Today we’re going to be talking about cultural relativism and ethnocentrism – two big terms with a big impact on girls’ rights.

Cultural relativism

Cultural relativism is the idea that ethics and morals come out of culture, either our own or someone else’s. So, it means that all “beliefs and activities should be understood based on that individual’s own culture.”

Cultural relativism says that we should not judge someone else’s actions by our own morals and ethics, but by the morals and ethics of their own culture. Another way to think about it is that what is right or good for one individual or society isn’t necessarily right or good for another society.

For me, the most important thing about cultural relativism is that it asks us to stop and think about where our own beliefs come from, especially when we are being critical of someone else’s.

Are we the centre of the universe?

Have you ever heard the word “ego-centric” to describe someone who only thinks about themselves? Well, there’s also a term called “ethnocentric.” It means the same thing, but it applies to entire cultures instead of individuals. Ethnocentrism is “the tendency to believe that one’s ethnic or cultural group is centrally important, and that all other groups are measured in relation to one’s own.”

Cultural relativism asks us to be less ethnocentric – to accept and treat other cultures on their own terms, not just by our own standards.

Girls’ rights and cultural relativism

Critics of both the girl and feminist movements often use cultural relativism to argue that ideas about girls’ and women’s rights come from Western culture, and therefore can’t be universally applied to other cultures. These critics say that activists from outside a culture shouldn’t be trying to make change in a culture that is not their own.

I’ve already mentioned that I like the reality check of cultural relativism that tells us not to impose our beliefs on others. However, I think sometimes cultural relativism can blame “culture” for things that are really caused by something else. For example, because we have homelessness in Canada, does that mean that it’s a part of our culture that we want to cultivate and protect? No way. In fact, our cultural beliefs are strongly against homelessness – the roots of this particular social issue are based in poverty and inequality, not culture.

Sometimes girls’ issues – such as child marriage – are defended as being part of culture. But often, these issues stem out of other challenges in society, such as poverty, rather than from culture, just as we saw in the example of Canadian homelessness. Cultural relativism should make us think not just about whether something is right or wrong, but why we think it is right or wrong and why people in other cultures might disagree with us.

Another thing to think about is that different cultures don’t always have different practices. For example, women in the United States have been able to vote for nearly 100 years. In Saudi Arabia, women won’t get that right for another four years. But Saudi Arabia and the United States, which are very different culturally, both use the death penalty.

Is cultural relativism right or wrong?

As girls’ rights activists we have to find a balance in the middle. We have to decide where we need to be more accepting of other cultures, and where we need to tackle girls’ issues head on. Each person needs to find their own balance.

If you don’t get these concepts right away, don’t worry! Cultural relativism is something to think long and hard about, not something that just one blog post will clarify. I’m still trying to figure it all out as well!

Can you think of an example of where it is important to be aware of other cultures’ beliefs when we’re fighting for girls’ rights?

Girls can’t play sports

Just like the girls in this photo, girls are often pushed to the sideline while boys play sports. Our very own celebrity ambassadors Jenn Heil, Haley Wikenheiser and the Canadian Woman’s Soccer Team show that some female athletes are earning cheers of their own!!

Girls can’t do math or science

Did you know that more boys tend to be enrolled in science and math programs than girls is because of gender, not sex? What that means is that there aren’t any biological differences in girls’ ability to do math and science. Unfortunately, there is a tendency in society to have lower expectations for girls in these areas. Society’s perception of women is the cause for this imbalance. Not anatomy.

Girls are emo and cry a lot

Crying and feeling emotional are seen as “a girl thing,” whereas boys are seen as thinkers and problem solvers. But we know that it’s not an either/or thing: girls and boys are both feelers AND thinkers.

Girls don’t want to see each other succeed

This is the “mean girls” hypothesis: that girls are all about sabotage and preventing each other from succeeding. The Because I am a Girl crew proves that’s not true – we’re a team of (mostly) girls that are working together to make a difference!

Girls are boy crazy

If we believed everything we see on TV, we would think that girls have one focus in life: boys and relationships. But we talk to you every day on Facebook about news, politics, culture, and human rights! It’s 100% clear that you think about things other than boys.

What do you think is the worst stereotype about girls?

(Photo credit: Poppy Wright)

Boys versus girls

Worldwide, there are about 3 million more boys enrolled in school than there are girls.

A big part of problem is poverty. Children from the poorest families are more likely to be out of school than other children, and girls are more likely than boys to be out of school. Older girls often leave school to work or help at home. The gender gap is widest in rural areas.

The gender gap map

“Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia are home to the vast majority of children out of school.”

The place where the biggest gap between number of girls and number of boys attending primary school is in India. In India there are about 8 million fewer girls than boys enrolled in primary school. This map shows how big the gap between boys and girls actually is – the bigger the gap, the bigger the country.

See how Canada barely exists but India is giant.

There is some good news: in some areas, like Northern Africa, girls outnumber boys at school!

