SONGSOPTOK: What
is your earliest memory about being a girl?
CARLA: My earliest memory about being a girl I was with my
father in my parents’ bedroom. And he sat me in front of a mirror. I was so
shocked because I had never seen my image before. That is the first memory of
being a girl.
SONGSOPTOK: Do
you remember any incident(s) from your childhood where you witnessed gender
discrimination? What are your thoughts about that? Do you think gender
discrimination starts right through our home? A lot of studies indicate that
the gender segregation starts in school. What is your experience?
CARLA: I
don't recall seeing any gender discrimination in my case. But I must say
because I was an only child and pretty sheltered my parents protected me from a
lot of adversities such as this. It depends if gender discrimination stems from
your home environment on a one on one basis. I do think gender discrimination
is shameful and should not be tolerated. Well there is a sense of gender
discrimination in schools because of the various perks one may receive with
high athletic ability in the male sports. That's a given and also encouragement
to pursue certain careers for males dominated in schools as well vs.
encouraging young girls to pursue higher levels of management/administrative
roles.
In my experience I pursued a clerical role
and did so because that was my strength in school. Not to say I was
discriminated against it just was my strong suit at the time.
SONGSOPTOK: Now
going on to college / university – what according to you were the advantages /
disadvantages of being a woman? Do you think that women were treated fairly by
the educational institutions? We would
like to know your experiences.
CARLA: The advantages of being a
woman at college allowed for us to have an opportunity to pursue our goals in a
setting that was individualized per student. The disadvantage is you had to
have clear goals what you wanted otherwise the indecisive students didn't get
the proper encouragement to seek their purpose. In my experience yes at the
college I attended I do feel the women were treated fairly. My college life was
short lived I decided to pursue my career but while I attended college I did
have a positive experience.
SONGSOPTOK: A lot has been written about the unsafe
environment in the world for women, especially on public transports. What is
your personal experience? How does it differ from the environment in your
country? Are the streets of your city is safer for women? If so, what is your
analysis of the differences?
CARLA: I used to ride on public transports and did
not witness any harm while utilizing them. However when I did use the
transportation I made sure to pay attention to my surroundings and was protected
with pepper spray. I must say it is truly important to be mindful at all times
when riding on public transportation in all countries. My experience wasn't for
me negative. However I have seen brutality revealed in other countries
unfortunately. The streets in my city are not safe for not only women but men.
The city I reside in is dangerous.
SONGSOPTOK: According
to you, to what extent is the patriarchal society responsible for the status of
women? How does it works, evolves and shapes the individual woman.
CARLA: I think a patriarchal
society diminishes the plight of women and shouldn't be. Because if there are
no women in powerful positions then women's rights, value and purpose is
defamed to only be used for sexual needs, breeding and
housework. And that's a shameful environment for women to bare and endure.
SONGAOPTOK: Do
you think that social status (caste, class, affluence) plays a significant role
in how women are treated in the Third World countries? Are there significant
differences in the status of women in your country? If so, then to what extent?
CARLA: Absolutely no question
social status demands if a woman will be treated respectfully or used as a
societal slave. It's imperative for survival of women in Third World countries
to have social status otherwise they are implored in a life of hell.
SONGSOPTOK: Would
you say that in your country, there is equal treatment of women in the
workplace? Are women given the same opportunities as men? Has the situation
evolved compared to the earlier generation? If so, then how? What are the
mechanism and the dynamics of the changes!
CARLA: In my country there are
social differences based on income and/or celebrity. The way the media holds
people of wealth or celebrity to a higher regard isn't necessarily based on
their character and humanity more than it is highlighted based on their
celebrity/wealth.
SONGSOPTOK: Has the position
and status of women evolved at home compared to your mother’s generation? Do
women today have more decision-making power within the family structure? Can
you explain your answer?
CARLA: Treatment of women in the workplace is definitely different
than men. Women do get less monetary than men. They can be placed in situations
sexually by being harassed and made to do sexual favors to pursue their career
status. There is a cost to doing so diminishing yourself value to sexually
please someone to obtain a higher position is distasteful but has and is
happening. I think corporations are implementing infractions for those
employees corrupting the work environments with toxic activities as such. But
there is still work to do. I think women are given better opportunities than in
the past generations. But I do think the compensation should reflect equally
regardless of gender. Women are able to work in higher positions in my country
and have opportunities that my mother’s generation did not have. And because
many women are making a higher salary than their husbands the family dynamic
has changed. There are more single mothers and more unemployed fathers after
the changes happened.
SONGSOPTOK: According to you,
what needs to be done to improve the situation of women all over the world? How
can women contribute – at home, at work, at social & political levels? How
can they establish the right equilibrium between the state power and feminism
because state power is basically patriarchal in nature?
CARLA: I believe the situation needs to be changed by placing
women in positions of power. By doing so, it implements a voice that would
otherwise be silenced and unheard. Women's voices are valuable and impact an
array of wisdom and knowledge otherwise diminished when unnoticed. There's a
difference between feminist and female pride. To down either sex and their
importance is detrimental we must incorporate both voices. Women can contribute
if there are rights involved otherwise their value will be depleted. They must
first have their human rights.
SONGSOPTOK: Violence
against women is a global problem today that manifests itself in different
forms in different societies. And the problem seems to be growing every day in
spite of preventive measures. What, in your opinion, should be the priority?
How do you see the role of the civil society in this context? Do you think
women are still marginalised in our civil society, which is the actual
stumbling block to advance further or making any significant improvement?
CARLA: The main priority for the
violence to stop are to increase the repercussions. There should be in place
the necessary policing that handles the stake of an infraction of physical
violence. It will still happen but should begin to diminish if there is
follow-through to the sentencing of the crime. I see that the improvement is
only marginal and therefore is not increasing awareness or substantial
improvements to what type of preventative measures are correcting the problem.
In civil society the woman can still be marginalized but it can be stopped if
there's an organized Union to increase awareness and implode violence
communally.
SONGSOPTOK: What are your
personal views on women’s empowerment? What should be the priorities here
(economic / social / cultural/ educational….) especially in the context of our
patriarchal society where women are considered to be the reproduction machine
denied of dignity and liberty?
CARLA: Well I will reiterate what I said earlier women are
equally impactful in any and all communities and need to be implemented in the
society with equal rights. To be born means we have purpose. But if a woman
cannot digest her human rights then she is being used for unjustly uses. And
the fear is due to a marred idea there will be retaliation for the injustices
of women. And unfortunately eventually someone will come to know there's a cost
to everything in life.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think the
situation of women can evolve in the years to come? What is your vision for the
future?
CARLA: I do believe the situation can evolve
however it's going to take a dualism with both genders to make it happen. So we
must begin to involve both genders to infuse the improvement of the gender
discrimination. I have a hopeful vision of the future but also have a concern.
Because many don't realize how impossible it is to have a world without the
influence of women.
[CARLA NICOLE WILLIS. POET, WRITER]
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