Feminism and AWARE by Constance Singam
I begin with a quote from Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2000).
Those who label us ‘hooligans’ have very little understanding of feminism nor of the history and culture of civil society nor indeed of how democratic institutions work. They have (which is a lot of women) grown up with the social mandate that says “be nice”. History has taught us that being nice got us nowhere.
Another confusion is with regard to AWARE as a women’s organization. What is AWARE? Is it a welfare organization? Is it a social club?
It is both. But AWARE is more than that. AWARE’s founding members realized that AWARE needed to go beyond maintaining the status quo if women’s aspiration to be treated as equals to the men were ever to be achieved.
AWARE, then, set out to follow the feminist ideology and mode of action. It became a movement for social, political, and economic equality of men and women. Equality, in these terms, is a balance between the male and female with the intention of liberating the individual.
Feminism’s goals are social and political change. This means one must be engaged with the government and law, as well as social practices and beliefs. And implicit to these goals is access to sufficient information to enable women to make responsible choices.
Take for example one issue that AWARE pioneered and feminist organization the world over) and promoted – domestic violence. Until feminism, there was no word for battered women or domestic violence, no legal protection and no shelter system. AWARE needed to raise consciousness of the public, policy-makers and the victims to succeed in raising the issue as a serious concern and lobby for laws to garner mainstream support and provide victims with support.
But unfortunately when the concern becomes mainstream, as it has in Singapore, the resulting social programs are reduced to treating the symptoms rather than curing-or preventing-the disease. This is the mode of action of welfare organizations.
In order to have a robust movement, domestic violence and economic development need to be re-identified as feminist issues and victories.
Take all the concerns that AWARE has pioneered and promoted – citizenship rights, equal medical benefits, one-third quota in the medical faculty and others – have all since become mainstream issues.
Another case in point is sexual harassment. This was again not recognized nor acknowledged till AWARE did the survey two years ago. The feminist mode of action for AWARE would be to lobby for laws against sexual harassment, public policies and protocol to deal with harassment in the workplace, trainings for implementation of these laws, and process to help women through the process.
Feminism requires action and responsibility for oneself. A feminist organization such as AWARE is required to work for political and social change; campaign for laws and policies that support individuals toward equality; provide individuals with the knowledge, skills and power to make their own choices and respect each other as equals.
This is why AWARE can never ‘be nice’. If it becomes ‘nice’ it would have failed in its mandate.
Constance Singam
July 8 2009
Thank you for a lovely article. Change, whether for the better or for the worse, always makes people feel uncomfortable, so it is quite natural to receive criticism for the good work AWARE is doing. Some men feel uncomfortable when women’s rights are promoted because they feel threatened.
Ironically, some women also feel uncomfortable when their rights are promoted because they don’t like to focus on their issues and they don’t like to hear men complaining about women’s rights.
It’s a lot to do with education – so that men don’t have to feel threatened and that women realise that they are entitled to rights that they may not even know about.
It’s about being first, AWARE, and second, doing something about it, which AWARE is valiantly doing for the sake of women who have suffered before and women who will suffer less in the future!
Keep up the good work!
[...] AWARE Aftermath – We Are Aware: Why AWARE cannot “be Nice” [...]
I am in a girls’ school and it is disgusting how the school administration says on one hand that students should learn to be dynamic thinkers and pioneers then turn around and quash our every move as ‘disrespectful’, ‘unorthodox’, or (if they’re in an uncreative mood) plain old ‘rude’ – even when the action in question is something as simple as a typewritten letter voicing opinions, placed on an office desk. Believing in equal rights is perceived as somehow militant, while being considered a Nice Person is something like a social pinnacle.
This writing has inspired me; thank you.
Constance Singam Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
plopp. Well said.
Thank you and I am happy that my comments have helped you. I am afraid our culture has not matured enough nor the people in authority feel secure enough in their sense of identity to enable them to respect opposing views.
We have been socialised in cultures and religions that are patriarchal, authoritarian and hierarchical. It will take us a long time to shed these values and attitudes.
AWARE’s objective is to raise awareness about these inherently negative attitudes and values of the patriarchal system which people who hold democratic values, such as feminists, believe are damaging to human relationships and well-being.
Hope for change rests with young people such as yourself. best of luck.
Constance Singam
AWARE’s vision is fighting/working for gender equality for all & thus it is already ‘inclusiveness’! So, how can it possibly be nice or not nice as dualistic concept which could be a trap by itself? It can only be wiser for ALL as it moves on responsibly… This is an ideal concept though for all humankind on earth.
Incidently, I like to requote here with MM Lee Kuan Yew in today The Sunday Times when he was touching about Racial Harmony Issue:- ” This is an ideal which may never completed reach, but because we have this ideal, we will continue to make progress.”
AWARE also spells out loud & clear that its mission is to identify areas for improvement in gender equality, encourage positive change, and support women in realising their highest potential.
Smile & cheer!