Recently I saw a film on how Caribbean women see themselves by Jada Lee Condappa-Lewis. Her film presentation was entitled, Other Angels. I am not sure how one can access this film. However, Stacy Parris’ poem echoes the sentiments of Other Angels[i] Ironically many parts of the world are celebrating carnival. A major preparation many women attempt is to bend their bodies into stereotypical standards so as to pass the gaze of many hungry eyes on the carnival auction blocks. Many factors may contribute to this need to conform to gender roles expectations. Unfortunately, many women also fall victims to these gender roles demands. Yes we have many women who have broken many glass ceilings in their way. Many women have excelled beyond compare and patriarchal expectations yet still many more are victims of all kinds of gender abuse and violence. What are we celebrating this day of International Women’s Day? Hear the concerns expressed by a student of UWI[ii] Amilcar Presi Sanatan
100 Years of International Women's Day :) equally both women and men should celebrate this occasion. Together, we must work to bring about pragmatic and systematic implementation of national women empowerment programmes. Also, as a man, this is a call for an end to our discriminatory attitudes that may subjugate women, from the way we interact with each other physically and understand person’s sense of space, to co-operation in the work places, societal expectations, all the way to inclusive language.[iii] Therefore let this celebration of International Women’s Day drew us closer as one human family where the concerns of one will be the concerns of all. Let us see this day as a day for all of us to reflect and celebrate. While there is good reason to celebrate, the fact that one woman is still being beaten, or raped, over worked and under paid, denied certain rights, killed, etc., is a serious cause for reflection and transformation through the efforts of both men and women. Only then will our cause for marking this celebration will be complete. Please do have a reflective International Women’s Day and work in your own little corner to transform gender attitudes. we interact with eachother physically and understand persons sense of space, to co-operation in the work places, societal expectations, all the way to inclusive language.
This song is for the woman who has sacrificed to give birth to every possiblity of my life and generations of my lineage to come. I love you mummy - in High Tide or Low Tide. [i] Parris, Stacy, pheonixlyrisis300, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqFPvG-OiE8&feature=player_embedded, [Copied 8th march 2011 youtube online]
[ii]The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Trinidad and Tobago
[iii] http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150426057200608&id=839535607#!/, [Copied 8th March 2011, Face Book on line]