Just read a speech by Sojourner Truth, ‘Ain’t I a Woman?’ that was made at a Women’s Convention in response to the comments of some men who talked about how man was superior to woman because he was stronger and had a higher intellect(?), and because Christ was born a man and not a woman and because of the ‘sin’ of the first woman. Awesome, awesome speech. Let me quote.
“I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen them most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?”
“Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?”
“Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.”
“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”
While modern research has shown that men and women do not differ in their strengths and intellects, I had yet not been able to find a complete answer to this problem, “Why have all the Gods, messiahs, prophets up till now been all men?” Thanks Sojourner, for answering one half. Let me state the second half.
Consider a girl belonging to a middle class family; let’s say, a thousand years before now? Now this girl has prodigious talent. She might be an exceptional musician, or a dancer, or a thinker and philosopher. If she is a talented singer, or musician or dancer, how far do you think her talent would carry her? If she is lucky she would only be singing for her husband. Others, if they are beautiful, would be taken to the king’s court or thrown in public houses to entertain the people. If she is more of the intellectual types, do you think she would be allowed to study, even if she were ten times as brilliant as any boy? Do you think she would be allowed to speak in public and proclaim her views? Never. Forget a thousand years ago, how many of you can say that your own mother did not have to sacrifice her dreams because of social pressures to have a family?
Religion preaches woman to be subservient, because religion itself is created by man. Men tell them that they are inferior to them and they accept, thinking it to be the word of God. I once had an argument with one of my friends. She was insisting that women are inferior to men because her religious text says so. She said that God has made the brain of woman smaller than man, which was also explained by her religious text. It is amazing how far down man can stoop to ensure that woman remains his slave.
Ultimately, there are only two races in this world- man and woman. One the aggressor, and the other subdued, suppressed, tormented everywhere. Even today, in the modern world? Well, it has been observed that even if the couple is highly educated, the wife may have to suffer physical or mental abuse at some point of their marital life. Speaking of Indian society, the husband is usually the dominant partner and usually makes all the financial decisions. The final say on the subject of marriage or education (this among the less educated people) of the children is the father’s. If the couple can’t have children, then it is blamed on the wife. Sometimes the husband does not even deign to take the test! I could go on and on like this, but I think I have made my point.
