We Can Do Better

by Jen Nedeau

category: Take Action

Published June 06, 2009 @ 11:07AM PT

Today is a blog-a-thon against hate. All too often I find myself writing about acts of hate here at Change.org.  Whether it's racism, sexism, discrimination or self-destructive behavior; one thing is clear - there is still too much hate ruling the world and it's time to reverse the tide. Just this week we witnessed some very ugly moments of humanity. First the reactions to the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Then the racist remarks and violent cartoons about Judge Sonia Sotomayor. And just to top things off - there were several hate crimes against LGBT couples. But beyond this week - there are hateful acts that happen everyday, 365 days a year. Today I am going to highlight three areas where I know, WE CAN DO BETTER.

We Can Do Better: Rape As A Weapon of War

For far too long, in the realm of national security, women's rights have been seen as a "soft issue." However, it can no longer be denied that women are the primary targets of war and that rape is one of the most dangerous weapons being used in areas such as Sudan and the Congo, which has been deemed the "rape capital of the world." The Christian Science Monitor reports that fifty thousand to 100,000 women – perhaps many more – have been raped in Congo in the past 10 years. Beyond holding Senate hearings to discuss the subject, more action within the United Nations needs to be taken. Rape needs to be policed as strongly as the illegal weapons and drug trade and offenders need to be prosecuted. So far, a glimmer of hope comes from the country of Colombia where rape is now being prosecuted as weapon of war. CSM reports that in May 2007, only 12 cases of sexual violence were filed with prosecutors appointed to carry out Colombia's special Justice and Peace Law. Today that number stands at 228 demonstrating that added vigilance leads to increased prosecution, which can hopefully lead to more justice and fewer rape victims.

We Can Do Better: Sex Education, Sexual Health, Sexual Empowerment

Given the growing rate of teen pregnancy in the United States, it is clear that abstinence only education does not work. The US has the highest teen birth rate of all industrialized nations at 41.9 per 1,000 girls age 15-19. By comparison, the next closest country is the United Kingdom at 26.7 per 1,000. Not only does abstinence only education fail to prevent unplanned pregnancy, but it is doing a huge disservice to women and men in terms of understanding their sexual health and granting any form of sexual empowerment. By raising a generation that doesn't understand their own bodies, their own sexual needs or how to find sexual pleasure and fulfillment without finding yourself pregnant is going to be a huge problem once these young people leave the confines of their church, home and high school. We can do better by cutting government funding from abstinence only programs and instead provide funding for comprehensive sex education that includes information on masturbation, protection from STDs and pregnancy, as well as teaching the theory behind abstaining from sex until one is responsible enough to handle the emotional and physical consequences of sex. Finally, we need to dispel the Purity Myth, as written about by Jessica Valenti and confront the "lie of virginity - the idea that such a thing even exists - is ensuring that young women's perception of themselves is inextricable from their bodies, and that their ability to be moral actors is absolutely dependent on their sexuality. It's time to teach our daughters that their ability to be good people depends on their being good people, not on whether or not they're sexually active."

We Can Do Better: Elect More Female Leaders, Stop Sexism and Confront Theocracies

Around the world, women who jockey for a position of power in politics are met with a severe backlash from society. In the United States, we watched it happen to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Sarah Palin, and now Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Beyond the United States, particularly in the Middle East, women are not only opressed by a political system run by men, but also a religious patriarchy where the rules have been re-written in the past few decades to be make women appear less worthy in the eyes of God. When you combine the fact that certain countries are run as a theocracy, the hurdles to political power become even higher. This is why that no matter where you live in the world you must be an advocate for female leaders in government, you must identify misogynistic or sexist attacks made by the media or political leadership and you must recognize that while women may have the right to vote in most countries, they still have not had the option to vote for a female President or Prime Minister yet.

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While there are many other opportunities where we can do better and stop the hate, I hope that these three examples give you tangible evidence of how we can make the world a better, less hate-filled place.