Women in the military

So a topic that I often confront is gender equality and the military is often a prime area where the discrepancies between the way men and women are viewed is the most clear. For instance, in this this story about a woman who served during WWII, her bravery and leadership in battle couldn't be rewarded because women were ineligible to receive certain honors. It's easy to think that in today's more gender equal world that women would face fewer restrictions, but that is not true. There are plenty of positions within multiple branches of the military that are completely off limits to women and as recently as 2005 there was discussion in Congress over whether or not to regulate some of these restrictions by law rather than simply military bylaw. My really good friend served in the National Guard and was a door gunner, but she ran into the problem of being infrequently selected for missions making it hard for her to rack up the number of hours she needed to become eligible for further training and other various positions. I understand that women are also not drafted, so quite obviously their role within the military is different, but I think that it's intolerable that a great woman who has sacrificed just as much for her country would be unable to be given the appropriate level of recognition. I don't know a lot about today's military, but I really hope no awards or honors have gender limitations or requirements.

Children's Literature

One of the things that I have realized is important over the last few months while I've been reading and thinking about the childhood development of girls is that there is a definite need to provide our female children with empowering and worthwhile literature that teaches them to believe in their own power and abilities as women rather than simply casting them as the "damsel in distress." While I was visiting with the Shakespeare & Company Bookshop writing group in Paris, France over Christmas break one of the other writers suggested to me to pick up a book his sister had written because it was a collection of stories from around the world that featured strong female heroines. I don't have the title with me right now, but as soon as I get into that section of my notes, I will make sure to post it. I have been looking to find it at the library or somewhere else accessible and hopefully will read it soon. Tonight while I was visiting with a friend I came across a book she had titled Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas by Sara Lorimer. I was really moved to read through it because it struck me as the perfect book for young women. It is about pirates-- a group of exceeding interest to and often of great reverence for young kids, who we generally only have male examples of. To introduce to young girls the female version of these off-color heroes is to entitle them to believe that they are capable of kicking ass, taking names, and being in charge. I will look over it and get back to you.

The Great Happiness Space

This film, The Great Happiness Space by Jake Clynell, was an intriguing, thought-provoking and sometimes disturbing glimpse into a culture that is, to most, unfamiliar if not unthinkable. It engages the audience in a no-holds-barred look at the Japanese male companionship trade, providing insight into reasons for why men become hosts as well as why women seek out their services. Question after question was raised in my mind not only about the lives of the men working at Osaka's Cafe Rakkyo but also about a culture in which this industry can exist and thrive. What are these women lacking in life that makes them shell out thousands of dollars just for amusement, entertainment and male company?

Many reviews and even the synopsis on the website, compare these male hosts to geisha, citing them as a contemporary male version of this ancient tradition, but I have to disagree. Geisha were well trained in a variety of art forms and provided dance and music in addition to their intelligent conversation to the men who paid to spend time in their presence. The male hosts at Rakkyo lack these talents and, instead, offer a different set of services and fill a very specific niche in a Japanese society that has an interesting relationship to sexuality and intimate relationships.

This is a movie to watch, not just to learn about the sex trade in Japan, but also to spark thoughts on why men and women both seek intimacy in its different forms within the service industry. Having lived in Japan and possessing an interest in gender and sexuality issues, I thought I knew what I was getting into when I pressed the play button, but this film introduced ideas and concepts that I shuddered at and could not stop thinking about for days.

See an edited version of this review on Netflix Amazon and IMDB.