|
Thanks
for your note to FEMINIST.COM--and
for not letting your outrage
build up inside of you, but
rather express it. There are
so many things that I have learned
from my years working in feminism--that
I can't believe still happen.
I feel like I am always walking
around saying "Did you know....."
and I fill in some gross inequity
that exists. And these often
go beyond what in comparison
seem like "mild everyday sexism."
In terms of what you can do....you
can do a a lot. Since both of
these crimes--honor killings
and female genital mutilation--are
things that happen mostly to
women in other countries, there
are two main things you can
do:
1.) Contact the U.S. State Department
(the department that handles
international crimes) and let
them know that you want the
U.S. government to put pressure
on these countries to stop these
atrocities. The U.S. government
could do what it does with places
like Cuba and more famously
South Africa--embargoes to encourage
the end to such treatment. You
can also contact the United
Nations to register similiar
complaints. It's best to send
a letter, but calls help, too.
Emails have proved to be the
least effective.
2.) You can contact an international
women's organization that is
working on putting an end to
these injustices. The best organization
that I know about is Equality
NOW. They are doing lots
on this issue and constantly
have updates.
There also might be an organization
in your area, where you could
volunteer your time. And perhaps
you want to do a report for
school--as it's likely that
just as you didn't know this
- many of your schoolmates don't
either.
Those are some starters. I hope
they help you channel your energy.
—Amy
|
