Posted by Jost on August 8, 2006, at 22:21:04
In reply to Re: people in Rowanda... Dinah, Gabbi-G, Phillipa, posted by Estella on August 8, 2006, at 19:52:36
>
> > I am opposed to the historical notion, however unspoken, that women are acceptable losses in the drive to propagate the species.
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> historical notion in which culture? in some cultures... women (historically) were revered.
>
>
For a partial answer to your question, you might want to look for the following article, from some time ago, by Amartya Sen in the New York Review of Books:"More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing"
This article argues that unequal rights between the genders in the developing world, particularly Asia has led to a loss of 100 million women in the contemporary world. This doesn't begin to comprehend the loss of women's lives in the course of history, which would be incalculable. Yet birth control is a form of protection for women's health which many religions and societies do not accept, even now.
The article, which was very important at the time, is from 1990, but the arguments made in it still largely apply.
New York Review of Books, Volume 37, Number 20 · December 20, 1990
Jost
poster:Jost
thread:674015
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20060806/msgs/675067.html