It's been a disastrous week for Australian politics. Our PRIME MINISTER, a post which should command more respect than she gets, has been accused of using gender issues as a political scheme- right before Australia seemed to erupt in an explosion of misogyny and stupidity. One has to wonder if karma just woke up and went- well, hey, she's had a tough time of it. Women have a tough time of it. No one ever seems to notice or want to talk about it. Let's make it so blindingly obvious that no one can argue that it's not a problem anymore.
And yet.
It seems like there is still an argument going on in the media, in society as to whether the prime minister is allowed to play the 'gender card'. To be honest, I don't know what the fuck they're talking about. First of all, as the prime minister, it's her job to discuss and counter the negative issues facing her constituents. As the leader of this country she has a right to talk about violence against women, the right to access abortion, wage inequality, all the way down to the insidious behaviour that seems to pervade our every day lives. She has the right to be treated with respect, not just because that's what her job demands, not just because she's a woman, but because she's a god damn person.
I can't seem to escape this. Even over here, away from it all , I am faced with gender inequality every day. I don't leave my hostel alone at night, I don't hitchhike, like many I've met out here. I pay more for a hostel that has high safety ratings. I am connected by social media every day to this tirade of news articles, youtube commentators, Facebook pages and twitter posts that alert me to this very problem.
And my big problem?
I just can't believe it. It literally hurts my brain to try and come to terms with the fact that I live in a society that seems to value me less. I can't figure out how it is possible. Where are these men? Are they the men I know? Single it down to just me, I can't imagine any man I let into my life categorically believing that as a man, he is better than me. Am I just around the wrong men? (The right men, obviously). Or does it occur when we can't see each others faces? When it's a social construct, when it's not 'Niki' but 'women' or 'those women' or 'sluts' or ugly women, fat women, beautiful women, smart women. When it's not your sister, your daughter, your mother? That's where the idiots who believe this garbage thrive. In the anonymity. They aren't dissing their wives- they're talking about 'other women'. Or you know what, they are talking about their wives, but they love their wife, so insinuating that she should stay where she belongs or dress a certain way or never be employed in a certain profession is a-ok. I love women, but only if...
But actually, you know what? They aren't talking about 'other women'. They are talking about our prime minister. Why aren't we more upset?
Why are we letting people play the 'misgynist asshole' card so much?
And yet.
It seems like there is still an argument going on in the media, in society as to whether the prime minister is allowed to play the 'gender card'. To be honest, I don't know what the fuck they're talking about. First of all, as the prime minister, it's her job to discuss and counter the negative issues facing her constituents. As the leader of this country she has a right to talk about violence against women, the right to access abortion, wage inequality, all the way down to the insidious behaviour that seems to pervade our every day lives. She has the right to be treated with respect, not just because that's what her job demands, not just because she's a woman, but because she's a god damn person.
I can't seem to escape this. Even over here, away from it all , I am faced with gender inequality every day. I don't leave my hostel alone at night, I don't hitchhike, like many I've met out here. I pay more for a hostel that has high safety ratings. I am connected by social media every day to this tirade of news articles, youtube commentators, Facebook pages and twitter posts that alert me to this very problem.
And my big problem?
I just can't believe it. It literally hurts my brain to try and come to terms with the fact that I live in a society that seems to value me less. I can't figure out how it is possible. Where are these men? Are they the men I know? Single it down to just me, I can't imagine any man I let into my life categorically believing that as a man, he is better than me. Am I just around the wrong men? (The right men, obviously). Or does it occur when we can't see each others faces? When it's a social construct, when it's not 'Niki' but 'women' or 'those women' or 'sluts' or ugly women, fat women, beautiful women, smart women. When it's not your sister, your daughter, your mother? That's where the idiots who believe this garbage thrive. In the anonymity. They aren't dissing their wives- they're talking about 'other women'. Or you know what, they are talking about their wives, but they love their wife, so insinuating that she should stay where she belongs or dress a certain way or never be employed in a certain profession is a-ok. I love women, but only if...
But actually, you know what? They aren't talking about 'other women'. They are talking about our prime minister. Why aren't we more upset?
Why are we letting people play the 'misgynist asshole' card so much?
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