Keep calm and ask a woman (LIDN Weekly Roundup #51)
In times of crises, already existent inequalities in society usually cut deeper. This one is taking a harsh toll on women and BAME communities. The fact that domestic abuse rose so quickly and so intensely after lockdown measures have been put into place in many countries, is heart breaking. However, crises also reveal the sources of resilience and strength which have been there all along but may not have been seen very clearly earlier due to neglect, bias or mistake.
When I was pondering on what to share in this roundup I started going through the pieces I’ve read in these past weeks which gave me the most energy and hope. I soon realised that there was an underlying theme emerging. They were pinpointing to various experiences of women and womanhood around the world who had developed healthy coping mechanisms to other crises they had been through. Through those experiences they are now helping themselves and the communities they are part of throughout this new struggle. That community sometimes takes the form of an organisation of social change, sometimes a nation and sometimes a blockaded strip of home. No matter the context, if you’re having trouble coming to terms with this new reality, ask a woman and listen. Their piece of wisdom might give you a fresh perspective to live out this pandemic of frustrations.
The Coronavirus is a Disaster for Feminism
Is the ‘1950s ideal’ harking back as more families face the decision of who’s going to sacrifice their work to take care of dependants? Was that ideal ever really gone? Helen Lewis explores the dangers as well as the opportunities to break free from disaster. Only if we listen. And then also convince researchers and politicians to listen.
What we do now will affect the lives of millions of women and girls in future outbreaks.
Does COVID-19 Prove Women Are Best Suited to Lead in a Crisis?
I’m not sure about the answer to that question. Does one have to be better than the other? Then again, how can we actually know in a world where:
women account for fewer than 7% of the world’s leaders, 24% of politicians and fewer than 5% of Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officers.
Ouch. Long way to go to make the playing field equal.
What does feminist leadership look like in a pandemic?
Feminist leadership doesn’t have to be only for women. The best male leaders are usually the ones who have made peace with their feminine side and who pay specific attention to how women will be affected by their decisions. Leila Billing, freelance gender consultant, gives voice to the various
feminist leadership approaches that have been championed by activists from all over the world for decades.
What Palestinian women can teach the world about self-isolation
Isolation has always been a part of Gazan women’s reality. They’ve been cut off from the rest of Palestine, and the world, since 2007. Read the experiences of 6 of those women to find out how they’ve coped and what solutions they offer to come closer to a collectivist culture which promotes collaboration and emphaty in times of distress.
Surviving COVID19: Why we need to listen to African women’s organisations
African women’s rights organisations started pointing out early-on during the crisis what to be aware of in terms of gender imbalances. They have a wealth of experience coming from years of working with vulnerable communities exposed to HIV/AIDS and Ebola. The effective and rapid responses of local NGOs in Africa can offer good solutions to other regions of the world. Jessica Horn, Director of Programmes at African Women’s Development Fund, provides a short but insightful analysis with lots of references to read more on.
Arundhati Roy’s beautiful words paint an honest picture of the challenges facing India right now. She underlines, however, that despair can pave the way for hope. Through this rupture, is there a possibility to create a new normal? A better one perhaps?
Moving from an Individual to a Collective Worldview with Indy Johar
This one is not directly related to the big C. or to female experiences. Yet it is an enlightening one to grasp many of the root causes of the inequalities of our old normal. How to change our value sets, the way we see ourselves and our model of capital in order to strive for something more equal? Enjoy the 29mn podcast or read the transcript.
Alara Adali / alara.adali21@gmail.com / @alara_adali
