Didn't know what to tag this under. Applies to politics also but from my own feelings, not any specific news event.
Anyway, I'm starting to feel like my title says. You know they watched the show with giddiness, shared it with their ilk, and it gave them tons of ideas.
The flip side is I'm glad we have the show because in a way it's forewarning us.
What are your thoughts on this?
Have you ever actually looked into how the Handmaid’s Tale was written? Margaret Atwood took magazine and newspaper clippings of articles regarding women’s issues from all over the world.
For example: “‘Women forced to have babies.’ This is an article about Ceaușescu and Romania. He passed laws that said women had to have four babies. They had to have pregnancy tests every month and if they weren’t pregnant they had to explain why. ‘The latest sicko Red ruling was announced by cold-blooded Romanian president Nicolas [sic] Ceaușescu, who wants women to have more babies so the country will get richer.’
Do you think she just made all this up? Treatment of women has been problematic since the beginning of time. They don’t need this television show for “notes”.
Wow I didn’t know about that, thank you for this. It’s like Iran in the 70s and then boom the Islamic Revolution made all these women wear burkas and not able to leave the house or go to college or university. The Iranian women lived a westernized life and it was all taken away from them. I am so grateful I was born here in Canada. The colonies are also a reference to co concentration camps. It’s all there we just can’t see it all.
Here in the US women couldn’t open checking account on their own until the 60s but most banks still wouldn’t do it without a signature from a male relative until the 70s. Think about that. How much men could control women and it wasn’t even that long ago.
Oh wow, you’re right. Same as in Canada. A good reminder. Thank you.
And Canada was still stealing babies from native women and sending them to boarding schools until the 1990s. It is all too real
As well as forced sterilization that took place here to women of color until the 70s (if not after). It’s really only been recently that we’ve really seen the efforts of all the women who came before us who fought so we can have better lives. But there’s still more to do.
Just absolutely awful
I suspect that’s why we’re seeing backlash - our efforts are working and the powers that be are afraid of what their lives might look like without women being relegated to the margins.
Related: Spousal rape only became a crime in Canada in 1983.
It was still legal in the US in some states until 1993.
These reminders are important. Keep them coming.
In Alabama, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Wyoming currently rapists can claim parental rights.
Here’s a link to the article if you want to read it:
And another more on her process:
https://lithub.com/margaret-atwood-on-how-she-came-to-write-the-handmaids-tale/
Being westernised didn't equate to bring free. Look at the above example quoted of Romania, and look what's happening in USA where right is abortion is being taken away. Abortion is allowed in Islam btw. Being "westernised" to be called free is pretty demeaning to all the women living on the other side of compass.
I did not mean to demean anyone, and to anyone who feels this way I am truly sorry 😢 I just don’t think I used the correct wording. Thank you for your response.
I was referring to fashion and cars etc when referring to being westernized by the way. But I can see how it was taken the wrong way.
No problem. I am glad we voiced our opinions while respecting other's :) it's a rare thing on Reddit these days.
Absolutely 👍 😃
Just happened to Afghanistan as well when the Taliban took over. 😵
Yes you’re right, my brain has been focused on Itqn lately because I was looking at pictures there before the revolution and it was such a beautiful time and culture. Thank you for reminding me how grateful I am to live in Canada. It’s definitely an extra Happy Canada Day for me now.
In Alabama, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Wyoming currently rapists can claim parental rights.