We are the Future

It's interesting that Feminism is inherently a response to something. As long as there is inequality and violence against women, feminism will continue to develop as a reactor for these issues. For each generation of females, different inequalities exist, and so there will be different forms of feminism to respond. Can feminism stand as a concept on its own? Can there be feminism without inequalities? Would there be a point? I used to think that feminism was a form of extremism, and I'm glad I was able to take this class because it makes me realize that women's rights isn't about extreme ideas, but the main idea is that they need to be singled out in the sea of inequalities, because women are different from men. They aren't worse or better, just different. And different problems need different courses of treatment. One of the biggest problems surround the fact that we are trying to solve algebraic and trigonometric equations the exact same way! And the fact that men are the standard just reemphasizes that point. Statistics really help me put it into perspective. There are over 200,000 victims of sexual assault each year in the U.S. I know that I can't be passionate about everything, but the fact that is new information to me really makes me upset. How can we help others, if we don't even help ourselves first? WHY is this number new information? It's overwhelming to think about this answer. It's because there is a carelessness about women that has been institutionalized since the founding of this country, and so the citizens of the U.S. grow up not knowing or not caring. Because of the frustration and the slow improvement, women have taken up other measures. Although I don't agree with them, I understand where they are coming from. Oppression makes people do some crazy things.
For example, the Femen movement sprouted up recently in the media because of their means of exposing "female oppression." Although I deem it to be crazy, to them it is their way to stand up for justice. Even though this is a blog, and I am supposed to write about my feelings, I'm tired of it. Honestly, I'm just tired of having to be on the defensive all the time and every where go. From class to the comments on the streets, to conversations with friends, I feel like it never ends. I have to take an intro to the Quran class for major and it is very difficult to sit in that class with a room filled with people who are so clueless about Islam, especially during the class on what the Quran says about women. I feel like that is my life condensed into one room. Sometimes there are so many things I want to say that I end up saying nothing at all. Then I regret it. I don't want to victimized myself and after this class, I know that there are way worse problems happening to women around the world, but that doesn't mean I can shut off my feelings.

This facebook page has some great articles regarding how a community of Muslim women feel about Femen.