Vered’s Blog

It’s an amazing Sunday day outside. It doesn’t feel like spring at all, more like mid-summer!. And still I’m in the house trying to finish all kind of errands before the weekend is finished.

Stuff like, laundry, ironing, cleaning, cooking – normal household chores that during the week I have no time for it. On top of it I know at the back of my head I have these important reports that I need to finish before Monday and I promised myself I’ll do it during the weekend.

What is it with us women that no matter how good we are, no matter how successful we are, how many awards we have won already, we are still trying to push further and finish just one last thing…

I was thinking a lot about it. At first I thought it was the need to get approval. But I realized, at least for me, that’s not the point. The point is getting RESPECT!

It’s as if the more I’ll achieve, the more different hats I’ll be wearing and more results I’ll be creating the more respect I’ll get. It’s not enough just to be able to be a good mother, a good partner, a good lover; we also want to prove that we can be good at marketing, sales, decision taking, and vision creating and most important opening new businesses. It’s as if Superwoman has been left behind. Now is the time for even something more!

I think the reason is that down inside we are still suffering from generations of conditioning where women’s point of view was not acceptable; where women were treated as commodity by men.

I was watching some Shakespeare’s comedies adapted to the screen. My favorite is ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. It was shocking reminder to see how Hiro was treated by her own father when was accused by Claudio and Don Pedro as a whore. She did not even had a chance to defend herself or to demand a solid proof for what they thought they have seen. Her own father was willing first to believe other men than defend her honor and give her respect.

Not only that her own loved one, Claudio, was not even willing to listen to her. If it was a man he would at least ask him to explain himself. But with women it’s first accused, prosecute and execute the punishment. No time to even listen and give respect of the doubt to her.

In another famous Shakespearian play ‘Midsummer Dream’ Theseus declares that Hermia must marry Demetrius, or choose between death or joining a nunnery. Hermia is being given a choice between life unbearable or doing what her father decides for her. Egeus, her own father is actually complaining to Theseus that his own property, his daughter is not willing to obey him and demands justice by Theseus.

Again, women are looked upon as commodity to be used, without being heard or considered as someone who has an opinion on their own lives.

It’s true Shakespeare is describing situations in the 16th century and women have gone a long way since then. However, I do believe that the scars that we have been taking on all those generations are implanted in our memory and in our cells and are there haunting us and demanding that in this day and age we will get the respect we deserve. Therefore we are doing our best to show that we can do much more than any man can.

I guess at the end of the day what we are looking for is respecting ourselves and being treated as equal as all others. Or in the words of a song that I truly like “Respect Yourself�:
Respect yourself - Change your mind
Respect yourself - Don’t be blind
Respect yourself - And you will see the light

Respect yourself - And you will find your way
So practice what you pray - Don’t run away
Respect yourself

If you are feeling weak so deep inside
No place to run, no place to hide
R. E. S. P. E. C. T - Respect your destiny

If you don’t know what is right or wrong
If you feel confused and your thoughts are gone
R. E. S. P. E. C. T - Respect yourself, be free

Don’t care about what people say
Believe in yourself and go your own way
Respect - no resignation
Leave the path of isolation

Don’t care about what people say
R.E.S.P.E.C.T , will never get away
Today, we stay, and pay attention anyway
Fairplay, everyday don’t run away

You don’t know, no, what you don’t know
Like the colors of the rainbow
Respect is the name of the game
Respect yourself and you never miss your aim

If you gonna show weakness
You gotta let them know
You don’t know, no, what you don’t know
If you really wanna grow, say no just go

Have a great week and remember - R.E.S.P.E.C.T yourself!