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Women all around the world face difference experiences.
For an assignment in Global Women’s Issues, PSU student Sydney McClanahan started a petition for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and India.
“I got my inspiration by reading the material for the course,” McClanahan said. “We read about how women in Saudi Arabia have male guardians that essentially control every aspect of their life. Then I started reading about India and realize women rights are almost just as bad they just don’t have a title of male guardian. I am a person who loves control so that would be my worst nightmare.”
Global Women’s Issues gave McClanahan a place to start.
“I have always wanted it to find a way to contribute to the movement but taking this class and having the structure to actually start a petition is that really push me to follow through,” McClanahan said.
Raising awareness begins with conversations according to McClanahan.
“I think we can raise awareness just by getting people to talk about it more posting more on social media and it not letting it get pushed to the background,” McClanahan said. “If more people had open discussions about it to try and get people to see their point of view instead of arguing about them, I think that would help a lot.”
McClanahan has plans for the future as well.
“My ultimate goal is to just have a lot of people sign my petition and emails,” McClanahan said. “Then they can put donations on through there. Once we get enough donations and I get better contacts with the community, I would love to… share the donations… with someone with the power to help (create) change…”
Women’s rights is an issue that takes place in many countries.
“What I really want to… (achieve) for this project is opening people’s eyes to what is really happening not just in the U.S. but in other countries as well,” McClanahan said. “Even if there are people who are very aware about what is happening in the U.S. I feel like a lot of people including myself don’t think about other countries enough. That is how I feel like the project has changed me and what I’m hoping to do for others.”
McClanahan hopes that people understand exactly what feminists are fighting for.
“The last thing that I would probably want to clarify is that why feminists are fighting for we are not fighting to be better… (than) anyone,” McClanahan said. “We are fighting for every human to be equal because a person is not better because of their gender or sex.”