When I first read about the "honor" killing of Dua Kahlil, I was crying so hard I could barely see the monitor. I am so angry about the way women are treated, and I feel so impotent. Culture and Heritage seem like bullshit screens to avoid Humanity--what responsibilities we creatures of earth have to one another. The kind of anger I have makes me believe that no measured response can effect equality; women cannot continue to beg for value. We need more "fuck you" can-do, even in the face of physical threat.
Via Salon.com's Broadsheet, I ran across this rant by my beloved Joss Whedon. I love that he says what he says; I love that he uses the public forums open to him to create powerful role models; I love that he, as a white-American-male, is openly feminist. But what saddens me is that because he spoke up about Dua Kahlil's murder, people started to pay attention. No woman (celebrity, politician, etc) who has spoken publicly about this has gotten much press. We are all still accepting that it must be men who speak for us, who OK our natural emotions and responses, who decide what is important and why.
What can I do? WHAT CAN I DO?
I am part of the system and its problems; I sing--beautiful, transcendent melodies--about women who want to die for love, who are outcast for following their hearts, who descend into madness when their lover is killed. I am so eager to "succeed" in this opera business that I will act any role granted me, despite its message. One of the roles that I have done repeatedly is Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberfloete; Pamina has been kidnapped by her father to save her from the "corrupting" influence of her "power-hungry" mother; while held prisoner, the man to whom her father entrusts her attempts to "force his love upon" her; she is saved by men, pardoned for escaping by a man, and both her parents give her as a prize to Prince Tamino; Pamina's one moment of greatness in the opera is when she accompanies Tamino on his trials--she is willing to brave water and fire in order to support her man on his mission. How can I continue to play this part, to tell this story, particularly when it is marketed to children? How can I hope to make a real change in this business if I never get started? How can I do any more than be who I am, and hope that me "being the change [I] wish to see in the world" is enough?
What can I do?
Via Salon.com's Broadsheet, I ran across this rant by my beloved Joss Whedon. I love that he says what he says; I love that he uses the public forums open to him to create powerful role models; I love that he, as a white-American-male, is openly feminist. But what saddens me is that because he spoke up about Dua Kahlil's murder, people started to pay attention. No woman (celebrity, politician, etc) who has spoken publicly about this has gotten much press. We are all still accepting that it must be men who speak for us, who OK our natural emotions and responses, who decide what is important and why.
What can I do? WHAT CAN I DO?
I am part of the system and its problems; I sing--beautiful, transcendent melodies--about women who want to die for love, who are outcast for following their hearts, who descend into madness when their lover is killed. I am so eager to "succeed" in this opera business that I will act any role granted me, despite its message. One of the roles that I have done repeatedly is Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberfloete; Pamina has been kidnapped by her father to save her from the "corrupting" influence of her "power-hungry" mother; while held prisoner, the man to whom her father entrusts her attempts to "force his love upon" her; she is saved by men, pardoned for escaping by a man, and both her parents give her as a prize to Prince Tamino; Pamina's one moment of greatness in the opera is when she accompanies Tamino on his trials--she is willing to brave water and fire in order to support her man on his mission. How can I continue to play this part, to tell this story, particularly when it is marketed to children? How can I hope to make a real change in this business if I never get started? How can I do any more than be who I am, and hope that me "being the change [I] wish to see in the world" is enough?
What can I do?
2 comments:
wisaebef, i freaking LOVE YOU!! where i've shut off valves to preclude total comsumption by rage, you continue to channel the human experience. i admire your willingness to open your ribs wide with two fists and allow reality in. you see. you give in and give over and allow yourself to see, truly see. while the rest of us consciously turn two eyes blind, while we choose to protect the little worlds we've built for ourselves, you are bearing witness. sweetheart, that is quite possibly the hardest thing to do. your compassion moves me. inspires me. thank you for that gift, for reminding me i have a heart, of how large a heart can be, of how large my heart can be. for it is in sharing that too large for our hearts pain, we also experience too large for our hearts love, and that too large love for humanity is such a miracle. (not that i'm saying that just seeing is enough...i just wanted to remind you that it is something and is movement in the right direction.)
Thanks for listening, sweet gal, and encouraging me.
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