EqualityQuilt

Beyond the Burqa

Once again the burqa is stirring up controversy. New legislation has been introduced in France to completely ban the burqa, and Sarkozy has spoken strongly in favor of it, saying that "In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,". I can't help but be annoyed by this.
Previously in France (and in the US) there have been controversies about veiling in public schools. The argument there was that a veil is a religious symbol, and, like a cross necklace, should not be mixed with a public, non-religious school. This at least I can understand a little bit. But when the reasons to ban burqas, which are a very conservative type of full body covering, are some white men's assumptions about what they mean or do to a woman--that is just intolerable.

Many Muslim women choose to wear a burqa, yes, choose! Women wear burqas (and other forms of veils and body coverings) for a vast array of reasons. Some wear them to feel safer, or more comfortable, others wear them to be respected, or to be judged by their character rather than their appearance. Burqas do not inherently make women prisoners, they do not inherently cut women off from social life, and they do not inherently deny women of their identity. In fact, many women feel the core of their identity lies in their religion, which they express by donning a burqa. Just because a woman in a burqa looks different from a woman in a business suit, that does not necessarily mean she is less strong or less independent or less of a feminist. Of course, some reasons for veiling are less honorable--many Muslim women veil just to fit in with their friends. Just like everyone else. And here we are, wearing tighter and skimpier clothing every year, just to fit in with the social trends. Who is more of a prisoner: the woman pressured to wear a burqa or the woman pressured to wear a bikini?

Let women speak for themselves, and make decisions for themselves. In Iran woman have protested against being forced to veil and in Turkey they have protested against being banned from veiling. So let's just stop trying to legally control what women wear; we get enough pressure from all other aspects of our life as it is. And once the Western world can at last get past its obsession with the veil, maybe it can finally think about the many, much more difficult issues that Muslim women face, such as genital cutting and honor killings. So please, let's get beyond the burqa.

By Cecelia Watkins

Hmong Women: Princess Warriors, Community Achievers

by Cecelia

Last Thursday, June 11, I attended an event organized by Hmong Women Achieving Together. This event, titled Hmong Women's Role in the Shaping of the Hmong, was part of a Speaker Series "to highlight and promote the work, leadership, and contributions of Hmong women." I walked away from the event filled with a renewed admiration for Hmong women and their accomplishments (as well as a belly full of delicious food!). Keynote speaker Dr. MaiNa Lee honestly noted that yes, Hmong women have traditionally faced discrimination due to a patriarchal society. In a rich Laotian family where the sons were among the most educated in the country, the daughters were illiterate. However, this patriarchy is not inherent to Hmong culture but rather formed after conquest. Dr. Lee pointed out that in ancient Hmong society many practices were matrilineal and that both genders emerged at the same time in the Hmong creation story (so much for us women being some guy's rib!). Even in times of patriarchy, Hmong women always had a certain power. Dr. Lee told enthralling stories about princess warriors and powerful men who were only able to gain such power through marriage alliances. And now--flashfoward to the present. In Minnesota, the first Hmong to get elected to office was female, and 6 out of 10 Hmong students at the UofM are female. At this event I saw and met many strong and wonderful Hmong women. Before my very eyes I saw them working as negotiators, political brokers and community organizers: modern princess warriors. Hnub Tshiab Boardchair MayKao Hang put it beautifully by saying that although Hmong women have come far in terms of equity, many are still reconciling their role as pioneers with their family duties as daughters-in-law. There's still a long way to go.

Despite the cool fact that Twin Cities landscapes favor women in burial (c'mon, that's cool), it's important to remember it's not just the western influence that has allowed for Hmong women's recent success. As Dr. MaiNa Lee stated, "Hmong women's emerging power has deep roots in Hmong society, politically, economically and socially." Don't forget those princess warriors! One story specifically tells of an ancient kingdom that fell because leaders did not listen to a princess warrior. Before she was killed, she promised she would return when rocks sprout flowers. Dr. Lee clicked the powerpoint ahead. The next slide: a picture from a recent trip to Laos. A picture of a rock sprouting flowers. The princess warriors are back, and they're here to stay.

