Male/female: identities in question
-Natacha Henry, Olivier Berthelot, France
" Man's happiness is: I want; Women's happiness is: he wants". A
play on roles or a profound mark of identity?/ In Thus spoke Zarathaoustra, it was in this
way that Nietzsche caricatured human duality. Who, in our day, would dare?
"I am black, lesbian, feminist, fighter, poet, mother." Through
this emotive list, the American Audre Lorde (1934-1992) defined her identity. A university
teacher, militant and writer, was she making an extremist claim or simply illustrating the
contemporary complexity of female identity?
Identity-a concept very much of our times. A search for one's roots,
particular local characteristics, local pride, regional music and languages…As a
result, politicians jumped on the bandwagon, the advertising industry and marketing too.
It is the same with how we define ourselves sexually, our gender, to use the Anglo-Saxon
concept: the social and cultural construction of the difference between the sexes.
"The female experience with identity, are the key words of today",
says Francoise Thebaud in "Writing Women's History", the most recent
historiographic synthesis on the subject. The debate about parity together with the
strength of feminism does indeed show that the difference between the sexes is at stake in
the struggle for power. Thus although some like to believe that feminism is fighting a
rear-guard action, it remains above all a diversified movement which is still relevant.
Indeed, the last days of this century are marked by the virulence of the
debates about male-female relationships. Their anchor point is the question of identity.
Can we talk about male-female identities? What are their respective foundations? Must we
strike a balance between biological difference and social education? Or oppose them both?
Such are the two directions of contemporary feminism. It is also the key to understanding
the identity crisis experienced by a number of men and women.
Equality in difference:
The egalitarian feminists base their arguments on a universalist approach
to the human species. Historically a majority in France, this current of thought seeks
complete equality between the sexes. However, the equality they strive for, by
establishing a sexually neutral world, may deny women their special nature by sacrificing
them on the "altar of patriarchy". And the "wonder woman" myth of the
1980s, capable of combining work, caring for her family and maintaining the physique of a
top medal does not seem to all to be the mark of human progress.
Must sacrifices be made? Would the identity of women thus be to shut away in
the private domain, with the public domain the preserve of men? The rapid advance of the
trend to dualism, well represent in the United States, could one to believe so. Every
thing that makes women special- particularly giving birth – is celebrated in this
approach. As Elisabeth Badinter notes in her book XY, de l'identite masculine [XY, of the
identity of male] "We are witnessing a return in force of the celebration of
the maternal sublime. Here is women's destiny, the condition of their power, their
happiness and the promise of the regeneration of the world so badly treated by men."
Biologically different, women should therefore enjoy their own rights. This
has led to the American Policy of "positive discrimination" – favoring
women because they have been so long excluded from the system… because they would
other wise have to sacrifice their mothering function. Conversely, in an article entitled
"La Femme reinventee" [Woman reinvented] le Debat , May-august 1998) the
philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky wrote that 'male leadership required no sacrifice of the
role of father".
Should the sole perspective of contemporary women, then, be that they are
doubly "expolited" at work and at home? Is this the price of access to the
public sphere and of coming out of the shadows? The many divergences that became apparent
within feminist organizations in France during the debate about parity are, in this
respect, symptomatic: to vote for parity is to underline a difference in the nature of men
and womenand risk reinforcing the identification of the later as being in a different
category of humans and thus not having the same rights.
Some dualistic feminists retort that the object of parity is not to mark the
biological difference between the sexes, but rather to progress towards eradicating gender
differentiation. It is not nature that prevents woman gaining access to the National
Assembly, it is not nature that prevents men from staying at home to look after the
children an do the house-work, it is the construct of gender which holds that little boys
play soldiers and little girls play mummies and daddies.
Thus, much more than ' a slight difference", gender identity is based on
the image society suggests to us. If we enjoy the husband's higher salary, accept that his
job is more important to him, that he experiences unemployment as a greater setback in his
life, we expect his wife to look after the house and family and leave her job when he has
to move to the provinces abroad.
An Infinite human palette
This locking of the sexes into opposing camps said to be
complementary is the prime source of the crisis in male and female identity described by
sociologists. There are no female or male values, but a human palette, the full range of
which should be accessible to both men and women. For several years, a visible homosexual
identity (through, for example, the gay and lesbian pride parade) has begun to overturn
stereotypes in any way.
To abolish the sexism of power, of language, of employment and domestic
chores thus seems desirable for both genders: indeed, they do not always cope with the
pressures put on them. Because identity is based on models, the history of the sexes must
be deconstructed: there is identity if there is identification. To quote Francoise Thebaud
again: " the history of women connects with the current preoccupation of social
history which thinks in terms of membership of a multiplicity of social group and complex
identities".
Thus, rethhinking, from feminist perspective, the links between the
individual and what society expects of him or her, men, like women, take on an identity
that suits them better, giving them greater freedom. As the writer, Vercors, reminds us in
les Animaux denatures [Denatured animals], in 1952, our first identity is our status of
human. By deconstructing gender we may perhaps come to construct a human race at peace
with itself.
52nd. Anniversary of Sri Lankan Independence
On 4th February this year, we celebrate 52nd anniversary of Independence.
This joyous day is the most appropriate occasion to reciprocate the warm sentiments of the
friendly people of Nepal. Bound by common affinities and similarities, the centuries old
relationship between Sri Lanka and Nepal has developed gradually on the principles of
goodwill and mutual understanding.
