women hold up half the sky.

after graduation last may, i had to stop reading books. my brain was tired and i needed to focus on something other than black words in times new roman. i picked up a few books in july, but i didn't get very far.

in november, i was given a book by one of my coworkers. it is called Half the Sky. it is a collection of stories about women around the world who are marginalized, abused, trafficked and treated without respect.

my plan has been since i started to FINISH this book, even though i am barely half-way through it and it's almost march already. i think it is taking me so long because the stories are about real women. knowing about the trauma, pain, and tragic situations they go through is hard to grasp. though, it also is empowering to read because of the victories these women experience while being oppressed. not all of the women are triumphant or even live, but their stories will live on. their stories are haunting and inspiring.

the book reminds me that we each have a story. none of these women are celebrities or famous, but they are each a woman created by the Creator of this universe. they were given life, whether they believe it or not, from God to live.

i wanted to share one story in the book about a woman from Afghanistan. her name is Zoya and she was 21 while this story was written. Zoya was married at the age of 12, which is when the beatings began. not only did her husband beat her, but his entire family did as well. there was not a reason behind the corporal punishment, they made up illegitimate ones to do it.

one day, Zoya resisted the beatings by her mother-in-law which, "is an outrageous sin."

"the next day, her father-in-law strapped Zoya's feet together, tied her down, and gave a stick to the mother-in-law, who whipped the soles of Zoya's feet."

Zoya knew she did not deserve that kind of beating where her feet felt like yogurt after, but she also believed that at times it was okay for wives to get beaten. Zoya said, "but if the wife is truly disobedient, then of course her husband has to be beat her."

the authors, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn followed that statement with, "women themselves absorb and transmit misogynistic values, just as men do. this is not a tidy world of tyrannical men and victimized women, but a messier realm of oppressive social customs adhered to by men and women a like. as we said, laws can help, but the greatest challenge is to change these ways of thinking." 

misogynistic means having or showing a hatred and distrust of women. i had never heard this word until reading the book and i had to look up the definition. this story and other ones in the book show that women around the world believe that it is okay to be hated. their traditions, culture, family, and husbands are telling them that women are to be hated at times.

i can partially understand that some women (and men) have this belief because of the culture they live in, but i do not agree with it at all. additionally, i do not understand how the mother-in-laws are okay with participating in the beatings? did they never get beaten? woman and men were created to be equal. women deserve just as much as men. and according to a chinese proverb and the title of the book, "women hold up half the sky."

whether you are a male or female, i want you all to think of a woman in your life who has made a difference. think of someone who is gentle and strong, honest, compassionate, hardworking, or full of joy. maybe it is your grandmother or a professor or a friend. i am asking that you tell them this week why you appreciate them. maybe it is through a note, a phone call, or better yet in person.

also, please pray RIGHT NOW for the women like Zoya who are being beaten because of their gender and social circumstances. pray against the misogynistic behaviors and beliefs. pray that opportunities would continue to be given to women in oppression. pray that the testimonies of women around the world and in your community would be shared.