When I initially read this, I went head first into defensive mode. How dare they discriminate against women for something as natural as being pregnant or menstruating.
Reminds me of that weird rule men have about women aboard boats - somehow and I don't know how, pregnant and bleeding women sink ships apparently or, even worse, scare off fish. Now, let's run with that idea for a little. If men say women can scare fish off, aren't they kind of saying women are really powerful and that, maybe, just maybe, the fish are damn smart, inter-connected to all things considered of nature and that by our mere presence, we can determine an outcome? Awesome! I mean, don't get me wrong, I do think some budding fishermen have kind of meddled with this cultural belief just so their girlfriends and wives never get to know just how big that fish really was but I also have to acknowledge that the belief, in its true form, does still actually exist.
Feminist blogger Boganette said she was disgusted by the museum's stance. "It's disgusting that in this day and age women can be told they're 'forbidden' ...[...]... It's a completely archaic belief that is oppressive to all women." She said she would encourage women to attend.
Now look, I've just walked into my bathroom and grabbed a bottle of paracetamol... no, there's no link to Boganette here people... This little pill promises to do something but it also issues a warning - don't use if you're pregnant. If I really wanted to, I could Goggle the damn thing and come up with a string of evidence that says... oh, don't be doing that if you're 'up the duff' just as much as I could find evidence stating the opposite. The point is, they issue a warning. They aren't refusing to sell me the pill. They just respect the fact that there is a greater risk of 'something untoward' happening if I were pregnant etc. Ultimately, it's my choice.
There is no difference, as far as I am concerned, with the likes of Te Papa issuing a warning for those pregnant and menstruating women to refrain from attending an exhibition which could be spiritually detrimental to them, in their current condition. Yes, I know for some of you that all sounds a little like witch craft stuff but who is to say that spiritual well-being is not as important as the physical one, and unless you know a lot about spiritual health, are you prepared to let ignorance lead you instead? I mean, I don't know terribly much about brain surgery. Oh, okay, I know nothing about brain surgery but I would take advice and guidance from someone who did. Wouldn't you?
An updated news link:
ReplyDeleteRespecting Maori culture - is it really too much to ask?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10680643