I find this problematic; I can certainly understand and applaud the sentiment behind this message; however, its important to note that a ring of men around a woman, signifying a protective barrier between her and the world, is a paternalistic and condescending image. That which is constructed to keep destructive forces out also has the inherent capability to imprison. In this model, men become not only protectors, but also arbiters of acceptable exposure, determining what kinds of experiences and actions are acceptable for a woman to undertake, controlling exposures and shaping perceptions, while denying her the fundamental right of agency. True gender equality does not arise frombeing protected; it is, instead, the state of not needing to be protected. Perhaps a more impactful delivery of this message, would be an image of people of all faiths, both women and men, surrounding destructive men, in order to metaphorically bar them from doing harm to women.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:40:55 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015