New Afghan Law and Women's Responses

by Cecelia Watkins
As an Islamic/Middle Eastern Studies major, I am especially interested in issues involving Muslim women, and in clarifying misunderstood issues. One commonly misunderstood current issue is the new law in Afghanistan which places women further under the control of men. This law forces Shia women to obtain permission from their husbands or male relatives before leaving a house and permits a husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife every fourth night, whether she is willing or not. Clearly, this isn't a good thing. In figuring out how to combat this law, we must first understand it. So let me clear up a few points:

1. Most believe President Karzai signed this law to win the favor of the Shiite clergy in the upcoming election. However, this law is not Islamic! Although official federal law in Afghanistan does follow Islamic law, Sharia, this law goes against Afghanistan's Islamic constitution. It says in Article 22 that "The citizens of Afghanistan – whether man or woman – have equal rights and duties before the law".
2. Despite fewer legal restrictions of women after the Taliban's rule, many Afghan women still experience all the subjugation that the Taliban had imposed. Many women feel that the law doesn't change anything, as many households never followed the laws giving women more rights in the first place. Schools for girls get burned down, and legal cases against women's right's violations get lost or shoved aside.
3. HOWEVER-- many Afghan women do experience much more freedom than in Taliban times and have truly benefitted from less restrictive laws. They realize this new law officially condones unjust traditional practices thus greatly impeding progress towards gender equality. Even though the law only applies to the Shia minority, it is a step in the wrong direction and could soon be extended to apply to all Afghan women. On April 15, about 300 Afghan women bravely protested this law, despite massive throngs of violent counter-protesters. Go them! Because of this protest and international pressure, Karzai has vowed to amend the law. This is nice to hear, but will he change the law enough? And even if he totally scraps the law, will the situation improve for Afghan women? As American feminists we must support Afghan women who are fighting against this law.

P.S. from Bonnie:  Also check out the recent post from U.S. Women Connect, with photo of the awesome UNIFEM Director for Afghanistan.

Latinas Leadership for Healthy Living

Latinas in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have challenged each other to improve their eating and exercise habits, monitoring their success and awarding prizes  accordingly.    The idea emerged when Latinas  Development  Director Silvia Ontaneda asked  a grassroots group, What is standing in the way of your leadership?   The women have had training sessions on topics like reproductive health and civic engagement, and now want to move on to  helping each other in this new way.   Minnesota Latinas are less likely than other groups to use health services like mammograms, cholesterol checks, and first trimester prenatal care.   They are also less likely than White women to have leisure time physical activity - only 14% of Latinas say they have this activity, compared with 42% of White women. 

Silvia, who is working through the Minnesota Women's Consortium as fiscal agent for the Association of Latina Women of Minnesota, is lining up resources like Dr. Ana Diaz, prize donors and sponsors from community groups and health organizations to support the program, which will be conducted in Spanish close to the women's homes.  The program is quickly taking on a life of its own - run 95% by the women themselves - and we hope can eventually become a model to be used elsewhere.  For more information on this and other Latina issues, write Silvia:  latinaassociationmn@gmail.com.

Latinas & Civic Engagement

We were delighted to have a second visit from the dynamic staff of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. (Click on their name to visit their website.)  They were here for training on civic engagement, offered at Neighborhood House (also known as the Paul & Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building) on the West Side of St. Paul.  National president Silvia Henriquez explained some new directions.  Minnesota State Senator Patricia Torres Ray and Latinas Association advisory board member Migdalia Loyola both assisted in the training.  Silvia Ontaneda, developer for the Asociacion de la Mujer Latina en Minnesota, helped get the word out to the 75 attendees.   As on their last visit, NLIRH staff presented excellent information and materials, all in Spanish and in a culturally respectful way.   Please feel free to write Silvia O. to stay in touch as the Latinas Association develops.  (And watch this space for a Spanish version of this article.) -Bonnie

  

Dyane & Clint Eastwood

Oh, we've been away from the blog way too long.  But I know you all have been watching the (groan) political ads, been busy with all the post-summer activities, school, and so much more, so I wasn't worried about you being bored.   Here's just one sample of what some of the friends of the Minnesota Women's Consortium have been doing!  Dyane Garvey is a member of Hmong Women Achieving Together and sings in Calliope Women's Chorus - just to prove it's the busiest women who can be counted on for everything.  Besides all that good work, she recently served as a consultant on Hmong language and culture for a Clint Eastwood movie, "Gran Torino."  She says Clint was a pleasure to work with and worked very long days on the set every day.   Thanks for letting us in on the bright lights Dyane!  - Bonnie

P.S. Calliope is singing awesome literary work this fall, like Chief Seattle's moving words that "the earth does not belong to us... we belong to the earth." 

