The two faces of being

Feminine and masculine have been in crisis in the globalization world. We are headed towards a society in which the differences between men and women are lead by mere physical qualities and, even those, are often captured by science and technology and changed according to desire, will and/or the person’s possibilities.

But even today there are differences –inequalities- very distinguishable between men and women, specially in under-developed countries. During the International Women’s Day 2005, we wanted to focus on three topics or points of view for evaluating the world’s gender situation; maternity, HIV/AIDS and violence.

In regards to the possibility of bearing children, it is clear that women have a different position than men. It is she who has the responsibility of pregnancy after fecundation, and it is she that, when it is an unwanted pregnancy, has the greater consequences. It is also she on who the greatest amount and variety of contraception methods have been tested on. Therefore, it is also she who “is suspected” of making mistakes when a sexual relation results in an unexpected pregnancy.

But, are all these extra responsibilities, accompanied by care, education and resources? On the contrary, in many societies this overload is accompanied by an inequality in the distribution of all kinds of resources between men and women, in which women are the least favored.

Sexism and HIV/AIDS: sexism increases the risk of AIDS for women.

Family violence can turn children and pregnant women into victims.