This my last post before the Degree assessment and show.
Throughout this blog, as I have explored The Patriarchal Society, I have followed the views of the media and press on matters that concern the abuse and control of women. I wonder if the discussion of this is part of the Zeitgist of our times?
In the UK there is certainly an awareness now of the historical stiffling of womens ‘ voices and talents. I watched The Story of Women and Art on BBC2. Contrary to what George Baseltz and Brian Sewel think and say, there have been great women artists in the past. They just got “forgotten” by misogynistic history.
Properzia de Rossi was a renaissance sculptor, included by Georgio Vasari in his account of Lives of the Artists. This was a phenomenal achievement at a time when despite the “rebirth”, women were expected to be decorously absent from public life – unless they were muses, goddesses, saints or whores. She honed her skills by first carving tiny fruit stones and aged 35 won an open sculpture competition for the Basilica of San Pietronio in Bologna. Her piece, Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife displayed her great talent. At the same time it damned her. Her knowedge of male anatomy was deemed too deep. A rival sculptor spread rumours about her that she was a “bitch” and he made sure she neither got paid well for the commission nor secured any more. Not exactly an even playing field. However, this piece exists today in San Pietronio – but not in a prominent position worthy of a competitively won commission – and is exquisite.
I read on the blog of Charlotte Gittins, one of the researchers for the programme that:
Whittling down the artists we could feature in the series, when there were so many deserving of our attention, was gut-wrenching.
The discussion of the work of these numerous, talented women artists is both exciting and depressing. They were celebrated in their times despite the enormous restrictions and hurdles they needed to overcome, and yet they have been edited out of the canon.
Now, however, there is an awareness that women are talented and make great artists and always have.
There is an awareness too that the current abuse of women in Pakistan, Nigeria and the Sudan, which I have discussed previously in my blog, is abhorrent and totally unacceptable to civilised societies.
The Times yesterday had SAVE MERIAM (the Sudanese woman condemned to death for apostasy) on its front page, describing how the world is appalled at her medieval treatment. Justin Welby was actually in Lahore only a few streets away from Farzana Iqbal when she was stoned to death and has also spoken out about this shocking act. In The Times today the Prime Minister is quoted as calling on the Sudanese goverment to lift the “barbaric” death sentence. In a Leading article the editor calls for pressure to be exerted on the Middle East, Asia and Africa where Christians are being cruelly persecuted with the rise of Islam.
Weren’t we here in Medieval times?
A letter to the Times today discussing the cases of the Nigerian school girls, Meriam Ibrahim and Farzan Psrveen says it is not just the religious intolerance that is appalling; it is the attitude to violence against woman in all its forms. The international community needs to unite; to fight to allow all women to have the basic human rights accorded to men.
I second that.
On the subject of FGM, there has been some progress. Finally, the Islamic Sharia Council, the Muslim College and the Muslim Council of Britain have come together to condem FGM.
They say FGM is not an Islamic requirement. They say:
FGM is bringing the religion of Islam into disrepute
I second that.
They intend to distribute thousands of leaflets to schools, mosques and community centres to end this oppressive and inhumane custom.
This is now their jihad.
I hope they can convince the men; fathers, brothers, husbands.
I hope they persuade the young men to speak out against this terrible practice.
I hope their voice becomes the voice of Islam throughout the world.
Do Not Cut The Flowers
