforshe.org) project is making a big difference and the modern breed of gender-sensitive men I have had the chance of meeting in my travels are proof that much has changed
But apart from all these, we can still help make further impact by always acknowledging women's important role in our private and public lives and by making their marginalized voices be heard.
Image via Twitter @courtneeysummer
Harsh and subtle prejudices against women happen everyday most especially in other countries. This post hopes to open the eyes of those who still can't see. And when they do see it, that they no longer pretend they don´t.
This does not aim to antagonize men. This is an invitation to empower all genders so that our communities become more inclusive, tolerant and accepting. The more egalitarian a relationship, the happier communities will be.
