I have at last shaken away my fears and picked up my sword...or in this case my pen to challenge all my fears and explain to you my very peaceful life... my very peaceful and boring life ! A strange statement you think, but if you read this until the end, you will recognize the predicament I am living. I am a Moroccan woman, but I could be English, Japanese, even from another planet... it does not matter ! I am not married, my age is of no concern but I still retain my youth and I am full of life. During my studies, I was an obedient, hard working student, a tendency to be strict with myself against wasting time to be able to fulfill my destiny. But... what did I gain from this dedication and obedience ? NOTHING !! All I can see ahead is a mist of unknown and a peaceful, boring life in the kitchen. Of course, I am unable to analyze the unemployment, the economic problems, or the waste of my education... because in my country I am only a woman and women do not know these things. As the eldest daughter it is expected that I do the housework, washing and cooking and every women aware that it requires hours of standing. I am fortunate not to have a large family as I can usually find time to rest but I know many women who do not ! My main complaint is of husbands and brothers ; they do not try to understand what a woman has to put up with as work can only be evaluated in monetary means so woman work is unpaid. But expected ! I believe this to be discrimination and feel depressed when I see my brothers enjoying their free time, making plans to entertain but do they ever consider what I can plan in my spare time ? My holy kitchen, convent, its pots, cutlery, plates, what I will provide for them so they can go and entertain on full stomachs. It is assumed by the males that women cannot adjust to situations but if they will not allow us to learn from the experiences, we will always remain slaves to their kitchens ! Most men think that women's place is in the home, taking care of them, children, and parents ; it is her path to live in peace far from the outside world and its experiences. In my opinion the reality is that men fear women's capabilities, they fear that if they allow us freedom, we will restrict out favors, perhaps even consider the male to be inferior... but I leave you with one last thought : have men forgotten that the female of any species is the most dangerous ? Be warned all brave men... one day the females of the world will turn on them ! Choutam Hassan Dear "Swlak", You have spoken beautifully about what most of us think but never express. It is in my opinion that, sadly, you are right about many things in your article. You circle very well a particular society problem that is omnipresent in the moroccan society. As I am a student myself, a very young student in fact, there is nothing that makes me shiver more than the thought of ending up in a kitchen behind the stove, my only purpose in life being to feed my husband and four children. As I try to communicate my apprehensions with my father, (with whom I consider to have a very close relationship), he sweeps all my words away by saying that I am sexist, a feminist, that I hate men and will not get married this way. This statement seems false to me. I dream of a world of travels, discoveries, and I dream of having a good carreer in journalism. But as you said, sister, what good will it be for me to get a PhD., the highest level of education, if I am not allowed to use it ? I am fortunate enough to be living in the USA and hence have to freedom to bloom in any profession I wish. However, I feel very strongly for those women back in Morocco who do not always have some choices... In conclusion, I must comment on your writting style, Mrs.Swalk. I do not know who you are, or where you learned english, but I loved the word flow in your text, and the simple words you used. If you had infinite freedom, and some interest for it, perhaps you could consider to be a writer. :) I wish the best of luck to all the women stuck inside their houses, missing out on the world. I know this is not much, but you have all my smpathy. There is an American proverb saying : "It's a men's world, only because we leavce it to them". That, my friends, is the truth.
