If family violence teaches children that might makes right at home, how will we hope to cure the futile impulse to solve worldly conflicts with force?
When men are oppressed, it's a tragedy. When women are oppressed, it's tradition.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the contrasting perceptions of oppression based on gender, suggesting that women's oppression is often normalized as a traditional norm.
Letty Cottin Pogrebin's quote reflects on the societal double standard surrounding oppression, where the oppression of men is seen as a rare and tragic event, while the oppression of women is frequently dismissed as a traditional practice. This perspective urges us to critically examine cultural norms and question why certain forms of oppression are normalized, pointing to the need for a deeper understanding of gender inequality in society.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a public speech addressing gender equality, one might use this quote to highlight the normalization of women's oppression.
More from Letty Cottin Pogrebin
All quotes βWhen a family is free of abuse and oppression, it can be the place where we share our deepest secrets and stand the most exposed, a place where we learn to feel distinct without being better, - and sacrifice for others without losing ourselves.
Similar quotes
There are only individual people, different individual people, with their own individual lives. Using one of these people for the benefit of others uses him and benefits the others. Nothing more. What happens is that something is done to him for the sake of others. Talk of an overall social good covers this up.
From a Buddhist point of view, emotions are not real. As an actor, I manufacture emotions. They're a sense of play. But real life is the same. We're just not aware of it.
If any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies.
The complaint that church is boring is never made by people in awe.
Loneliness and solitude are two different things. When you are lonely, it is easy to delude yourself into believing that you are on the right path. Solitude is better for us, as it means being alone without feeling lonely. But eventually it is best to find a person, the person who will be your mirror. Remember, only in another person's heart can you truly see yourself and the presence of God within you.
I get the feeling more and more that religion is being left behind.