Oppression?

I just read a very interesting article in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/world/asia/21kabul.html?pagewanted=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Coming from the 'West', I'm used to hearing the word 'oppression' thrown around a lot when reading about certain topics. I'm not actually going to talk about this word, but I am going to talk about some everyday sorta mundane things that I have experienced and seen living where I live. But, obviously, we must be careful about the words we choose.

This area has the cleanest public toilets (specifically in shopping areas) that I have ever seen. Most also have a very nice place to sit down (sofa, comfortable chairs). I have always thought that these would have been wonderful places for me when I was a new mum and still feeding my babies 'the old fashioned way.' I've seen these spots used for this purpose. I have also seen women enjoying these spaces for pulling off a few of the many layers of clothing they sometimes wear here. I have had discussions with a few 'Western' mums here who use these rooms for feeding their babies because they are nervous that doing so in public could get them into a lot of trouble. I have no clue if they could get into trouble for feeding their babies the old fashioned way in public. I have seen some women doing this. As I stated before, I would have enjoyed these spaces as a new mum. But, otherwise, I'm not sure they would have been needed or used back in the town I lived in when my munchkins were babies.

I do not normally wear a head scarf. I own a lot of them however. There are occasionally times and places in the region when I'm more comfortable wearing it. It is very strange to be stared at by strangers. I have found that when I throw on that head scarf in certain places, I'm merely glanced at instead of stared at. Women, however, when I wear it have stared and smiled. They've even come up to me and attempted to begin a conversation. In certain places, the culture to cover is strong. Should I not wear one from time to time? Maybe....but again, the culture to cover is strong.

One of the biggest gaps, as I see it, between 'East' and 'West' is the culture gap. Specifically, culture as it relates to women. How do we bridge the gaps between cultures? I don't know, but I do know that the first step must be respect. The second step must be to realize that we are all human, that we are all women. And that we are all the same deep down inside.

Peace.