Oprah 12/29/00

[MIDWESTDIVA]

Did anyone see Oprah yesterday?

The show was about violence against women worldwide. Much of the show was about the genital mutilation that is practiced in many African countries. Can you imagine living in a country where cutting off a young girl's clitoris with a rusty razor blade, with no anesthesia, while she is being held down by 5 adult men is an acceptable practice?

They also had stories of women in certain countries who are murdered by their families if they bring shame on the family by being raped, leaving their husbands, or running off with a man the family does not approve of.

I cried during most of the show. People complain about the way things are here, but we are truly blessed.
www.oprah.com

------------------
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." ~Harry S. Truman~

[Classy_Diva5]

MIDWESTDIVA- i agree with you on that one. While at summer school, i happened to run across a book that explained the whole process of women circumcision-it even showed the "tools" used to do it-can you imagine the unbearable pain? Most of the removals ended in in infection because of the crude surgery.
If a woman is raped in a Middle Eastern country, her rapist can get off of the death penalty by proposing his victim. If she turns down his proposal, then she goes to jail.
We all complain about things that we don't have, but look at all of the other women in these Eastern continents. They have no rights AT ALL. The practices are all a bit different, but it all boils down to injustice for women.
I pray that one day these women get what is rightfully theirs-we should'nt have to be killed or hurt to gain our freedom.

------------------
"Mind ya own, stay true to ya own, be ya own."
Peace and God Bless
Classy_Diva5

[MIDWESTDIVA]

Classy_Diva5,

Do you remember the name of that book?

[straightBOS]

Try "Possessing the Secret of Joy" by Alice Walker. The story line is kind of a follow-up to The Color Purple, but deals with a woman's life after she leaves Africa, and how being circumcized has grealty compromised her life. It gets kind of graphic in some parts. I read it some years ago, but it should still be in print.

[MIDWESTDIVA]

Long time, no see StraightBOS.

Thank you for the suggestion. I will look for it.

------------------
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." ~Robert Frost