Gender on the Agenda #1

Young wo/men write about their concerns of their gender when participating in the civil society they live in:

1)

….Sometimes I catch myself in thinking of how my life would have been like if I was born as a boy instead of a girl. But then I tell myself that being a man might be easier than being a woman – at least here in the Middle East! So being a woman might actually be my driving factor for actively taking part in civil society, for engaging in organizations and so on………….maybe

….Big issues give rise to big responsibilities. But where to begin?? If I have to count the problems of my gender, then I have to be really positive-thinking at the same time because elsewhere I would just give up….at least here in the Middle East.
Maybe I should start with encouraging women to educate themselves? Or what about working against early marriages? Or starting a project fighting against violence against women.

…..But sometimes I catch myself in thinking that getting married with an average guy and getting children and just stop worrying would be so much easier than all that volunteering stuff…..At least here in the Middle East!
But that’s just how I am.

I never chose the easy opportunity. And maybe that is why I would never choose to be a man if I could….because that is the easy solution….. At least here in the Middle East.
So strange and yet so fascinating! So many differences due to an X instead of a Y chromosome.

-Anonymous author