Indroduction

So here I am, about to embark in a project that is unlike anything I’ve really done before. At this point, the ‘end product’ of this project is not clearly definable. It is a work in progress that will be shaped as it is created. However isn’t that how the most brilliant of things are discovered, a fuzzy beginning, a multiple of questions, no clear end, only the bare minimum details worked out? Many would argue that no, when people create they should have a definite plan, every detail should be arranged and that is how things are done successfully. Well hopefully I can prove those people wrong, because as of right now I most certainly do not have every detailed work out. Of course I do have somewhat of a plan, ideas are, in fact, floating around in my head, a surprise to many of you I know. However, despite not having a ‘set in stone’ outline, I do hope I can express my ideas well throughout the course of this project, and in the end create something powerful, interesting and relevant for people all over the world.

So as most good projects begin with something called an introduction, I figured that would be a good place for me to start.


There are lots of things that define me. I am a Canadian. I am student. I am a redhead (some might say strawberry blond). I am a swimmer. The list goes on, and among this ongoing list, there is one thing that very specifically defines me, one thing that is the basis and core of this project. However despite the fact that it also defines half of the rest of the world’s population, it is important to realize that this single definition can make such a difference in the course of one’s life. I’m sure many would agree with me that this definition could often be claimed as a curse, but yet at other times it could very possibly be a blessing!

I am a WOMAN.

Throughout this project, I hope to explore women all over the world, and show the connection between us and the struggles that we face. Yes, those struggles may be immensely different; nonetheless I believe that every woman, from every country deserves a voice to be heard. Throughout history women have gone through multiple tribulations and inequality, but looking at where we have come from to where we are today, I feel as though there is so much hope. Women have gone from Aristotle’s definition that we will always be underdeveloped, incomplete versions of men, to now in most countries being viewed as equal to men. Of course we all know that for many ‘viewing women as equal to men’ is much easier said then done. But I believe that there is a hope that can help woman who are still struggling just to have a voice to be heard.

Now I promise you for the majority of this blog I am not going to ramble on and on like I am doing right now. I am simply going to research, explore and hopefully bring to light the issues that women face in different countries today. For women living in such a privileged country like Canada, it is often hard to imagine what life is like for women across the globe. It’s hard to believe that women in Qatar need male permission to obtain a drivers license, and that in Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to drive cars or ride bicycles and that a man in Venezuela who rapes a woman can avoid punishment as long as he marries her before sentencing (Seager 18).

Yes I still do believe that we as women have come a long way from the times of Aristotle, but despite that fact, we still have a long way to go. Today women are faced with new issues, yes we can work, but what does our place in the workplace look like compared to men? Sure, an official piece of paper might declare men and women as equal, but are we? There are so many questions to look at and discuss. Each week, I will be researching different countries from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, North and South America and Europe, hopefully showing the wide variety that countries from each of these continents offer, in terms of women’s issues. The countries will vary from the very privileged to the poorest of the poor, from the best places women could live to the very worst. I hope to illustrate the quality of life of woman all over the globe. I want to raise awareness of the issues and needs that women face and not only that but also how we can respond to them. I hope to suggest ways in which you, as readers, can respond and how you can make a difference. In the end, I hope to demonstrate and foster some connections - more solidarity amongst women all over the world. I want to raise awareness and a sense of hope for women around the globe.

WAG-(Women Around the Globe)