When Do We Call It "Gendercide"?

Published September 14, 2009 @ 10:51PM PT

That is essentially the question posed by Andrew Sullivan this week as he quotes a passage from Johann Hari's Slate article about the hottest piece of feminist literature hitting the shelves, Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. Hari writes:

Today, now, more than 100 million women are missing. They have vanished. In normal circumstances, women live longer than men-but China has 107 males for every 100 females in its overall population, India has 108, and Pakistan has 111. Where have these women gone? They have been killed or allowed to die. Medical treatment is often reserved for boys, while violence against women is routine. More girls are killed in this "gendercide" each decade than in all the genocides of the 20th century. This year, another 2 million girls will "disappear."

But this isn't considered a story. While we rightly roared at racial apartheid, we act as though gender apartheid is a natural, immutable fact.

So if 2 million girls disappear, but CNN doesn't cover it - did they ever really exist? That is one of many questions we must deal with before even deciding if "gendercide" is indeed happening.

But, before taking on CNN, I'll flip it to you all - how many women and girls have to die before "gendercide" is a real policy and media concern? How do these numbers make you feel and think? What can we do next?

Photo credit: Delcio G.P. Filho

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Don't forget all those in India and other countries aborted because the unborn child was female.

Posted by Thomas Berg on 09/15/2009 @ 12:14AM PT
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That is true... and very sad.

It is illegal in India for a doctor to give the parents the sex of the baby, but this goes unchecked in many parts of the country. Girls are not a good investment in many places that require you to give them away with money to the husband's family.

Moreover, many girls are sold or given away for labor, particularly inside homes in big cities. This also puts them in danger of human traffiquing.

These situations are changing, though not as fast as some would like.

Posted by Juan Portillo on 09/15/2009 @ 05:08PM PT
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As long as God is considered a "man", men will continue to rationalize and justify their negative actions towards women. It still happens here in the 'ole USA. Mental and physical dominance are most men's choice of control, whether in the household or going to war. Men need to teach men abusing women is not acceptable, on any level, from the glass ceiling to the streets. Until men accept women as equals, that we are all created in the image of God, the strife between the sexes can only continue.

Posted by Deborah H on 09/15/2009 @ 05:37AM PT
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You are right.

Another way men control women is through their sexuality. It's almost as if women have no control over it. Society (in which males sit at the top) always labels women as either "pure" or "unpure". The "good girl" vs. "whore" dichotomy of our civilization. Women should be allowed to define themselves and their sexuality, otherwise they are at the mercy of these labels and feel like they have to walk a fine line between them. They are punished for being one or the other, depending on the context.

It is impossible to be 100% pure or 100% not pure, this idea cannot be fulfilled... yet that is also a way of measuring a woman's worth, unfortunately.

Posted by Juan Portillo on 09/15/2009 @ 05:12PM PT
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Deborah, I agree with you 100% on the notion that as long as God is considered a man, women will always be considered inferior. This goes all the way back to Adam and Eve and you either accept it, or leave religion as I did. I am an atheist because I believe no such thing. If there WAS a God, who's to say it isn't a Woman?

Juan, I'm sorry man but I am confused. How can you say that men control women through their sexuality? Don't you know that, if someone is THAT type of guy, the only place he CAN'T rule is in the bedroom? A good friend of mine got married recently and she asked her Mom how to make her marriage last. Her Mom replied: "Win every single argument you have with him. Simply argue in the nude."

Posted by Mike Nichols on 09/17/2009 @ 03:52PM PT
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Yeah I didn't write that correctly. It sounds like I said: "men use their sexuality to control women" but that is not what I meant at all. Funny.

I meant to say that men, or rather the structure we have created, controls women's sexuality, and that is how women remain opressed.

This is hard to explain. Let me try.

OK, so sexuality is controlled or rather constructed along gender lines. We operate within a power structure where sexuality is dichotomized according to gender. There are women and men, therefore there is masculinity and femininty. These two discourses contruct women's and men's sexuality.

