29.01.02

Some wise person has pointed out to me that if we were to feel injustice for japanese women, we should also 'raise a flag about female circumcision or women in saudi arabia'.

Between reading his email and going to the kitchen to make some tea (for myself :) ), I realised that made quite a lot of sense. One can hardly equate the image of the submissive, Armani-clothed Japanese tai-tai having cocktails at Ritz Carlton to that of the screaming African girl, blood running down between her thighs.

I guess, just like war, hunger and poverty, extreme cases of female rights violation is something that is far removed from the reality of MTV generation here. Not that i'm making excuses. I think I am a little guilty of being part of that as well. Pertaining to female genital mutilation in africa, I remember first reading about it in Time magazine a long time ago at Prego's, mentioned it to my dinner partner for a few minutes and that was that. The next I hear about it must be from my ex-flatmate, who did her major in human rights in africa.

For the sake of argument, and also not wanting to let the american have her last say, I countered her points with the communitarian view that individuals are shaped by society's values and culture - every society's unique - and hence no other culture should claim superior and impose its values on others - there are also cultures where women's roles are highly regarded. yada yada.

I still think she's extreme to think that female circumcision should be eradicated completely because from what i understand, the operation IS particular to certain cultures (sort of like male circumcision in jewish and muslim cultures) and are carried out in safe conditions. Even take place in some sub-cultural groups in the west.

But I squirm at razor blades/kitchen knives, unsterilised, no anaesthesia, Worse, some girls have to be slit open later to allow penetration to take place on their wedding night. More importantly, these women have testisfied to undergoing physical and emotional trauma. Now, that's what I called abuse, mutilation, practically murder. Ouch.

Same thing with japanese women. Okay, if that's the way the culture is - as long as the women feel alright about it, fine.

I guess what irks some of us is the constant nagging that life would be a lot better if we were something else. Helloooo, we are HERE. we are being conditioned as SUCH. How would u like it if we turn around and say we prefer all chinese singaporean men to grow beards and be circumcised?

We want Peace.