Feminism: as time goes by

There was once a time when females crave for equality from males. It is not a secret that this world is male dominated. According to a good professor of mine, even language itself is gender biased. There are more insulting terms for women than for men, and even if there is, it just increases their distasteful liking for gross ideas. Words like jock, stud and player only increases their ego and manhood while terms like whore, bitch and slut demean women of their right as human beings and builds an idea that women are only sex toys for men. Even the word human has a “man” word in it. Does that mean women are less than human?

Woman. The word itself sets the premise that this creature is dependent on a “man”. You do not exist unless you are loved. You do not know anything unless you are touched. You cannot react to anything because you are a woman. No rights. No privileges. Just burdens.

I can still recall the story of the witch-hunt. Women back then were persecuted simply because they are precariously sensuous, undoubtedly irresistible and deviously enchanting. They were associated with the devil, the church saying that they are little whores of Satan. They were killed with the most vicious intent, hanging upside down from a wooden plank, crucified, garroted, beheaded, speared, stoned, or probably the most common punishment; burning them to the stake. Logical explanation: because they are women and Satan is presumed to be a lustful male demonic entity, (probably because the church wants to impress that Satan is a powerful creature. Note that male means power.) He’s accomplices and object for desire would be women. Witches. Poor females who didn’t know anything until the tongues of flame licked their soft bodies down to ashes.

Maybe the church has had it through with the witch-hunt, declaring that it was finally over on that glorious year of chastity and peace. It probably thought that as a peace offering for women, they glorified Mary as the Mother of God and venerated her with highest esteem, and added the word Mother to church. But for me, it is a ruthless mockery, callously masking their past “mistakes” full of innocent, crimson blood of screaming witches. Just because they were women…

It is history anyway. His story; always his and not hers. That’s why women from centuries were not very much heard. Has anyone thought the witch-hunt era of the church evil after it has expressed its gravest apologies? No, because it is history. Not hers that matter.

Throughout history women were strenuously misrepresented. Whenever men were written by scribes on a roll of parchment with a quill, they always emerge from the battle, careworn, seriously damaged, courageously severed, but heroic nevertheless. They always save the day, come what may and against all odds. How about women? There is Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. And why is she famous? It is because she hooked up with Mark Anthony to rebuke the Pharaoh. There is Helen, the face who launched a thousand ships and she’s only famous because she’s beautiful. Then there is Princess Diana, the alleged infidel wife of Prince Charles who became famous because she cared for the sick and the poor, then that horrible car crash which made her an instant saint. There is Minnie Mouse, and she’s only famous because she’s the love interest of Mickey.

Women throughout history are always dependent on men. They are always by his side, under his rule, beneath his reasoning, consumed by his wild fantasies and imaginations. That’s why it is his story.

As time progresses, women sought for independence against their unrelenting iron cage. They fought for freedom and struck like a lightning bolt, shocking everyone, men and other women alike, that they also have the capacity to think, the right to live an un-tortured, meaningful life, and not just a child bearer for the grunting pigs called men. But did they succeed? I can still see the likes of Cleopatra, bitching around in high stilettos, wearing excessive, mind-boggling colors and phrasing the word “that’s hot!” to be their own. I can still see Helen, who indeed is a born charmer, but cannot syllabicate the word “intelligence”, let alone spell it. There is still Princess Diana, who is a seemingly perfect woman with those powers and all, but mistreated and humiliated by her own husband. And there is still Minnie Mouse, who’s only famous because her dictator husband bought her thousands of shoes.

Isn’t the need for equality the claim of women throughout history? Haven’t they sought freedom from the cruel words of men? Their guises to score to a woman? From mediocre stupidity? From his clutches of neck binding brutality? As his reward and well-earned glory?

It is his story again. And everything women do is history.