Bridget Welsh | Feb 18, 09 1:53pm
No question – the vicious attack on the integrity of the popular and
dedicated state assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong – is an example of how
women politicians are maliciously victimised.
The attack on her personal life illustrates the challenges that women
face when entering the public arena and the dirty tactics that are
used to discredit them. Few are drawing attention to the gender bias
of the invasion of Wong's public space and the double standards that
are being imposed on her as a successful single woman.
Make no bones about it, the unlawful distribution of intimate
photographs/videotapes and hypocritical criticism of her sexuality
represents a classic case of political rape, where the perpetrators -
the photographer and her public critics, such as the discredited
ousted Selangor mentri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo - should face legal
prosecution and public condemnation for their involvement in this
attack.
For those who study gender, the distinction between the private and
public sphere is often identified as one of the key distinguishing
features.
Women activists have drawn attention to problems faced within the home
– domestic violence, divorce law, child custody and sadly sexual
violence.
Ironically, few know that in her role as a human rights activist, Wong
played an important part in the struggles to address sexual harassment
and domestic violence in Malaysia.
She joined an impressive group of Malaysian women activists to have
brought about broader legal protection for Malaysian women, making the
laws for women's rights in the country one of the most forward looking
in Asia.
In this drive to blur the public and private spheres, there has been a
consistent effort to respect the rights of the individual to privacy.
As long as what is occurring in the privacy of a person's home is not
causing harm to others or is not violating the law – as clearly is the
case of the photographs of Wong – human rights activists have rightly
argued that privacy should be protected for men and women alike.
This case is part of a worrying trend of personal political attacks
that cross the line of what should remain private.
The list is long and includes politicians across the spectrum, from
Ghafar Baba and Najib Razak to Anwar Ibrahim. The unhealthy attention
to what is occurring in the bedroom rather than in the boardroom or
the exco or state assembly points to an unwillingness to engage in
substantive political debate.
Since Wong's critics were unable to fault her professionalism as a
state representative, they have opted to attack her personally in her
private arena, ignoring the issues of environmental degradation and
multi-ethnic inclusiveness that have been the hallmark of Wong's
political work.
Gender politics also teaches us that women disproportionately face
issues involving their person – what they wear, their physical image
or the body. It is useful to recall the attacks on other women
politicians, such a Fong Po Kuan, for their clothing in Parliament or
rude distasteful references to menstruation.
The attack on Wong is more of the same. Her physical image is being
used to discredit her unfairly. Sadly men – even those with videotapes
of their indiscretions – do not face the same level of physical
intrusiveness.
Not just an attack on one woman
Part of this case involves another key dimension of gender issues -
female sexuality.
Studies have shown that with women's economic and political
empowerment, there has been a parallel process of female sexual
enlightenment. At the core is the recognition that women have the
right to enjoy sex as much as men. The criticism of Wong implicitly
implies otherwise.
As her critics move to identify her alleged sexual partners and
further violate her privacy, they are making a judgment that a woman
should not make her own choices in her sexuality.
The implication of this agenda is frightening in that contains a
righteous extremism that moves Malaysia back to the dark ages where
women were seen as sexual objects rather than sensual and sexual
beings. It suggests that women should not have the choices over their
own lives.
This attack is not just an attack on single woman, but all women who
have confidence in themselves and their own sexuality. Part of this
reflects insecurities on the part of some men, notably Wong's critics,
who cannot accept growing women's equality and empowerment.
Let's look at the behaviour in more detail.
There is nothing wrong with a person in the privacy of their own home
involved in intimate acts. On the surface is appears that Wong trusted
the wrong person. That person who violated her was a man who to date
has escaped punishment for his actions. The pain of a broken
relationship is always difficult, but the acid poured into the wound
from betrayal burns even deeper.
We unfortunately live in a world where social and personal trust is
often violated. In love, people can be blind to the faults of others.
Did Wong make a mistake in trusting and loving her partner? I think not.
If we don't take the personal risk of loving and trusting others, we
lose our humanity. Rather than blaming her for her life choices, we
should be looking for ways to protect victims – male and female – who
have their trust violated.
Wong's case points to the inherit vulnerability that women face in
relationships. Despite the progress that has been made, women face
inequalities in partnerships. From inheritance and social security, to
the rights of divorce and child support, the rights of women in
partnerships are far from equal. Women, more often than not, face
greater obstacles and simultaneously absorb greater risk.
Wong faces what many rape victims face
This inequality points to the long standing issue of double standards.
It is alright for a man to illustrate their sexual prowess, but wrong
for a woman to do so. What is acceptable for a goose is not
appropriate for a gander.
In sexual scandals historically in Malaysia, rarely is the man
scathed. Look at Malaysia's first sexual scandal – the affair of Tunku
Abdul Rahman in London that led to a public divorce of his British
lover. This did little to damage his reputation as he went on to lead
Malaysia impressively.
The case of Chua Soi Lek was an exception, rather than the norm. It is
clearly the product of sexual political targeting that is used to
replace real policy discussions and remove good politicians.
The same political targeting appears to be occurring now. In the case
of Wong, browbeating critics have forced her to resign, effectively
victimising her again as she has been forced to give up her
livelihood. For what? For being a successful sexual woman.
My mother taught me that people in glass houses should not throw
stones. Those that are calling out on issues of "moral character" have
their own skeletons that have yet to be addressed. Corruption, abuse
of power, and ethnic intolerance are some that come to mind, and one
cannot think about the hypocrisy involved. People should assess their
own moral behaviour before attacking others.
When stripped of the discourse of morality and immorality, the case of
Elizabeth Wong should be seen for exactly what it is – a vengeful
political attack meant to discredit a woman through the use of her
personal life.
She is facing what many rape victims face – the trauma of the
violation itself and the trauma of reliving the pain in public. Rape
in any form – political or otherwise – should not be tolerated.
DR BRIDGET WELSH is associate professor in Southeast Asian studies at
John Hopkins University-SAIS, Washington DC.
----------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my
No comments:
Post a Comment