File spoon-archives/third-world-women.archive/third-world-women_1996/96-10-29.202, message 3


Date: Sat, 06 Jul 1996 04:36:58 -0500
From: atefeh oliai <atefeho-AT-vms2.macc.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: World of Women


Hello Linda

Regarding the situation in Iran, I should say that is horrible for men and
women, more so for women.  In Iran too, legally the woman looses her last
name, which was given to her by her father, to adopt the husband's last
name.  This is however legal matter.  In countries like mine, people do not
care about state laws as much as here for example.  Of course there are
positive and negative aspect to this type of rellion.  So, as far as I know
the way out of this (or may be 1/2 way out of this) is to use their last
name-husband last name.  Or some people,  choose to go by their own.  I do
not know what will happen in legal contract.  I signed my marriage contract
by my own last name and stayed with it, married or afterward.   The kid,
however will go with the father last name.  
I had a friend from Peru who went with his father last name-his mother last
name.
So as you see there is power, male power, class power etc... in our society
too. But fortunately there is struggle against it too, even under the veil.
A great book that I recently finished is called "Veils and Words" The
emerging voice of Iranian women writer.  By Farzaneh Milani.  She talks
about the two side od this power/struggle of women in Iran starting may be
150 years ago.  Her theories is that the process of finding  their voice for
Iranian women, came along with the precess of unveiling.  She also talks
about the different political function of the veil and how much the power
was/not to control women tru veil.  The book was published few years ago by
Syracuse university press.(1992) 

As far as this beeing a matter of class, I would say it is since it assures
the male his power and possession over the family, but again the family
system itself  a matter of class, since these two structure sustain each
other.  What took me to this idea was the book by Engels,Frederick:
The origin of the family, private property and the state.  Another was Women
and the family bu Leon Trotsky.  There has been a lots of lit. on this, but
these two helped me with thr theoretical aspect of it.  of course some of
what Lenin and trotsky are saying is about Russia may be about 100 years
ago, but most of it is still so pertinent.  Family and private property have
been around for 1000's of years!

And what you said about creating bounging is very correct, but how to do it
is important and is the question.  If we think that by "talk" and
"explaining" the goodness of bounding, this can be done, we won't get anywhere. 
How long prophets tried to convince people?  And still most of them had
political power.  If the necessity of harming another  in order to establish
ourselves goes away, then the practice of it will be gone too.  Some aspect
of this practice id due to ignorance, lack of solidarity or even
psychological issues (and of course men and women are in this practice
both), but to know is not equal to have the power of doing something.  If
the necessity of competition for example vanishes away, power can be used in
a much more human way.  I know that in U.S., most issues are analysed tru a
psychological point of view.  I can not accept that psychological analysis
has the respond to all these issues!!




At 04:36 PM 7/6/96 -0400, you wrote:
>Atefeh,
>
>Power may be the key element that needs to be discussed. I have been thinking
>historically about different women's movements here in America . The
>Suffragetts was a force of women banding together to gain political power ---
>the right to vote. When the beginnings of the Civil War took hold they
>changed their focus and fought against slavery.  It was not until 1920, some
>144 years into America's history, that women had the right to vote!! 
>
>I, too, have seen women use their power against other women. This is why I
>entertained the idea of us viewing ourselves as sisters perhaps, noting our
>differences , yes! but agreeing that some of our problems / solutions could
>result in a bond. This bond does not exclude men at all. I for one am very
>lucky to have dear male friends and associates that I share a common respect
>with.  Because this list started as third-world-women, I thought I would stay
>with "women" to start with.
>
>My position seeks out areas where women loose their power in ways unlike men,
>ie. the traditional practice of an American woman giving up her maiden name
>and acquiring her husband's name. This makes her loose her identity somewhat
>and her children have her husband's family name, not her family's. This is
>not a matter of class. What is the practice in Iran?( for others reading this
>please add to the discussion).
>
>There must be other instances in other countries .
>
>Please reply,
>
>Linda E. Neville
>(Ladydonut-AT-aol.com)
>
>





   

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