Please! Don’t Keep Silent!

Jyoti Rahaman

Jyoti Rahaman's Journal

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• 2011 VOF Week 4

Kishida Toshiko(1863-1901), a Japanese Leader who worked on improving Japanese women’s freedom and rights once said “ Daughters in Boxes” about the Japanese daughters. To explain this expression she said, “Because these girls are like creatures kept in a box. They may have hands and feet and a voice-but all to no avail, because their freedom is restricted. Unable to move, their hands and feet are useless. Unable to speak, their voice has no purpose. (The Essential Feminist Reader, 100).”

These days whenever I am thinking about Voice of Our Future, I remember this quote because this quote reminds me of my grandmother. She was like a daughter in the box who never spoke up against her family decision on her even if it was wrong. Many years have passed, but still the situation of my grandmother did not change that much. Even though the literacy rate of women has increased, it did not change the situation of their oppression; because the ideology of keeping silent for being a virtuous woman did not change. Moreover, because of superstitious beliefs and religious restriction women are unable to change their economic condition. I believe to improve the situation of my community; the situation of women must be change. As a first step to change their condition, they need to be financially dependent. Secondly, they must break the rule of keeping silent. As long as they keep silent, nothing can change their situation. Rumana Monzur , a University teacher in Bangladesh kept silent about violence towards her that ruined her beautiful future. She cannot see anymore because her husband gouged her eyes out so that she can’t study anymore. She said that girl should share their pain so that they don’t have to suffer like her( I have provided some links in the reference about Rumana Monzur, which also includes he interview) to give the readers a clear idea about her case). Her case shows educational status and economic solvency cannot ensure a woman’s safety. I don’t want any woman to suffer like her in my community. I want to encourage them to share their pain with others. I want to eradicate the idea of keeping silent from my community as well as from the whole country.

I want to be a Voice of our Future Correspondent because I want to learn through the five months online training program. I want to know how to communicate with others effectively about our own problems and concerns. Most importantly, I want to learn how to create a supportive and trustworthy network among a group of people, which would be helpful to address their problems and find a solution. Through learning I want to develop my communication skills so that I can go back to my community and apply what I have learned through this program to help other women in my community.

References:
Toshiko, Kishida. “ Daughters in Boxes.” The Feminist Reader.Ed. Estelle B. Freedman. New York: The Modern Library. 2007. Pq 99-102. Print.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/16/muslim-honor-crimes-rum...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumana_Monzur
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/07/05/rumana-monzur-ubc-student-bangla...