Gazette April 2011 March 2013
The Gazette
Opinion International Women’s Month by Sean Wofford March is International Women’s Month. This might seem insignificant to many. The small amount of coverage this month receives from the popular media is little more than a nice nod to all of the progress women and women movements have accomplished over the years. International Women’s Month culminated on March 8 which was International Women’s Day. I stumbled across an article on the evening of March 8th titled “It’s a Man’s World,” and peaked by the obvious contradictory nature of the title and the ideas of the day it was published on, I had to read it. The article spoke of the horrendous rape and gang rape statistics of the south-central Asian country, Cambodia. The article was written by Aela Callan and featured on Al Jazeera’s website. In the article, Callan reveals the disturbing statistics which show that one in four Cambodian men have raped a woman at some point in their lives and that one in twentyfive admit to participating in a gang rape. This one article is enough to make one realize that we are a long way from accomplishing the ideals of International Women’s Day, but unfortunately there is a lot more proof. An article on Policymic.com, written by Yanwan Xia, speaks about this important day and the outlandish prevalence of discrimination towards women which still exists in all parts of the world, including our own country. Xia cites two horror stories of rape cases in her article. One in particular sparked a bit more attention from the international community, this was the case of a 17-year-old girl named Anene Booysen from South Africa, which according to the article written by Anna Bresla on Jezebel.com, “has widely been described as one of the world’s ‘rape capitals,’ with
60,000 reported per year but an estimated 10 times as many going unreported.” More than 60,000 a year! A staggering amount when you consider the fact that one case a year is too many. This was perhaps the most graphic news article I have ever read so I will spare you the details; but know that it was inhumane by even a monster’s standards. This article references the New Dehli rape and murder of a young girl which gave rise to mass protests and received large media coverage. The cartoon included, which Bresla refers to in her article, voices the author’s concern of whether or not such a brutal crime will be enough for actual change to occur instead of just the normal “lip service”. The second story cited by Xia took place in Egypt amidst political protests and was told of in a piece written by Nadine Marroushi & Salma El Wardan for Bloomberg. com. The piece speaks of a 19-yearold girl who was rescued by a volunteer working for Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment, an activist group based out of Cairo, Egypt, and uses this story as a back drop for the large protests which have been taking place to combat the violent acts against women which have become all too commonplace in their society. How this type of violence cultivates in the current petri dish of civil unrest and protest in Egypt is explained by Xia, “During the maelstroms of war and social unrest, women are often the casualties taken for granted.” Her words, although unfortunately accurate, read as something saturated and broiled in cynicism only to cool on the windowsill of a well-read mind to form that crusty film of melancholy responsible for that nonchalant taste her words leave in your mouth. I mention this only to point out the inevitable destination of desensitization our current path has us en route for; some might even argue that we arrived
at this destination quite sometime ago. I am truly sadden to learn of how much progress is left to be made. I am also upset with myself for only reading the headlines and accepting the kind nod given to women every March, the congratulatory pat on the back, the “attah-boy” echoed on televisions and in “Googledoodles.” The arrogance inherited by men from their ignorant cultures is not an excuse, it is the root of a worldwide plague. And although the violence committed against woman is a huge part of gender discrimination, there are other pieces which make up this abhorrent picture; job discrimination, poverty, verbal harassment, education discrimination, pay inequality, sex-selective abortion, female infanticide, and the dumping of unwanted baby girls which takes place in cultures which fail to value the life of a girl as equal to that of a boy. I will close this article by quoting the seven facts Yanwan Xia quoted from an article by Emma Gray for Huffingtonpost.com called “Women and Poverty in the United States: 18 Essential Facts.” 1. Single mothers are twice as likely to be poor as single fathers. 2. Women make on average 77 cents for every dollars a man makes. 3. 27.5% of black women were living below the poverty line in 2009 4. 13.5% of white women were living below the poverty line in 2009. 5. 27.4% of Hispanic women were living below the poverty line in 2009. 6. Women are more likely to be living below the poverty line than men across all racial and ethnic groups. 7. Women with breast cancer are 11% more likely to die if they live in lower-income communities. Want to help? www.rainn.org www.now.org www.madre.org
Student Life Tiff Jimber, Piano/Pop Rock Musician Date: Wednesday, March 20 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm Location: Cafeteria Performing in honor of Women’s History Month, Tiff comes to GCC from California. Sounds like Sara Bareiilles and Ben Folds. Tastes like coffee spilled on ivory. Looks like a Purple piano in 4 inch heels. Smells like fresh baked cookies. Feels like a bathtub of aloe vera gel. Makes Ewoks dance and flowers sway to the groove Find out more at www.tiffjimber.com Teddy Bear Factory Date: Monday, March 25 Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Location: College Center Mezzanine Come build your own Teddy Bear to comfort and love! You can choose from a plush bear, frog or tiger. After stuffing your new friend, you will receive a personalized birth certificate and enjoy watching your new friend come to life! Free to all students! GCC Bandana Day - Supporting the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation Date: Thursday, March 28 Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Location: College Center Mezzanine The Student Government Association and the Adult Center for Transition are teaming up to host a GCC Bandana Day to support the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation (ARVF). This Foundation has been uniting with volunteers from around the globe to help raise money and awareness for teens dealing with devastating illnesses. They are dedicated to making improvements in the lives of teens with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Choose to purchase a bandana or bracelet from a variety of available colors or support the cause by purchasing an ice cream and waffle sundae. A delicious treat for a worthy cause! Handwriting Analysis Date: Tuesday, April 9 Time: 12:00 - 3:00 pm Location: College Center Mezzanine Back by popular student demand! This event is sponsored by the GCC’s Psychology Club and the Student Life Office. Dennis Duez and Paul Dau, expert handwriting analysts will be here to help you understand more about the mind and body. Handwriting analysis produces a personality profile of the writer by examining their handwriting. Warning: Health issues or past experiences may be revealed! Come see for yourself - "first hand"! Blizzard of Bucks Crazy Game Show Date: Wednesday, April 10 Time: 12:00 noon - 1:15 pm Location: Cafeteria GCC's Student Life Office is bringing America’s #1 touring game show on campus and we need YOU! Students will participate in wacky stunts and attempt to win cash and prizes! This activity is all about having FUN!