The latest news about women from afar - India, Afghanistan, and similar locales - and even from some places much closer to home, is awful. Rape, murder, and repression are all too common.
Why do so many think women are less than human? Why can't they speak their minds and contribute to society?
Leaving half the population of the planet out of the list of "those who can" is a serious mistake, whatever the reason.
Back in 2003, Joss Whedon wrapped up Buffy The Vampire Slayer with an interesting ending. In the final episode we get a brief glimpse of a girl coming up to bat in a little league game, just as she becomes empowered. Her smile - that quirky, here I come, just try and stop me smile - sums up the entire series for me, and I suspect it's how Whedon would like it to be remembered. She was becoming something powerful, and that was a very good thing.
I wish Whedon's vision was reality, everywhere. All women should be empowered. They should never take crap from anyone, and if for some reason they do, they should defend themselves fully and be supported in that by the rest of society.
Any religion, philosophy, or person that says that is wrong is not worth knowing, and should be forgotten.
