Monday November 8, 2004
On Saturday I was out for a stroll in the Glebe (a great place for strolling) when I was taken aback by the National Post's front page story, stopping to glance at what was readable through the front of the box. Convinced I had possibly misunderstood the article, I looked it up online and found that I had not.
From their web site today (with link to the original article):
Bra burns with social significance
It will no doubt be dismissed by some as "a tempest in a B-cup," but when the women's volleyball team from the University of Alberta began their fight for the right to briefly doff their shirts this past week, they were joining a long-established tradition of feminist activity using the most sexualized and complicated symbol of womanhood there is: The bra.
Ignoring for the moment the fact that this probably doesn't qualify as front page worthy "news", it is disconcerting to think that women have come so far and yet much has not changed.
Yes, we have been declared "persons" and have a monument or two now celebrating the women who made the fuss that got that little oversight amended. (Seems England didn't have a problem with the word persons including women, just some folks in Canada.) We got the vote (not that long ago, either). We gained admission to higher education and finally have insinuated ourselves into almost every profession and trade. We still (as a group) make less than our male counterparts, so equal pay for equal work is yet to be realized. And we still do an inordinate amount of devalued and 'volunteer' labour.
This must be the 80/20 rule at work.
Sensational and ridiculous reactions to female body parts during this century create a bit of cognitive dissonance. A brief flash of breast during the Superbowl was cause for a fine. Penalties now for the female athletes who dare to be seen in a gym wearing sports bras.
So, um, we're all equal over here now, except for unfathomable dress rules. And that pay equity thing. The Goddess is not amused BTW.
0) { ?>Well, the National Post is largely a neo-conservative right wing rag, and to avoid at all costs. Discounting that, all discrimination causes need to be continued to be trunched forward. Women's rights tie in closely with women's poverty, and the lack of value put on childcare and housework in many aspects of society is despicable. Much damage has been done by Alberta and Ontario especially in the last decade with respect to these rights and entitlements which were put in place to address these inequalities.
Much has been sacrificed to the almighty paycheque and the shareholder bottom line.
Posted by: Frank at November 9, 2004 08:07 PM