Women Writers: Where Are You?

As an opinion writer who only started out about six months ago writing about my views on a number of social/historical/political topics, things have been, slow. While being called 'thought provoking' and the like, opinion stuff seem to get a lot less attention than the beauty stuff. Understandably. Opinion stuff get a lot less comments. A lot less feedback. A lot less sharing (from my experience). But then again, I only seem to get the positive reaction if I deal with a particular crowd; 'conscious' individuals, writers, poets... artists in general.

But I get it though. Sorta. We are women. We like nice things such as food, make-up, clothes, womanly stuff. We like happy things. We don't like sad things. We don't like real-life stuff. And many of us choose to blog about the sometimes mundane, overtired, done and done again stuff to escape real life. I can't knock that at all. I can't... because that's what my other blog has become.

I seem to appreciate writings about real issues, how to find the solution and how to prevent it from happening again.... but we're all different. I'm sort of nerdy. I'm sort of into all of that and more.

It is fair to say though that many people don't care about other people's opinions on said subject matter and I really respect that. But where are the women who want to change the world a blog post at a time?

Am I not looking close enough?

Do you know any? Share the love.

Racist? Caroline Wozniacki imitating Serena Williams

Was Caroline Wozniacki's joke racist?

1. It was just a joke. 

After viewing the video myself, I honestly do not believe that Caroline was acting with the intent to hurt or offend. Although the joke was in very bad taste and incredibly unprofessional, she appeared oblivious to what effect it could have caused. 

2. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Who wouldn't want to be Serena Williams? She has an amazing track-record in tennis and she's in her early thirties and already regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history. 

Aside from her great achievements, Serena Williams also has a body that will make you want to go to the gym:

Caroline...

I guess you can tell why she imitated Serena's body. 

3. They're friends.

I know that to a lot of people, when a racist act is committed and the 'friend' excuse is being used ('we're friends' or 'I have a black friend'), it's seen as a cop-out for taking any responsibility for committing that racist act. 

While that may be the case in many cases, Serena and Caroline are said to be friends, so they probably make all kinds of jokes in private. 

4. Serena hasn't responded.

Why she hasn't (publicly) responded, is open to interpretation. Maybe she knew it was a joke and didn't care? Or maybe she wanted to keep her non-black fan-base happy?  

Either way, if she hasn't publicly responded and if she's been offended, I'm sure she talked to Caroline about it in private.

5. Caroline is ignorant.

I mean it in a 'nice' way. 

It is very likely that Caroline (like most non-black people and probably some black people too) is unaware of the history of black women; particularly their portrayal. 

6. White privilege.

White Europeans have never had to endure any race motivated marginalisation, discrimination or negative portrayal. She doesn't know what it's like to be on the receiving end of racism, therefore she may not even think she's committed a (possibly) racist act. 

6. Less of the accusing, more of the educating.

We need to think before we start accusing every single act as 'racist' without thinking that it may have not been done maliciously.

Indeed there are zero excuses for people not knowing our history, but how can we expect other people to know our history and be sensitive towards us when many of us don't know it ourselves? 

Let's educate, not berate. 

South Sudan: Freedom Of Speech Gets You Killed.

Diing Chan Awuol, a leading columnist and critic of South Sudan's government, was gunned down outside of his home in Juba.

I was honestly surprised... I really did not expect this to happen in South Sudan.

This is not because we are a 'democratic' country, but mostly because I believe the government really don't care whether people think they're corrupt or not.

I don't even blame myself for thinking that way because if you have a government job and you have this huge house in Juba and your unemployed kids in Australia drive SUVs and live in big condo's or villa's, then it's obvious you're taking part in corruption and you don't care to show that off either.

I criticise the Southern Sudanese government at any opportunity I am given. I honestly believe that it is our right to because we deserve way better than what we are given right now. We've had 20+ years of civil war, endless peace talks and finally our secession in the summer of 2011.

We deserve freedom of choice, freedom of speech, a transparent government and a lawful, peaceful country.

I have written extensively about South Sudan and I have also criticised the Southern Sudanese government for their corruption and Salva Kiir for his weak approach to solving it.

