I found an article on the BBC about a Bangladeshi girl who disowned her husband during the wedding ceremony right after the marriage because the husband demanded a dowry:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15739640
This kind of reminds me of the Torn Lace article we read, how the man seems loving and attractive right up to the point of marriage - then financials play a major role in the relationship. Such a perfect example of a runaway bride! I feel pro.
Furthermore, I found it interesting how many groups and parties denounced the girl's action, calling her a "loose woman" when it is actually against Bangladeshi law to give dowries - isn't that blatant disregard for, and promoting actions that subvert the law? So I suppose gender cultures transcend the law in Bangladesh, and other conservative societies.
Blogging Assignment Week 13: Rebecca Iloulian
ReplyDeletehttp://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/crosscutting-priorities/gender/women-make-the-news/
I found this article from the UNESCO page. First of all, in this article I learned that there is apparently a "national women's day", which is March 8th. I think it's funny there is a day dedicated just to women and their empowerment, attempting to elevate their status and grant them equality as a gender. It just shows another limit which is has been pushed in the equality for gender rights and equality, and women taking a step further in this struggle. The article is about being able to highlight good practices and the importance of using media and information in societies as a way to improve the understanding of women and men about gender perspectives in media and information systems. It's a campaign to help portray women well in the media and show the gender conflicts which have arisen. Both women and men will be working in the media and civil society to use this in order to share thoughts on how MIL can help women and men understand gender equality and to challenge the media to address this issue. I think it's great an organization is making an effort and great attempt to get people to understand conflict within gender, and promote awareness of the issues. Again, it is a way that this problem is moving forward and becoming clearer and more well-known, helping to eliminate the issue in the end.
-Rebecca Iloulian
I really liked the BBC article, and thank you Roy for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteIt is so refreshing to see one woman fighting some irrational traditional system and going against all the parties involved. Can you imagine the courage it took to do such thing? Hey, maybe that is all it takes - only one - and the others follow, but someone must take that first initiative!
Sultana Kamal, who belongs to the Ask Rights Group, said that Farzana Yasmin (the bride) had taken a "principled and brave stand against the gross injustice of dowry payments".
It is interesting that the government of Bangladesh is trying to eliminate the old dowry tradition but the locals are still not willing to adopt this change.