A fascinating article in the Washington Post on Sunday about women and power in the military and the public reaction to the picture of Pfc. England abusing prisoners:
quote:If Pfc. Lynndie England had come home in a flagdraped coffin, killed by an Iraqi detainee, we would have been far less shocked than we are at the now-infamous image of this young woman holding a leash attached to a naked Iraqi prisoner. At least then she would have been something we’re used to seeing-a woman as a victim.
I just thought this was an interesting take on the prisoner abuse scandal AND an interesting update to the feminism thread.
Honestly, in a lot of ways, I feel like our society is used to treating women like victims, and I think it's one of the major problems in the feminist movement today -- the movement itself often plays to this very stereotype. In some ways, it's difficult not to, because women didn't have any sort of power in society until very recent (Western) history.
But at the same time I think it's very, very important to break away from that, and instead view women as strong, capable individuals, or even as a strong, capable, equal group of people. Because as long as women are viewed as victims, something is wrong.
Like she said,
quote:Just as women have proven themselves capable of leading troops in difficult situations, so have they now shown that they can become vulnerable to the power of a role, the power of wielding power. Images of a woman giving a “thumbs up” beside a hooded, naked man have highlighted the horrors of war in a way I don’t believe would have happened had we seen only more traditional images of men at war. Putting a woman’s face on war’s brutality has, I believe, prompted a depth of discussion that might not otherwise have occurred. Ultimately, through that discussion, I expect we’ll gain insight far beyond what any of us expected when we first saw the young women smiling at us from inside Abu Ghraib.
Anyway, I'm still trying to clarify my own thoughts on this particular issue. What does Hatrack think?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I think your author, by arguing that Pvt. England was "vulnerable" to the temptation of power, falls into her own trap.
Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :
was it full of vipers? the self-laid trap?
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
Isn't she arguing that men are traditionally seen as vulnerable to the temptations of power, but women are seen as "above" it, or too nurturing (or something?) to be tempted by power?
And in these photos, we see (and are shocked by) a woman being tempted by and succumbing to power in a way (traditionally) only males do?
Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :
It's possible, but highly doubtful.
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
Oh, I agree, Kasie. It's just a big ol' lie that women with power don't abuse it. Women may not abuse power as often as men do, but that may be only because they don't have it as often (in the business world, etc.)
Abuse of power is a HUMAN failing, not a male one. Another reason why I hate Lifetime movies and such.
This is a subject that is very near to my heart, since it is probably the main idea of the novel I'm trying to write.
I believe there can't be equality as long as the Myth of the Eternal Victim persists, and that is my major problem with the feminist movement.
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)