Find your country on the map and explore what’s happening in education – click the little blue flags to find out the story behind the girl.

Universal education is for EVERYONE

The UN set a goal (one of the Millennium Development Goals) that “by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.”

To make the goal a reality, we need teachers and schools. Students must be able to afford to attend school and feel safe when they’re there. Another crucial component is helping students stay in school. Families need to see the value in sending girls to school as well as boys.

Education is a girls’ right. Use your education for a great cause – start a Because I am a Girl Girls’ Club at your school and start campaigning for girls’ rights!

Do you think having an education gives you an advantage in life? Tell us about it!

Barbie IS controversial; with her mile high legs and busty bosom, she has evolved into a playful sexpot over the decades.

She is not alone on the toy shelf of evolution – Holly Hobby, Rainbow Brite, Smurfette – have all had the “sexy edit,” the inevitable upgrade and make-over to make them more marketable in today’s image obsessive culture.

Last week, girl-centric entertainment site Jezebel wrote about how the classic My Little Pony horse-toy has morphed and evolved under a new label into a sexy equestrian called “Struts” (even Tinkerbel and the rest of the Disney Fairies have been nipped and tucked!).

21st century Barbie and her leggy gal-pals are a paradox; they’re toys for little girls to role-play through imaginary play (this sounds like a good thing), but for parents (and self-esteem experts) they represents teaching aids that send the wrong message about body image and gender stereotypes (this is BAD).

What do toys teach girls?

It’s no secret that toys and play are a big part of how girls (and boys) learn about gender; toys teach what is “normal.” Stereotypes tend to dictate that boys should play with Lego and cars; girls should play with dolls and tea sets. The “lesson” here is pretty clear: women’s roles in life are still seen as being traditional (and sexist!) eg: mothers and homemakers.

Comic from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

The same goes for body image. Girls learn from their toys (along with movies, TV, music videos, Internet) how society expects them to look and behave.

Pretty vs. Smart

Being seen as attractive isn’t a bad thing, but if girls are taught that “normal” is a body type that isn’t even attainable (have you seen the legs of those Lollipop Girls?), then they’re going to spend life battling with their image and feeling bad because they don’t look like they’re “supposed” to.

That’s why these sexy, upgraded girl toys are scary! They are re-enforcing an image that girls just can’t achieve. Ideals that aren’t real. And, if being desirable is the only focus, what happens to being smart or sporty? Do they take the backseat?

What do you think about these modern “edits” to your childhood friends? Share what toy was your constant companion when you were younger!

(Photo credit: Struts image via MSNBC and My Little Pony image via Deal Seeking Mom)

Valentine’s comes part and parcel with a whole bunch of gender stereotypes and pressures for both men and women that are sometimes hard to get past. The implication is that if you’re single on Valentine’s, you’re less of a person.

“Being dateless on Valentine’s Day can evoke feelings of loneliness and self-doubt, especially for those who are believers in the mythology of true love,” says the Being Single on Valentine’s Day Survival Guide. It’s almost as if the world is throwing your singledom in your face.

Part of this feeling comes from our tendency to define ourselves by our relationships. Is it true that we are who we date? I think not (hence why our campaign is not called “Because I am a Girlfriend”). Another part of it is how often we compare ourselves to other people around us.

V-day is also a holiday that emphasizes traditional relationships, or as Suzanne Reisman notes over at BlogHer, February 14 has become “a crass heterosexual gender-stereotyping commercial hoax.” Mainstream Valentine’s Day focuses on boy-girl relationships. What about all the other kind of love out there, including same sex, family, and friend relationships?

We’ve heard from you that the sad single stereotype is not for you. Whether you’re single or not, you are determined to take back the power and use Valentine’s Day for good. A wise person once said, loving others starts with loving yourself. So regardless of whether you’re single or hitched, make sure you spend a moment treating yourself to some love as well, whether that’s thinking about something awesome you’ve done since Feb 14, 2010, or acknowledging something great about yourself. Or, you could always go the more traditional route and treat yourself to flowers or chocolates from a not-so-secret admirer!

Because I am a Girl, I look Valentine’s Day in the face and say, “bring it!”

According to Together for Girls,

“Sexual violence against girls is a global human rights injustice of vast proportions with severe health and social consequences. It can take different forms, including sexual abuse, harassment, rape, or sexual exploitation. This scourge is not unique to one country or continent. Rich and poor nations, urban and rural populations, are all affected by the devastating impacts and long term consequences to girls who have experienced sexual violence, as well as their families and communities.”

Although this quote is referring to sexual violence, the point they are making applies to all forms of violence against women, including “physical, sexual and psychological harm or suffering to a woman…in public or private life.”

At its root, violence against women is the worst example of inequality faced by women and girls around the world.

And that’s just the thing – it happens around the world, in every country on every continent, Canada included. The same Globe and Mail article says that an average of 42 women in Ontario are murdered by their partners each year!