After everything we have endured, we deserve the right to demand better.

Mr Awuol was known for his 'strong' opinions, including wanting peace between the two Sudans. I assume that meant a reunion between North and South Sudan.

While I may not agree with that, it doesn't give me the urge me to pick up a gun and commit murder.

The expression: 'opinions are like assholes, everyone has one' springs to mind. When will some of us finally come to terms with the fact that everyone is different?

Awuol's death was senseless. His viewpoint wasn't Gospel. It wasn't going to be law. It wasn't going to be used as a solution to our problems. He was simply a columnist who wrote what he felt and thought. And while it may be difficult for a lot of us to accept that, there are going to be a lot more Awuol's out there who will probably express even more 'extremist' thoughts.

Why are we slowly resembling the country we actually seceded from?

There used to be a time when we had no voice (especially in pre-secession Sudan). We were killed and jailed for speaking out against the genocide that was taking place. We really yearned for freedom and democracy (something we sort of finally have right now). But why do so many of us think it's OK to limit this freedom and democracy only to favourable viewpoints?

Source

One of Awuol's relative told the Sudan Tribune: "I knew he would one day be assassinated for his writings and I told him to stop but he said he would prefer to die than to stop writing."

That is true journalistic spirit. It's unfortunate that a country which was democratically chosen to be the world's newest country, has to deal with issues challenging its democracy. I really hope there aren't any more persecutions of people who want to speak out about what they think South Sudan should be doing. I sincerely hope Mr Awuol gets the justice he deserves. Rest in peace.

The NY Post Cover And Umar Abbasi: Disgraceful

It's not often I truly admit it, but I'm very distressed by this: New York Post Publishes Horrifying Cover Of Man About To Die On Subway Tracks.

I'm not posting the photograph of the NY Post cover because I do not agree with the fact that it has been published.

Mr Abbasi is a Post freelance photographer. I see you Mr Abbasi. I see you clear as day.

I know exactly why you took the photograph and it was definitely not to alert the train conductor.

Your idea that the flash should have alerted the train conductor that there was someone on the tracks was terribly flawed.

As a photographer, you out of all people, should know that camera flashes blind, distracts and obscures people's vision. There was no way in hell the driver could have known that there was someone on the tracks especially with light flashing into her/his eyes.

Furthermore, not only is your idea of using a camera's flash to warn a driver incredibly flawed, and nonsensical, it was very irresponsible. You could have put the driver's and the passengers' life in danger.

May I also remind you Mr Abbasi, that the universal sign for danger or help is pretty much waving your arms around, screaming and shouting. Believe me when I say that everyone understands that.

If you had admitted that you took the picture because you felt it was newsworthy then I'd have been like 'ok he isn't even trying to hide that he's in it for the money, heartless bastard'.

But you didn't.

As a Post freelancer, you're relying on good photographs to sell, so your excuse is immediately out of the window, you're fooling no one.

I've already seen some photo-journalists coming out to defend Mr Abbasi. I found the argument 'photography isn't just about capturing all the good and the colourful, but also about capturing the bad and the disastrous' quite common..

While that is true, his situation cannot be strictly applied to past situations of controversial photographs (i.e. war images of Vietnam War etc.). Why do I think that?

 Because there's a big possibility that Mr Abbasi could have saved this man by alerting the train conductor appropriately.

But he didn't. The amount of time he spend clicking to get photographs were precious moments he could have been swinging his arms around screaming for help. He didn't even try to do either of that.

I have a problem with that.

There were other witnesses there that day and some also witnessed the moment Mr Han was pushed onto the tracks. But they did nothing either. The photo shows no sign of anyone trying to stop the train conductor.

NY Post is disgraceful for posting the cover. It is clear that they wanted a surge in sales. I also know for a fact that they posted it without the family's permission. The NY Post showed major disregard for the family, the victim and also any human being with a heart.

The photo will forever serve as a stark reminder that even when someone is witnessing your last moments, they will not always make the effort to try and save you.

This is the Hunger Games.