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087613431 · Wysłany: Pią 5:01, 25 Mar 2011 Temat postu: A Woman's Worth_2515

In the "Europe" section of The New York Times, I read an article about an Albanian woman who chose to become the man of the house after her father was murdered. She, Pashe Keqi, now 78,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], was able to do this at the age of 20 by becoming a sworn virgin. She said, "While a woman's life is worth half that of a man,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a virgin's value is the same: 12 oxen." Her virginity ensured her equality.
That led me to ponder, how many oxen am I worth; and can I still ensure my equality if my virginity is long gone? In a world of equality, that question would be moot. Or is that moo when dealing with oxen?
American women can tout equality from their L'Oreal locks down to their Jimmy Choo shoes, but they're still only paid 75.3 cents to every dollar a man makes. They are still traditionally defined by their marital status (Miss or Mrs.) before they are as an individual (Ms.). They still often give up their name for a man when they marry,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and they still often pay more for a haircut and dry cleaning than a man does (even if they have shorter hair and simpler [link widoczny dla zalogowanych]). They still do not have equality.
What is a woman's worth? Her ability to bear and raise children? To multitask? To bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan? Women don't have to be like men to have equality,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], but they have to know that they are worthy of it and they have to see it as an inherent right that they desire. I just wonder if they do.
It's impossible to ensure equality by participating in a tradition that does not promote it. Based on the fact that more than 90% of American women take a man's last name when they marry and go by "Mrs.," it begs the questions: Are women simply not interested in equality or do they not see the connections between their actions and the inequities those actions perpetuate?
Any tradition that promotes inequality is a tradition worthy of reconsideration. Women are amazing and powerful. They are not afraid to have "ah ha" moments and change their lives in an instant. I believe that as more women make the connections between the choices they make and the inequities those choices create,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], that more women will make new choices.
Source: New York Times piece By DAN BILEFSKY Published: June 25, 2008. United States Census Bureau 2003
The manageress and a guy behind a till were the only people in the shop and I made my way to the walk-in beer fridge at the back. Over the months they had got to know me well and no doubt had their own thoughts about me. But I was probably one of their best customers so they always treated me politely. They could not have failed to notice the huge amounts of booze that I was buying.As I made my way to the beer fridge the shop assistant appeared out of nowhere and greeted me. "Sawubona,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," he said. He seemed to stare right into my very soul. I wondered what was he thinking. He sometimes helped me to the car and today would be no different. No doubt I was a shock to him as well. Maybe I was too paranoid. Sure I was gaunt, filthy and sickly-looking but then maybe there were plenty of people like me coming in and out of the bottle store every day. Maybe all that intrigued them was where the money was coming from. That must be a mystery as I looked like a typical down and out. Bugger it. Let them ponder.
The cold beer fridge revived me a little and I always stayed a couple of minutes longer than necessary. I found my beer and asked the assistant to help me carry the case to the till. There I fumbled for the money and handed it over to the guy. He remained silent and passed me the change which I gave to the assistant. He mumbled a quiet "Siyabonga," and carried the case to the car.I felt that I had no choice any more. The liquor consumed all my mental and physical energy. The people who came and went in my life saw me as a babbling wreck. I comforted myself with the thought that they should see me when I was deprived of my beers.I stopped at the fridge long enough to sink a cold one and then walked into the office. My entrance went unnoticed and only Mary looked up and asked how I was feeling. Plonking myself down, I couldn't fail to notice that it had turned into a lovely day.