As well as domestic violence (violence in the home), girls and women in Canada and the USA are also affected by gang violence, whether they are gang members or not. Often, gang initiation involves physical or sexual violence, including rape. Once involved in a gang, it becomes difficult for girls to leave the gang, despite continuing violence.

Across the world, in developing countries, violence against women can take similar forms, including domestic violence and the affects of violent conflicts. We’ve talked here before about girls in war, gendercide, female genital cutting and violence & HIV.

Estimates suggest that 150 million girls under the age of 18 world wide had experienced some form of sexual violence (this is likely an underestimation because most sexual violence is never reported to the authorities). According to the UN’s Unite to End Violence Against Women Campaign, up to 70 percent of women experience violence in their lifetimes.

(Photo: The dolls were made to raise awareness and about the high levels of domestic and sexual violence that affect women and girls living in Colombia. Women and girls who had suffered violence were asked to sew on pieces of cloth, buttons and ribbons to represent the blows, bruises, and scars women suffer.)

HAPPY DAY OF THE GIRL!

Today is the day to celebrate your girlie-ness.

We want Canada to recognize the National Day of the Girl every year on September 22. Its not official yet (sign the petition to help make it official!), but who cares…we’re going to celebrate anyway.

And so should you!

Because I’m a Girl, I’m worth CELEBRATING!

So what are you going to do to celebrate today?

Maybe…go out with your friends for strawberry milkshakes, catch the latest chick flick (I love Eat, Pray, Love), sit down and reflect on what makes being a girl AWESOME, climb a mountain and yell when you get to the top, find out if there’s a Pink LemonAid stand in your area and check it out, make a toast to girls over dinner, change your profile picture on Facebook to the Because I am a Girl logo, change your links on twitter to pink, wear a pink shirt or socks, design a signature pink drink and order it everywhere you go today, convince your little brother to make you breakfast in bed, listen to your favourite girl power song on (almost) full blast…

We want to hear from you how you’re celebrating the day of the girl!

Cheers, to Girls!

Ten years ago, world leaders got together and thought hard about what it would take make a difference in impoverished countries. They came up with 8 ideas to change the world, which became the Millennium Development Goals. Not content just to talk about these goals, they decided to set a deadline for achieving these goals: 2015.

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality Rate
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

So what does this mean for girls? Goal 3, to promote gender equality and empower women, clearly affects girls directly. But what about the others?

“Progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment is critical to progress on the MDGs overall,” say specialists quoted in an article today in IRIN.  They point out that gender equality is a factor in all the MDGs,

“For example on MDG4, on child mortality, given the role of women as primary care givers to children; MDG6 on HIV and AIDS, on account of the interaction of gender inequality and the spread of the virus; and MDG7 on water, sanitation and the environment, given among things, women’s disproportionate role in water provisioning”

Now, with five years left to go, its time to see how we’re doing. Starting Monday, September 20 world leaders will meet again in New York to evaluate and “accelerate progress towards the MDGs” at the Summit on the Millennium Development Goals.

How do you think the world is doing in these areas? In your opinion, how can they make the biggest difference for women and girls? Which goal do you think is the most important?

One of the most important tools in this technology revolution are mobile phones, as they are much more available than the internet in many countries.  Mobile phones can be used,

• As an educational platform: for example, a cell phone app that will help you learn math
• As a tool for health: systems exist that can remind HIV positive individuals to take their medications, or allow you to check that your medications are not counterfeit.
• As an income: where landlines are unavailable or expensive, entrepreneurs can charge people in the community to make calls on their phone
• To deal with crises: mobile and online platforms exist for people to report from emergency situations, making it easier for response teams to know where to go.  As well, special online services can help to reunite people that became separated during a crisis.

A recent study on the influence of mobile phones on the status of women in India shows that “mobile phones significantly decrease both men and women’s tolerance for domestic violence, [and] increase women’s autonomy in mobility and economic independence.”  The paper goes on to say in some cases, access to mobile phones are equivalent to more than 5 extra years of education!  They recommend that “the Government of India and those of other countries should consider mobile phones as a policy instrument for empowering women.”

(Photo Credit: Oracio Alvarado)

Sex refers specifically to the biological differences between men and women…the physical characteristics of our bodies.

On the other hand, gender refers to the social construction of what it means to be a woman or a girl.  In other words, its what society says about what it means to be a woman.

Sometimes its obvious which category things fit into – breasts are obviously related to our sex, whereas the idea that “women should be in the kitchen” is obviously a gendered social construction. But some are less clear, and the debate rages. Weakness is a great example. Is weakness a socially constructed idea of women, or is it an actual physical reality of our sex?

To sum up, here’s a great (but maybe overly simplistic) quote: “Sex is between your legs; gender is between your ears.”

If you want to read more about the distinction, and the debate, there are some links here and here.

(photo credit: Robert Scoble)