PinkerInk

In watching Eve Ensler telling the story about the fact that being a Girl holds an amount of power that we do not acknowledge, or rather, many/most are afraid of, I was very interested. The first thing that came to mind when watching the video was a feeling a disbelief about some of the things that she was saying were actually happening to these girls. Some girls were having their vaginas cut off, while others were being sold for cows. I honestly did not have any idea that things were this bad in some parts of the world.
Another point that really stuck out to me is when she talks about the girl gene in regards to men. When she was talking about how men are brought up not to be a girl, how crying is wrong, how we are taught to think we are ok when we are a mess, all really stuck out in my head. When she was thinking about this all I was able to think about was my fathers funeral. I was only twelve at the time, but since I was the oldest male in the family everyone kept telling me that I had to be strong for my mother and that I couldn't let her see me crying. But when thinking about what Ensler was saying, isnt this going along exactly with the point that she is trying to make? I was being told that I couldn't cry at my own fathers funeral because I needed to be strong for my mom. I was twelve years old, how do I know what strong is?
But to answer the question at hand, I would have to agree with Ensler that seeing the oppression of other girls can definitely teach women how to empower themselves, and inevitably teach men how to respect girls and girlhood. I feel this way because of the examples that she has given. She said that listening to stories of so many women had really changed her life. I feel that if we knew more about the oppression of other girls it would definitely teach women how to empower themselves. The prime example is of the girl who heard her dad was going to sell her. Since she knew this, she went off to the house and went to reconsile and when she came back a year later she was a strong female, and her father had so much more respect for her. I think that within itself answers the question.

Falkenhainer,
It comes to mind a great thanks that you've shared such personal insight to make a connection to the post. I wonder if you now have had time to reflect and perhaps had an opportunity between being 12 and now to cry, and still know you are within the depths of your soul...a man? What a powerful statement and process of ideas. I am also glad that you found the piece useful as one of awareness - girls being sold for cows. Later in the semester, hopefully this is something we are able to discuss in terms of culture vs some other type of understanding/elitist attitude we may have within our own thinking.
Thanks for your insight and sharing.
GirlProfNYC

i dont know what to think about girls after this video. the point is not that i dont like what she is doing. she is best female speaker i have ever heard and there is no doubt that her work is tremendous for the welfare of girls. but what i want everyone to think about here is the fact that girls and males have different rather specific roles attached to them. yes, girls should be let free and be allowed to study and progress its their right but im so depressed right now that i dont really think its practical. i dont want to beat around the bush. i know places like pakistan, india and many african nations and places that we dont even know about, these places are suppressing female rights so much that its not that girls are commodities now, they are born as commodities. see if you leave a newly born baby in a jungle and rescue him after 10 years he'll be an animal. mothers now in areas where they have accepted girls in a particular role will not let their daughters study or do something for themselves. its not that they dont want betterment for their daughters but its the mind set that girls if behave in a manner their tribe wants them to, thats the best way for them to live. in backward areas, who do you think beats up a girl before she is forced into a marriage ? who tells a man to impregnate his wife on the first night so can do nothing but stay with him ? its a woman who does all this ! why ? because she is actually wishing welfare for that new bride. it seems very beastly to us but no its common and o.k there to suppress girls.
for us to change this whole mind set is really difficult. sitting here is ny and listening to Eve though is positive and filled with hope but guys give yourself a reality check. what we are doing is not enough. we will keep on having these BLS classes till the day of judgement and nothing will change.why ? becuase all these girls hearing this will stay in n.y. no 1 will bother to actually go in india and help themselves. till the end of this world we will keep on blaming these illetrate men and women who are suppressing the rights of girl young all over the world. but we will never initiate to take a step forward TO EDUCATE THEIR MINDS. i dont care if these women at the age of 30 cant read or write. i just wnat them to learn that its not nice to let some1 cut your daughter,s vagina., to tel them that its not ok for your daughter to get married at the age of 15 to a 50 years old man only because he will give her shelter. you have to tel them that its their duty to advise their husbands to send their daughters to school and cut off their son,s hand if they try to kill their sister in the name of honor killing. i dont like this video today, i dont want to go to my next class, i dont liek to hear Eve. why ? becuase i know that we are usign her life's work only to satisfy our needs. we are in this class to pass ! we were listening to her only because time was passing and we had to blog about it so we could proceed with our careers. i dont like it. i will like it when someone from our class at the end of the semester stands up and says to us that he is going to africa or some part of the world just to save ONE LIFE. i will think our professor's job will be done only then. just hating these illetrate bastards is not enough. unelss we do something about it, we are a part of this too. by the time we dont take some action against rapists, we are hurting this girl more than the physical pain tortures her.

