Monday 13 March 2017

“If you aren't outraged, then you just aren't paying attention” ― Lisa Borden

From what I can tell, International Women's Day was celebrated in Australia by outrage and anger over some traffic lights, and followed up with ire directed to some school boys at a boys school who made a video on why feminism is important.

The following day, a trans woman was dragged FROM HER HOUSE in Brazil and murdered, simply for existing. This didn't seem to cause the same mass outrage as 10 traffic lights having pictures of women on it. Apparently we're down with violence against women but not images of women.

The world is quick to jump on issues, but do you think sometimes we direct our attention to the wrong issues? Isn't it good if teachers at a boys school set a project to make sure the boys understand the issues women deal with every day? Apparently not.

Girls are sold into slavery and the sex trade every day. Women are murdered by their partners and random strangers every day. Gender parity is apparently not going to happen until 2133. That is not in our lifetime, nor in our daughter's lifetime.

Perhaps that is where we need to direct our outrage?

Next time you see an 'issue' contemplate whether we make the world a better place with our anger, whether we actually could do something to make a difference, instead of just type some words in the comments box.

Maybe the first step is redirecting our focus and energy.

As always, it starts with you and it starts today.


Linking with #OpenSlather

15 comments:

  1. It is shocking to think that gender parity won't occur in our lifetime or our daughter's. How completely sad is that?! The media definitely does have a tendency to focus on the wrong issues. It's madness. #teamIBOT

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  2. Oh yes. All the yes. This just astonishes me. People get outraged over a woman passing a note to a mother sitting on her car with the air con on, but shrug and move on when confronted with images of Aleppo.

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  3. Definitely a case of misdirected outrage and as usual misdirected media attention away from the real issues. As for those gender parity statistics, that's utterly depressing!

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  4. Agree. Imagine if we all joined forces and concentrated on one or two big important issues, solving one world problem at a time.

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  5. Hear! Hear! Well said Lydia. Our radars need recalibrating.

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  6. Well said. I think the media reports on what makes us click, rather than think. We are outraged about all the wrong things.

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  7. I absolutely agree. I don't understand why some issues get more attention than others. I do believe the media have something to do with it.

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  8. Yes we often give our attention to the wrong issues. And that teacher should've been commended! I don't understand why that would've upset anyone!

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  9. The media has everything to do with what's at the peak of discussion! (Ex media student.)
    Those traffic lights were greeted with everything from rejoice to rejection, even by women. Sadly so many females perpetuate the keeping-down of women. Where do we start?!

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  10. I can't believe gender equality is apparently still too much to ask. It's ridiculous!

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  11. I'm so appalled at what still goes on in the world today. The way some humans treat other humans, and particularly those they feel superior to, is anathema to me. The amount of women and girls sold into slavery, used and abused, and killed every day for just being who they are is abhorrent. I despair sometimes.

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  12. I could not even try to understand the world today, I would go absolutely crazy. I could blame the media, but it depends which media is watched. Some are better than others. As for the traffic light icons, I couldn't give a ....! As long as one is red and one is green haha

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  13. Oh that's scary! Thank you for sharing this. Elisa x

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