Activism Blog 3

Activism:  

This week, on behalf of NOW, I tabled from 10-12 on Wednesday before my class in an attempt to get more signatures for CEDAW (the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women). The petition sponsored by CEDAW is meant to get the United States to cooperate in its global feminist goals and to ratify the CEDAW treaty. There have been three Presidents that support CEDAW, the latest being George W. Bush who later changed his position from favorable of, to against the ratification. Essentially the main opposition for the ratification of CEDAW comes from conservative groups and the religious right wing. A prime example of their concerns comes from an organization called Concerned Women for America who expect that the ratification of the treaty will negate family law and dispute “traditional values” by redefining “family”, it will force the U.S. to pay men and women the same work and that will apparently “go against the free market system” and another huge dilemma for these ultra conservatives is the fear that the ratification will allow same-sex marriage, prostitution and negate parental rights by reinforcing the importance of gender equality.

Reflection:

 I will get to my opinion of these ridiculous notions in “Reciprocity” because what I got out of learning about CEDAW and its opposition was a reignited sense of vigor and complete and utter anger at these ignorant people as well as a new perspective on my activism and what my purpose as a member of NOW is. For now, I will continue to connect my experiences with the text. So here we go: Essentially the two subjects we talked about in class this week were women in the workforce and rape. There are examples from each of these topics that facilitate female advancement and agency in a patriarchal society; however, the organization Concerned Women for America, a religious right wing conservative group, happen to be in opposition to each. This works out fine because these examples are also supported and recognized as positive advancements by global feminist organizations like CEDAW who also happen to have the honor of being rejected by CWA. Firstly, CWA as I mentioned earlier is against the equal pay for equal work between men and women and the advancement of women in the workforce. Most of the legitimations for CWA’s “pillars of truth” come from the New King James Version of the Bible. The NKJV also (if we use the same method of analysis as CWA in the passages presented on their website), sanctifies the hierarchy of men over women and female subordination which evidently permeates all aspects of life including economic institutions. The conversations we had about rape and rape culture in class today were aimed at a feminist perspective of regaining agency after being victimized and possibly revictimized by society. Organizations that are most prominently known for atrocities like victim blaming are usually right wing organizations and conservative media because the victim would have theoretically done something to “deserve it”. I’m not saying that CWA victim blames, I’m also not saying that based off of the information on the website that it is an organization free from judgment about anything involving sex, or the subservience of women. Organizations like CEDAW however are those who would support the notion of a rape survivor gaining agency over that experience and reclaiming his/her sexuality in order to reclaim his/her life in all its aspects. As Morales says “to shamelessly insist that our bodies are for our own delight and connection with others clearly defies the predatory appropriations of incestuous relatives and rapists” (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey, 284). This quote signifies the agency women gain from reclaiming their sexuality and by extension their lives- to no longer be a victim everywhere they go; to no longer have to hold onto your victimhood in everything you do. Organizations like CWA in denying females the ability to gain access to progress in everyday life without shame or guilt thus denies them the ability to step out of the shame perceived in being a rape victim and move on.

Reciprocity:

In my opinion, those against US participation in the globally progressive goals of CEDAW and mainly those who call themselves “traditionalists” are blindly lost in complacency. Furthermore, change in this country is apparently optional and non-beneficial for them because they value the “sovereignty of America” (as if same sex marriage is going to completely undermine our entire government – which was originated for white men only, by the way). It’s too bad that the women of color that identify as a part of these conservatives don’t think about the change that it took to move away from slavery, forced labor, Jim Crow laws and forced segregation. But clearly the “radical” idea that people of color are people too is not the same as the “radical” notion that women are people as well and deserve equality. This notion of gender equality however will send America spiraling out of control because of our menial little brains that will implode if we are exposed to too much information.

References:

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2010. N. pag. Print.

Concerned, Women For America. Biblical Support for CWA Core Issues. CWA, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.cwfa.org/coreissues.asp>.