Universal Chauvinism

If you have watched or heard any news lately, you have probably noticed the buzz about whether contraception medication should be covered by health insurances. Now, Sandra Fluke, who spoke on behalf of contraception coverage in front of congress, finds herself in the political crossfire. A republican commentator called her derogative names and even associated her with prostitution by manipulating the subject into something where she wants to ‘get paid to have sex’. For some this may seem like political playhouse but the underlying subject is female authority and her sexuality- and both combined, quite frankly, intimidates some men! The same commentators who insulted Sandra also claim to live in the most progressive and greatest nation in the world. However, in my view they are not far from any other repressive, patriarchal, sexist nation.

Last week, after Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy won an Oscar for directing the documentary film Saving Face, she seized criticism for representing Pakistani men in a shamefully negative light. She exposed the torturous physical abuse women suffered when burned with acid by their husbands. Sharmeen and Sandra are both trying to promote female rights through their work. Likewise, the attacks at Sharmeeen and Sandra are very similar in nature –to silence them and the female voice in general. We still live in a world where verbal and physical attacks on women are tolerated, where women are sexualized and where the cultural perception is still alive that women are less worthy and come secondary - a mentality also known as double standard. Back to the subject of health insurance coverage, the beloved double standard has taken comical heights which can be summed up as following: Viagra that serves to enhance and maintain sexual pleasure for men is ok; contraception that averts unwanted pregnancies and other medical conditions (such as cysts on ovaries) for women not ok!? 

This is the very reason why women still have to fight for their rights.