CULTURAL RELATIONS:
The influence of Buddhism has made a notable contribution to
consolidate the cultural and religious commonalties between the two countries for
centuries. Nepal being the birthplace of Lord Buddha has gained a special importance
amongst Sri Lankan Buddhists who believe that the site of Buddha's birth is one of the
four places of great veneration. This practice attracts a large number of Buddhist
pilgrims from Sri Lanka annually to Lumbini. The initiative taken by the Nepalese
Government by declaring Lumbini as a place of great importance and launching a scheme to
develop the area is appreciated by the world community. The peoples of Sri Lanka admire
with great respect, the donation of two and half acres of land in the sacred area in
Lumbini to Sri Lanka for the purpose of constructing a Buddhist Monastery Complex. This
has further strengthened the centuries old bond between the peoples of Sri Lanka and
Nepal.
In the recent history, the religious and cultural links between Sri Lanka and
Nepal have been enhanced by the ceaseless efforts of eminent Buddhist scholars in both
nations. Late Ven. Narada Thero of Sri Lanka, visited Nepal in 1934 and inspired young
Nepalese to learn Theravada Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka. Late Ven. Amritananda who
was ordained and received education in Sri Lanka pioneered Buddhist revival in the country
in the later years. In the year 1946, Ven. Narada Thera of Sri Lanka led a delegation of
five Bikkhus to Nepal on the suggestion of Ven. Amritananda and requested then Prime
Minister Padma Shumsher Rana to provide assistance to re-establish Theravada Buddhism on
this noble soil. Even today, there is a large number of Nepali Bikkhus receiving education
and training in Theravada traditions in the Island.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS:
The diplomatic relations between the two countries was
established in 1957. In the same year, the late His Majesty King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah
Dev paid the first State Visit to Sri Lanka. His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
also visited Sri Lanka in 1967 as the Crown Prince and again in 1976 as the Head of the
State leading the Nepali delegation for Non-Aligned Summit in Colombo. Subsequently, the
King has made a State Visit to Sri Lanka in 1980. The former Prime Minister, Mr. Girija
Prasad Koirala has made a valuable contribution to the 5th and the 10th SAARC Summit in
Colombo. Sri Lankan dignitaries who visited Nepal include Late Governor General William
Gopallawa (1967, 1970), Late President J. R Jayawardena (1978, 1987), Late President R.
Premadasa (1988 as Prime Minister and 1992 as President) and the Present President H.E.
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in July 1999.
The bilateral relations have taken a new turning point with the establishment
of the Resident Missions in both capitals in early 90's. The diplomatic relations have
attained a new height of closeness and cordiality in the last year, when the President of
Sri Lanka made a State Visit to Nepal. It has reminded us the fragrance of friendship that
existed and nurtured over the ages by history, culture and the teachings of the Buddha.
The visit laid a strong foundation to renew ties and collaboration towards greater
economic cooperation. The signing of agreements on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and on
the Cultural Cooperation during the visit, provide a firm foundation to build our age-old
links in the economic and cultural spheres.
ECONOMIC RELATIONS:
The trade and investment promotion has become the ground norm
for greater economic cooperation between countries in the new century. However, the trade
between Sri Lanka and Nepal encompasses to a small range of products. The total trade
between the two countries recorded US.$. 21.17 million in 1998 of which Sri Lanka had
imported from Nepal the goods worth of Us.$. 1.1 million whereas exports reach the level
of Us.$. 1.01 million. Nepal enjoys a favorable trade balance against Sri Lanka.
Since
1995 Sri Lanka has started investments in Nepal as joint venture businesses in Banking,
Merchant Banking and Insurance sectors. The first joint venture was crystallised with the
formation of Nepal-Sri Lanka Merchant Bank in collaboration with Merchant Bank of
Sri Lanka and N.B. Group of Nepal, four years ago. It is a company with a sound
capital of N.Rs. 45 million, which is in par with some of the joint venture
Commercial Banks. The coming up of Bank of Ceylon, the biggest State Commercial
Bank in Sri Lanka to Nepal and establishing Nepal Bank of Ceylon Ltd. in
collaboration with NB Group in Nepal is another achievement in promoting Banking and
Financial sector in this country. The Bank of Ceylon holds 45% of the shares of the
Nepal Bank of Ceylon Ltd. The Ceylinco Group, number 01 private sector company in Sri
Lanka has already made investments in the field of insurance in collaboration
with the Sagarmatha Insurance in Nepal. The Ceycom Global Communication Ltd, a
subsidiary of Ceylinco Group has recently started a joint venture partnership with Infocom
Pvt. Ltd. in promoting VSAT Communication technology in Nepal.
Due
to diversity of geographical features in our countries, tourism can be ear- marked as a
potential area to promote economic progress. The two countries offer obvious advantage in
the area of Eco-tourism. Investments in tourism can be promoted by reference to
complimentarilities and competitiveness in the context of comparative advantage. The
proposal to establish direct air links between Colombo and Kathmandu may offer new
opportunities in the travel and hospitality trade. Apart from the Government involvement
in tourism development, non-governmental organizations such as Tourist, Hotel Associations
and Travel agents must also be sensitized to take a collective approach in promoting
tourism in a competitive and a sustainable manner. |
