Post 2/3 on the ‘Act For Equal’ movement & women’s equality in the Middle East.
What you can see - the abaya vs the bikini?
The fake smile vs the real smile?
The bowed head vs the head held high?
For me it is what you can't see.
Being controlled vs being IN control
Feeling ashamed of my body vs feeling PROUD of my body
Punishing myself with fad diets & anti-depressives vs celebrating & taking care of myself by eating properly, training hard and resting.
Being treated as an accessory in my relationship vs being treated like a queen.
I knew that all the abuse going on in relationship A wasn't right. I could feel it in my bones. No matter how much someone manipulates you, somewhere deep inside you know it isn't right.
There is no way I would have been ALLOWED to be a personal trainer 3 years ago. Definitely not go out in a bikini or get on stage in a bikini. Now I am fully supported in every decision I take and every move I make.
I wasn't sleeping. I was crying all the time. I would have panic attacks. I had PTSD for a long time after I left this situation. Worst thing is there are THOUSANDS of women out there in the Middle East, and here, that CANNOT LEAVE. Jheeze you have to be SMART. STRATEGIC. TACTICAL & RESOURCEFUL to leave this kind of situation without losing everything. Its very Gard to extricate yourself once you are properly involved. If marriage and children are involved then even harder.
So with the UN advocating act for equality, womanly, women to thrive. YES THEY CAN AND SHOULD AND WILL. but it will take certain men many many years to outgrow their gender role opinions. Until the rules are exactly the same for men and women, there is no equality.