Focusing In On American Indian Women Leaders

Many of you may have seen the recent article in the Minnesota Women's Press profiling Minnesota American Indian women leaders. Examining the leadership paths of Melanie Benjamin (chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and Karen Diver (head of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), the article addresses the challenges of tribal leadership and how these women may lead differently than their male counterparts. While the article does an excellent job of providing a more in-depth look at Indian women leadership, in the words of the leaders themselves, it is not alone in shedding light onto the importance of American Indian women leaders.

WEWIN (Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations) recently held its fourth annual conference, "Power of One is a Strength of Our Nation," at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN. Dedicated to providing American Indian women leaders with the necessary resources for positive leadership development, WEWIN has been working for years to empower American Indian women through a mutually supportive network. With the Minnesota Women's Consortium and Community Shares as participants, the conference included workshops on a variety of issues effecting American Indian communities and their leaders, as well as those geared towards practical leadership development. Also featured at the conference (hosted by Melanie Benjamin) was a keynote speech by former Oglala Sioux tribal president and a founding board member of WEWIN, Cecilia Fire Thunder (pictured). Speaking on "Leadership Committed to Positive Change--The Power of One," Thunder touched her audience with her thoughtful commentary, while infusing her speech with a well-honed wit that added a light-hearted touch to her insightful speech.

So what is the point of highlighting this recent advocacy by and for American Indian women leaders? Simply to illustrate that Indian women leaders are here, they are powerful, and they are committed to supporting each other through the challenges and triumphs of tribal leadership.

Progress for Women of Color?

Next in the wonderful series from the Women's Center at St. Cloud State University, which reports on each of the 26 planks from the Houston Plan created at the National Women's Meeting in 1977. The speakers are Debra Leigh, a professor in the theater and film department at SCSU; Sharon Fineday, interim student services coordinator at the SCSU American Indian Center and an enrolled member of the Assiniboine & Sioux Tribe of Fort Peck, Montana; and Dr. Margaret Villaneuva, a professor in the department of community studies.  Can you answer Leigh's question, "Who was the African-American woman seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1988?"  The first person submitting the correct answer by pressing "comment" section below will win a free one-year subscription to our socko Capitol Bulletin newsletter.

Alissa's Albanian Adventures!

Many of our readers may remember former Consortium intern, Alissa Ridenour. While at MWC, Alissa was a Macalester student, but having graduated last Spring, she has moved on to even more ambitious endeavors. Alissa is currently in the first phase of her 27 month service stay in Albania with the Peace Corps! Currently staying in the village of Schtermen with a host family, Alissa will move much further north after she is sworn into service on June 13th. Fortunately, Alissa does have some access to email and has been able to send a few updates on her experiences, including some pictures with her most recent email!

Here, Alissa is standing in front of a men's only bar/cafe. Apparently, it is quite common for bars, restaurants, and cafes to refuse to serve women, especially after dark. Few women leave their houses after dark anyway, so it's a fairly accepted practice. Alissa tells us that she hasn't ventured into a "gentleman's cafe" yet, but she is holding a copy of the Capitol Bulletin that Bonnie sent her, so we have hope that she'll be able to infiltrate them with the message of women's equality!

Check out another fun picture of Alissa with her Capitol Bulletin and more interesting info on Albania after the jump...

Kalsang, We Are Thinking of You

With the news of renewed fighting between Tibetans and the Chinese government, we are extra glad to hear from Consortium friend Kalsang Wangdu who keeps us in touch with the Tibetan Women's Association of Minnesota.   She sent us this pic from her recent presentation to the women of Red Wing.  I first learned last year about the Women's Uprising in Tibet of 1959, commemorated by the TWAM in an event at the state Capitol.   I think some of the women and men arrested then died in jail.  The beautiful singing of the Tibetan Minnesotans about the longing for peace  can still be heard by clicking here for one of our previous articles.  Our heartfelt best wishes to you and yours on both continents, Kalsang.  -Bonnie