Sexuality in our society is constructed like this: women are passive and men are active. Men are active subjects that want sex and act in order to have it, whereas women are passive recipients that are supposed to take it. This leads to the thought that men have an innate thirst for sex, a biological inevitability, but it is a social discourse that drives this belief (we constructed this idea, it's really not true). On the other hand, while men are out to get it, women are supposed to be the gatekeepers of sexuality, controlling when it's supposed to happen or not.

Women are held to be responsible for sex happening because, after all, "boys will be boys" (I hate that phrase, fyi), so they want it no matter what. This releases men of responsibility and places all of it on the women.

In order to maintain this system, the very discourses drive these beliefs. This is because while men are simply being men in wanting and looking for sex, women are taught to be very aware of their bodies, as they are in turn objectifed by men throught their desire. They are the ones being sought after, so therefore they are the ones that are watching out for themselves. At the same time, society wants them to put out the signals that they are available for a heterosexual union.

Women are the ones "watching out", yet making themselves desirable because they are not subjects or actors in this game (only men are actor and subjects). This is what we know as femininity. So masculinity is the actor, the doer (literally), the conqueror. He is the one, she is the other. She is the conquered, the "fucked". If she is fucked, she is to blame because she "let her guard down", since afterall boys are boys (or so we are taught).

This is where the classic virgin/whore dichotomy comes in to further oppress women through their sexuality. The key here is oppression through sexuality, not on.

A system that dichtomizes seeks to simplify the complexity of people in order to label. In turn, discourses infiltrate these labels (like "whore" or "virgin") into peoples minds (brainwashing or colonizing the mind) so that as people speak, act, and name in dichotomies the power structure is maintained. It deepens.

In conclusion, men are generally the actors and subjects in this structure of sexuality. Sexuality is a vechicle to dominate, oppress, and colonize. You may have seen previous blog entries here about rape as a weapon of war. This alludes to that.

Please bear in mind that I am talking in broad terms about a notion that is subtle (or maybe not so subtle) in society. The solution? Not to have this dichotomy, not to have double standards, so equality is the solution. Also, to recognize that we don't have to fit into boxes or labels.

Posted by Juan Portillo on 09/17/2009 @ 04:53PM PT
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I don't have a good answer for the problem but I do know these men need women to procreate. These countries are ran by class systems and communism. They don't only kill their women but also people that have mental-retardation, and homosexuals. Their intolerance of humans, they view as,"unequal," will hopefully, one day catch up with them. If there are no women to bare their children and they vehemently oppose homosexuality, they'll cease to exist.

(I know this idea is a stretch, and not a real solution for the women they are killing. Though it could be a true possibility if they don't change their ways.)

Posted by L.S. hope on 09/15/2009 @ 01:09PM PT
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I agree with you miss hope and though I wish that no women were abused...At least such abuse will eventualy remove the abusers...

It still sucks though.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/15/2009 @ 01:45PM PT
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I like the word, its creation is long overdue. Gendercide. Keep in mind one of the reasons we are pursuing the Taliban is their oppression of women, based on the following of Sharaic Law.

Posted by Clayton Cleverly on 09/15/2009 @ 01:33PM PT
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One woman being abused is one woman too many...

And whether cnn or any other news organisation covers it...Those women did exist in my opinion.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/15/2009 @ 01:47PM PT
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those missing have to be counted by their families, acknowledged by someone who will stand up for the missing women and girls. therein lies the biggest blockade to countering this practice...

the more individual rights are promoted and people feel safe from retribution the more people will be willing to voice their distress and ask for help. 1) continue to support basic human rights and freedoms 2) structure a safe house idea: mode of contact, place to go, escape hatch - like an underground railroad

Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 09/15/2009 @ 08:07PM PT
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The parents of Australian backpacker, Brit Lapthorn, are in Croatia this week retracing her final movements one year after parts of her body were found in the harbour. I have never witnessed more dedication in moving mountains to find out the truth of what happened and bring the perpetrators to justice. Smoke and mirrors all the way.

Posted by Oceania OZ on 09/16/2009 @ 06:38AM PT
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"2) structure a safe house idea: mode of contact, place to go, escape hatch - like an underground railroad"

How about another planet?

What does it say about one half of the human race if it goes after the soft target other half. Doesn't say 'power' to me.

