Firstly, an apology. Upon further examination, I realise that many, far too many, of my pictures are rather blurry. I only got the camera at the end of June: hopefully I'll get the hang of it before my trip.
Secondly, and far more importantly, a sad statement on the state of women's healthcare. I spent the better part of an hour weeping yesterday. Reading of the horrifying, abysmal, and shameful treatment of a woman in physical crisis strikes very deeply and very personally for me, and it just broke my heart. I ended up yelling - not at, but - near The Man about how healthcare professionals think they can push women around because we must be clueless as to our own health. We are emotional, excitable, hormonal: how can we possibly be taken seriously? The fact that necessary procedures and drugs are too-often denied women due to the exorbitant cost (yes, I'm a fan of socialised healthcare, alright; flawed and requiring serious reforms as our system of healthcare may be, at least I have never had to choose between my health and rent. Ever. I'm sorry we don't see eye-to-eye on this, honey, but this is just the way I see it.) is deplorable. It's just inexcusable. And that so-called professionals can then belittle and cajole women after bearing the burden of those costs, paying no heed to their considered and dispassionate concerns is utterly shameful. And it hurts me, deeply, personally, because when one woman is treated badly or condescendingly, by virtue only of her womanhood, the action hurts us all. I feel very strongly about this. If I am not personally upset by these things, if I and every other woman, nay, person, not directly affected by these events remain unaffected and unperturbed, there is little hope that this treatment will someday cease. Complacency is the disease which is holding every oppressed person down; minorities, homosexuals, women, children, the poor: we must get upset by things, we must. If I don't, what hope have I that our daughters, or daughters daughters will live in a better, more egalitarian world?
So I wept, and The Man did not understand why I was so personally upset by something happening to a woman I do not know, something which has never happened to me. And I tried to explain that what happens to one happens - in part - to us all, and that as a person and as a woman I am hurt and insulted on behalf of her, and of women stoned in Saudi Arabia, and of women who are told that their case of rape doesn't "count" in Germany (by a female judge, no less). And I explained that I hold a little fear, because if it could happen to a woman in the States, why can't it happen to me, in Canada? And I cried for her, and for us all, because it just. isn't. fair.
God help us all, if the world is really as backward as it seems.
Secondly, and far more importantly, a sad statement on the state of women's healthcare. I spent the better part of an hour weeping yesterday. Reading of the horrifying, abysmal, and shameful treatment of a woman in physical crisis strikes very deeply and very personally for me, and it just broke my heart. I ended up yelling - not at, but - near The Man about how healthcare professionals think they can push women around because we must be clueless as to our own health. We are emotional, excitable, hormonal: how can we possibly be taken seriously? The fact that necessary procedures and drugs are too-often denied women due to the exorbitant cost (yes, I'm a fan of socialised healthcare, alright; flawed and requiring serious reforms as our system of healthcare may be, at least I have never had to choose between my health and rent. Ever. I'm sorry we don't see eye-to-eye on this, honey, but this is just the way I see it.) is deplorable. It's just inexcusable. And that so-called professionals can then belittle and cajole women after bearing the burden of those costs, paying no heed to their considered and dispassionate concerns is utterly shameful. And it hurts me, deeply, personally, because when one woman is treated badly or condescendingly, by virtue only of her womanhood, the action hurts us all. I feel very strongly about this. If I am not personally upset by these things, if I and every other woman, nay, person, not directly affected by these events remain unaffected and unperturbed, there is little hope that this treatment will someday cease. Complacency is the disease which is holding every oppressed person down; minorities, homosexuals, women, children, the poor: we must get upset by things, we must. If I don't, what hope have I that our daughters, or daughters daughters will live in a better, more egalitarian world?
So I wept, and The Man did not understand why I was so personally upset by something happening to a woman I do not know, something which has never happened to me. And I tried to explain that what happens to one happens - in part - to us all, and that as a person and as a woman I am hurt and insulted on behalf of her, and of women stoned in Saudi Arabia, and of women who are told that their case of rape doesn't "count" in Germany (by a female judge, no less). And I explained that I hold a little fear, because if it could happen to a woman in the States, why can't it happen to me, in Canada? And I cried for her, and for us all, because it just. isn't. fair.
God help us all, if the world is really as backward as it seems.
I'm pretty horrified by that too (if you're talking about what I think you're talking about). And I've definitely had similar conversations with my bf. I'm not sure what to say, except for, no it isn't fair, and I really don't know what we can do, which seems like a rather sad place to end up. Pick our battles, I suppose, and always be willing to fight on our own behalf and stick up for those close to us.
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