Celebrating International Women’s Week
Last week was International Women’s Week (8th of March to the 12th ), so I figured what better way to celebrate than learn a little about the woman who just wrote, “I Am An Emotional Creature”. The book is written by Eve Ensler and just made its debut coinciding with the yearly V-day event that Eve Ensler founded. V-day occurs right around Valentines Day and is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls around the world. On the website they mention that for V-Day, teens and adults alike volunteer and organize various events “ produce(ing) annual benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues, A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer, and screenings of the V-Day documentary Until the Violence Stops. Eve Ensler is most highly regarded for her creation of the Vagina Monologues which is a play performed by schools like Berkeley High, numerous colleges and women’s groups across the nation. The Vagina Monologues feature various women talking about their vaginas and the emotions that arise around that body part. Also, each year the play adds a different woman character from around the world speaking about her womanhood and vagina. Last year the new character was a woman representing the Congo, a place where women are at risk for rape or genital mutilation (their genitals are sometimes sewn or damaged in other ways) and do not have much say in what happens to their bodies. Although I have not yet had a chance to read Eve Ensler’s new book I did read an excerpt from it. The excerpt is a slam poem all about what it means to be an emotional creature, to be a teenage girl. It can be found here, “http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eve-ensler/i-am-an-emotional-creatur_b_468801.html”.
When it comes to relationships and women it is key to remember that although statistics show that often women are abused more then men; women too can sometimes be the abuser. That said, every nine seconds a woman is beaten in the United States. Eve Ensler and others argue that women need to feel empowered. One Definition of the word EMPOWERED states, “Having been given the power to make choices relevant to one's situation; Acting with confidence.” Women have not always had the same rights as men. Women had to work hard to finally gain suffrage, that is, the right to vote in 1920. When men went away to fight in WWII, many women were given the opportunity to work at jobs outside of the household. They worked in factories, built ships and more. Rosie the riveter became an icon of the time. Now, women are generally acknowledged as equal to men. But even today Women make only 75.5 cents for every dollar that men earn. Its important to remember that although womens rights have come a long way there is still more that could be done.
The reason Eve Ensler’s name is important in this global issue of improving rights for women is because she has focused on awarness of the various treatments of women. Her newest book is a great example as it tries to offer some insight on the world of a teenage girl growing up today. To quote an excerpt, “I am an emotional creature. I am connected to everything and everyone. I was born like that. Don't you dare say all negative that it's a teenage thing or it's only because I'm a girl. These feelings make me better. They make me ready.They make me present. They make me strong.”
I love these lines for I think women and men have the right to feel their emotions, and express them. It is healthy to feel anger and scream, or feel sadness and cry, or happiness that makes you laugh. It’s these emotions that are important and should be embraced, NOT disregarded. When these feelings are hidden away it’s dangerous. When a guy feels like he can’t cry and be a man and a girl thinks if she smiles it may show she is vulnerable, that is a bad sign. BOM stands for those who show their feelings in healthy ways. Suppressing an emotion or feeling can be like filling a balloon with air until it keeps getting bigger and bigger, until eventually it pops. When built-up emotions ‘pop’ people may become physically or emotionally violent. This violence is dangerous and it is unhealthy. If men and women feel empowered in all circumstances it will lead to better relationships and more fulfillment. Consider these along with Eve Ensler’s words and have a happy Womens week!
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