Posted by Oceania OZ on 09/15/2009 @ 09:39PM PT
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Indeed and while I would miss all of you wonderfull women...

If it became the only way to keep ya'll safe from harm...So be it.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/16/2009 @ 12:59PM PT
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I would be very cautious when it comes to the notion of "protection". A safe house would be great, but we can't stop there, there has to be a next level.

Our over protection of women and girls also contributes to keeping them down.

I'm a bigger fan of "empowerment".

Posted by Juan Portillo on 09/16/2009 @ 02:24PM PT
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I agree with both protecting and empowering women so that they can better protect themselves mr. portillo BUT I disagree with you about women being over protected...I dont think theyre being protected enough as is evidenced by the reality of the situation of too many women who lack protection from the law even though theyre legaly entitled to it.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/18/2009 @ 04:54PM PT
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empowerment is vital which is something that goes hand in hand when the women and girls and those who truly wish for them to be safe know there is a place where they can be safe and seek refuge from the very powerful entities who profit from slavery, marriage practices, abuse and denied medical care.

while the civil war was raging many people found safety and were ushered to a new life.

this isn't an idea of overprotection to keep women downtrodded but an idea to save lives immediately

Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 09/16/2009 @ 04:08PM PT
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Yes, I see your point.

I guess what I was trying to say is that protection must be kept in check, because over protection can lead us to a bad situation too.

But I do agree, that having a safe place for protection is needed as a first step. I'm sorry my points were not too clear.

Posted by Juan Portillo on 09/16/2009 @ 11:10PM PT
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empowerment is vital which is something that goes hand in hand when the women and girls and those who truly wish for them to be safe know there is a place where they can be safe and seek refuge from the very powerful entities who profit from slavery, marriage practices, abuse and denied medical care.

while the civil war was raging many people found safety and were ushered to a new life.

this isn't an idea of overprotection to keep women downtrodded but an idea to save lives immediately

Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 09/16/2009 @ 04:08PM PT
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all is well, i understand where the protection leads to control hence abuse of strengths.

we communicate here together. put ideas out here and there. keep all thoughts positive knowing this will get better so it will.

Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 09/17/2009 @ 12:39AM PT
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Now to respond to Jen's article. I agree something has to be done. What will it take to make a news network sit up and take notice of this problem? I'm in. Has anyone tried contacting Rachel Maddow? Or Keith Olbermann? One of them might report on it. Just a suggestion.

Posted by Mike Nichols on 09/17/2009 @ 03:54PM PT
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Mike, how sad you became an atheist......disillusionment? I too questioned all the "stories" but found my own path. Religion is no longer, Spirituality rocks. There are no "rules" so to speak, rather, searching and reaching a higher truth than all the man-made self-righteous judgmental exclusionary dogma. There's nothing like going beyond the limitations established by men to control the masses. Check it out, listen to your heart to guide you. Our heads tell us all kinds of stories, but our hearts never lie.

Posted by Deborah H on 09/18/2009 @ 05:12AM PT
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Imagine if those women could talk to all of us, if we could speak for each of them, if we could be friends...it wouldn't solve the whole problem but it would help.

In spite of being overworked, rarely paid and minimally educated, they can learn Esperanto from a few cents worth of paper and a dozen lessons and some practice. I've talked to refugees in West Africa who taught themselves in this way.

But it needs for the fortunate to make the effort too, or it doesn't help. Learning Esperanto will take you about 12 hours of lessons and a hundred hours of practice and you will be playing your part in meeting the world's poor women halfway.

This is one good free learning site http://www.kurso.com.br/bazo/index.php?en

Posted by Penelope Vos on 09/28/2009 @ 03:54AM PT
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Jen Nedeau is a social media consultant, progressive activist, feminist speaker and writer. She currently lives in New York City, where she works full-time as the Director of Digital Strategy at Air America Media. In August 2008, Nedeau was selected to be the Editor of the WomensRights.Change.Org where she facilitates daily discussion about the feminist movement. Additionally, Nedeau volunteers as the Chief Technology Officer for New Leaders Council, a non-profit that offers exclusive training for young leaders. You can follow her on Twitter @HumanFolly or learn more here: www.jennedeau.com.