Thanks for the video profo, for some time I have been trying to explain this concept to those that are closest to me and haven’t really been able to put in into words. I could not agree more with Ensler. I find it very interesting when she talks about the “girl” each and everyone of us have within us. The only thing I could think about while watching is my dad telling my younger brother that he needs to be a man! “You can’t cry, you need to be strong.” All which I think just make someone a weaker person.
The scariest thing I believe, like Ensler says is that even women lose their “girl”. We are no longer able to express our emotions, feelings or thoughts. All because we live in a society that teaches or rather yet molds us to be emotionless human beings. Not to have finds, and do as we are told. It is all an issue of power. Everyone wants power and there is no greater power than that of the power over another human being.
In regards to the question I believe that education is the solution. The more you know about something or someone the more open minded you are about different ideas. Bringing awareness is also part of the solution. There is no better way to liberate ourselves than knowledge.

Pirzada, I am a bit confused about what you are trying to say. I am a very strong believer that I can accomplish any and everything I want in life. I disagree with you when you say that “we are using her life's work only to satisfy our needs. we are in this class to pass ! we were listening to her only because time was passing and we had to blog about it so we could proceed with our careers.” I am sure that I am not the only one in class because I’m really interested in what we are learning.
Freire states, “In order for the oppressed to be able to wage the struggle for their liberation they must perceive the reality of oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which they can transform.” Ensler has a purpose in everything she says. We can not automatically assume that nothing will come of this. The simple fact that she is bringing awareness is the first step to the liberation of these woman, children, men and even ourselves.

hello, Dsarmiento. i fully respect your opinion nor do i care less for what you come to do in class. im sure you'll do a great job in life and make women of the world really proud. but what i was saying is that evne though this author is working, some people or rather an elite class has just reduced this very sensitive topic to just a topic for discussion at their high society parties. i think that more is being said than done. i know that awareness is very important and ofcourse is the first step for any task but guys give it a reality check everyone knows whats happening. i know what has happened in haiti so i dont need to learn about its culture now. i need to open my pocket for the cause and same here. we all know how female rights are being suppressed and we even know the locations. but we dont do anything about it. i was pin pointing Eve as using her life's work because i beleive in practise. unless we decide to actually stand up and do something about the cause ourselves then there was very little importance of this beautiful lecture that i heard in class. the elite class says oh what a pity, poor girls, but Eve and others like her are doing a wonderful job but have we ever stopped stop to notice that we have left Eve in her job all alone ? i fully respect her work and i would like to finish here by saying that i was neithe trying to disrecpect you or any other in rhis regard but i just beleive that more action is required from us, the people and just praises for Eve will not help. Enough awareness has been spread, now lets do it ! or else nothingg will change ....unfortunately

I thought that this video was very powerful and inspiring. Eve was jjust trying to expose and share the greatness that it is to be a WOMAN! This peice was very informative as well. In past classes Ive been taught about the cuttings and the basic rights that women dont have through out different regions of the world. I guess since "we" are not exposed to those kinds of things on a normal basis, we as a people tend to forget the advantages we have that are impossibilities to others. It just shows the strength we have and how special we are. We are mothers, daughters, sisters , nieces, and grandaughters of the world. There are literally 10 women to each man We rule the world in numbers. Theres nothing like being a girl. I love the fact that I am emotional and cry and have feelings becauseI represent all that should be right in the world. I loved everything Eve tried to say. I also loved the examples she chose to exemplify the strength we have just because we are women. having the girl "gene" is an essential charecteristic for us in changing the future. We are the ones that will change it.

Martinez said something interesting which i agree with about us forgetting to take advantage of the freedom of expression we have compared to other cultures. We're allowed to express ourselves and be that emotional creature; we even have the opportunity to run as presidents, then, why are we taking that for granted? I have friends that often complain about being girls because they get their period or they feel moody and sensitive. Well being a woman is a beautiful privilege that we must embrace. Getting our period is for us to be able to have babies and keep reproduction and the cycle of life going. Plus, wouldn't it be worse if our period came everyday of the year? think about it, would we complain if we had to get it only a week per month? Probably not. We're also gorgeous creatures, we have charisma, intelligence, we're emotional, and we're strong at the same time. It can't get better than that, i love being a woman and i wouldn't change it for the anything.

I agree with Eve Ensler that we should embrace our inner girl; I was raised in an environment were being a girl means to be strong and to be in touch you’re your emotion. My Grandmother all ways say “when ever your making a decision don’t only use your brain but use the most important thing that God gave you, you’re heart”. We as humans have lost sight of our struggle to reclaim our humanity. Friere asked “who suffer the effects of oppression more that the oppressed”? And to answer his question the GIRL SELF that have been oppressed within male and female. Then he asked again “who can better understand the necessity of liberation”? I believe that Eve Ensler is the perfect candidate and girls around the world who are on their quest for the liberation of the GIRL SELF.