Do you believe that women are really stereotyped in our society?
Yes.
Why do you think women are stereotyped in our society?
Stereotyping is usually something we apply to things and person outside of ourselves. Stereotypes are ways for people to make "short cuts" to understanding or knowing other people, although the stereotype may be wrong and they know it could be wrong. Have you ever noticed that people with stereotypes in their heads usually are very defensive of their narrow beliefs. I think it is a form of a defense mechanism that keeps people a distance away from them. I also think that stereotyping and bias is sign of human immaturity. Those who are secure in who they are and truly mature will not rely on stereotypes to assess a person or group of persons or to use stereotypes in dealing with that person/s. They will welcome new experiences and unexpected outcomes with people who are different from them. Stereotypes are a way to avoid expecting the unexpected...
Is being stereotyped, a good or bad thing?
Stereotyping is not necessarily a bad thing to do. Good people may even stereotype other people. Stereotyping is a human tool that works for the survival mode of human nature. It does not work for the inner advancement of people, that of self-realization and the betterment of humankind. People need to step out of their narrow perceptions of the world in order to reach fulfillment of their Divine purpose. They need to be brave enough to throw stereotypes away and deal with everyone on a getting-to-know-you basis. This would be part of a person's maturation process. I think true wisdom replaces stereotyping.
Describe a strong woman
A strong woman is one with inner strength and courage. She can handle difficulties. She can stand in the face of tragedy and disappointment and when brought down by the world, get back up again and continue on with her work, whether that be for her others like her family, those she works, those she chooses to serve(charity) and including the work on her self(self-realization). I think that inner strength and courage is also the abilities that helps a special woman say and do things that she knows is right and true despite what others may say to the contrary...
The masculine perception of strength is external and physical. The feminine perception of strength is of character and resolve. I believe that both men and women can possess inner strength. We Filipino women must help the men of our society understand that inner strength is an important character for men, too!
What can we (women) do in order to promote women power.
We must believe in our selves as women. We must also support other women. We must end blaming others for our problems both on an individual level and on a social level or political level. We must make a loud cry that "We women want to be part of the work that it takes to find solutions to heal and advance the country."
We must know the difference between taking over and WORKING TOGETHER. Because it is important to know WHY we are looking for women power. When many people hear the word power they think of words like "control" and "domination." That is a primitive way of perceiving power. That is not what women power is about. There are many forms of power that are transcendant over that type of power. The power that women are looking for is for the elimination of inequality, oppression and abuse. And WHY is that, it is because we are looking for healing. And then we are looking for the advancement of our people. And for the advancement of our people, we women need to work together with men. But often men won't listen to women's issues unless we speak in their language, that is, exhibit some loudness and aggression. And thus the idea of women's organization and advancement --- women must band together and find women power so that men will take note and let women live as equals, without abuse, and let women in on things. We must believe that a woman's job is to take care of her self, her children, her mate, her family... and also to take care of the matters that take place in the world. We can't leave world matters to men. And men can't leave family matters to women. Men, need to be honest, they are needed at home by the family. And they need to also admit that women are needed in partnership when it comes to world matters. I mean, if we look at men's dominion of the world and where it has brought us today, there is a lot of mess to clean up. Hunger, war, illness. The male attitude of conquer and divide, analyze and control doesn't work all the time. Sometimes, it really does take a feminine touch to help out What can women do? They must become part of the solutions to these problems.
Men and women need to work for the power of women. Because the power of women is meant to work side by side with the power of men. The power together is for the evolution of our society, the nation, and the whole of humanity.
Why is it sometimes women are called the "martyrs" in our society?
I know that we like to use the word martyr for those people who suffer. I don't have a problem with suffering, I just have a problem with the word "martyr" in this day and age. And especially since in the Philippines we use it mostly when it comes to women. Martyr mentality usually pertains to the women's suffering in relationships, bearing the brunt of the situations, carrying the weight of the relationship, being responsible for the success of marriages, the survival of the family... This mostly happens because, let's face it, the man in that relationship might be an immature little boy in a man's body and the only grown up in the relationship or the family is the woman.
The notion of martyr and martyrdom limits a person from fulfilling all that God put them on Earth to be and do. God did not put everybody here on earth to all suffer and die for our beliefs---but that does happen in dire situations. I believe that God also put people on Earth so that they could fully live for their beliefs.
"Martyr" is a very Roman Catholic word. We think that martyrdom makes for sainthood and holiness. This is the belief that we have because the Church says that Jesus died for us. Jesus ALSO lived for us! Not all martyrs are saints(some might be heros,though), and not all saints are martyrs. Many Saints were people who lived and used their talents to do great service for people.
Do you think that women have the right to voice out to everyone the experiences and things bothering them?
Definitely!
i think that women need to learn how to make the conscious choice to not to be let's say "a martyr" or anything else such as oppressed, abused, taken advantage of... I think that women must move away from the Filipino martyr mentality and we must learn to say with dignity and grace (that's important) to our boyfriends, husbands, parents, children, co-workers, friends --- "I don't like it when you treat me this way (and be very specific). I want it to stop.(be very firm, and exaggerate if need be, that always get's their attention). I want to be loved, respected, appreciated.(be specific on this if you can be." When women can say this, they must be ready to also give the same appreciation and respectful treatment back to everyone else. AND BE READY TO WALK AWAY FROM THE RELATIONSHIP IF THE MATE CAN NOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO HAVE. This takes strength and courage.
In Philippine society(and any society) we can do this too. Women as a collective can say: "We don't like to be treated these ways... We want it to stop(and organize gatherings, conferences, rallies, protests to announce it, discuss it)... We want to be loved, respected and appreciated(and be specific about what laws can be placed, what government structures need to be changed....)... And women need to be ready to give back the same appreciation and respect to the collective of men and to other nations around them....The only difference between an individual woman AND a national collective of women is that women can not all up and leave the country because the country is not shaping up (although we might have begun to... it is a tragic but remarkable phenomenon that millions of Filipino women are leaving the country as OFWs or as mailorderbrides...). Women have to stay and make sure that they are part of the solution to how they want things to change and how they want things to be.
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I want to have the strength and courage it takes to live a full, loving life that serves others and inspires others to also live a full loving life that serves and inspires others...
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If you were to choose, what do you want to be, a strong woman ar someone who is martyr. Why?
I think that it takes strength to be a martyr and to endure suffering and maybe even death. But I don't want to be a martyr.
I think I can get more done in my life if I shrug off the martyr archetype/MO(modus operandi) in how I go about my life.
I want to have the strength and courage it takes to live a full, loving life that serves others and inspires others to also live a full loving life that serves and inspires others...
