Personal view

Discrimination is all around us

Even if it could be said that a certain discrimination against men might exist, the result overall is different, establishing that the biggest discrimination existing is still against women, but it is mostly centred in particular areas


By ROXANA CIUPARIU
from Bucharest, ROMANIA


Amidst all the conflicts, wars and other resembling problems, there is still one which is partially noticeable, that of gender discrimination.

Discrimination existed long before it got a name and it takes different shapes, based on nationality, religion, colour of the skin, the language one speaks and gender. Of all these types of discrimination, the one related to gender is, most likely, the one which triggered the alarm when it came to the emancipation of certain people. It was viewed from different perspective by people all around the globe, and, many of the conceptions existing 100 years ago are still alive in certain parts of the planet.

Men have always been the ones looking out for the house, the ones taking care of family problems and honour, practically the ones good at everything, while the role of the female was limited and involved mostly caring for the household, bearing children and educating them, while the women themselves were rejected the same right to education as men for hundreds of years, being considered inferior to them.

Although this is the 21st century and concessions are made for women as to help them get their rightful rights, there are still beliefs that women should not poses the rights they have now and, in certain countries, especially in the Arab world, but not only, discrimination is still part of the daily life.

Discrimination against men: true or false?

One of the measures taken to balance the proportion of men and women in political life is to reserve a number of places for women in governments or parliaments of certain states. Looking at this from different perspectives, it might lead one to believe that, instead of reaching a certain peace compromise between the two sexes, the world has gone in the opposite direction, directly or indirectly, discriminating against men. Even if it could be said that a certain discrimination against men might exist, the result overall is different, establishing that the biggest discrimination existing is still against women, but it is mostly centred in particular areas.

The whole purpose of the equality discussion is meant to assure that everybody will have equal chances to experience its own limits. If, afterward, the result is different than expected, then, no one should be blamed for this and all should accept that some people are meant for something, while others are not, and nobody should care of gender in this case, as long as the best outcome can be obtained this way.

The world is round, even when it comes to discrimination

On the American continent, the country of all possibilities, there are entire families belonging to different cults, such as the Mormons, where the man can marry as many women as he wants and be above law and religious beliefs from this point of view. He is "pater familias", he is the "iron fist" and he makes explicit use of it. No one is to be above him, no female is to say something different that what he says and for sure, no women is entitled to something that he considers unworthy. Women are kept in the dark and in fear; studying or working are limited or even forbidden since the man is the one who posses all the knowledge and has all the access to whatever it is needed; the study will only bring up questions that will probably upset the husband and will make them behave poor in the daily routine. They are not to think or to act on themselves, just to obey.

Tracking discrimination back to Europe, to some' surprise, it is here, although little less obvious. For example, looking at the nomads, the Gypsies, their ancestral traditions are kept and these imply no need for women to meddle in the affairs of the house, no need for them to ask questions they should not. Girls only listen to their fathers and they will not choose their own husbands since their judgement is poor, their fathers will make this important decision for them. And this last one is a reflection of a lot of people in the countryside of different European states, such as Romania, not only a Gypsy cultural inheritance passed from one generation to another. In some countries in Europe, girls are still being married according to their dowry and to whoever is the richest man in the area, and this decision is mostly made by the father or the oldest man in the household.

However, this is not only in Europe, but also in Asia and Africa, and, sometimes, religion might have a lot to say in building these convictions. According to certain beliefs, such as Islamism, women are impure in fate and conviction, so they need men to take decision for them. They must not show their hair, mouth or, in certain areas (like Cisjordan) not even their ankles. They are there just to serve the main purposes of life: procreation and taking care of the household. They do not need to be educated and get in touch with the things man gets in touch with, because they have their husband or father to deal with all that. Women which are considered as breaking a rule are being beaten up, with no possibility of appealing for help to anyone: the authorities will not believe them and they will not intervene in household matters; the family will consider a disgrace if they abandon their husband along with children and take refugee at them.

All over the world, women hide and keep things for themselves, hoping that the next day things will get better, praying for the husbands to act less violently and more caringly the following day. Their nights and days are all the same.


(Published: 18.07.2009.)