Sunday, May 3, 2009

It Worked in Ancient Greece Right?

The women of Kenya have decided to withhold sex from their husband as part of a desperate plea to the government to work in a more unified manner towards the common good.

Women's groups on the ground estimate 40% of Kenyan are participating, everyone from prostitutes to the first lady who has voiced her support of the initiative. Kenya was in Chaos following the last election and this initiative aims at raising awareness and forcing the government and the opposition to work together in a more cohesive manner, with the future of the country and its people at the forefront of their actions.

The reactions from within Kenya are mixed:

"If my wife refuses to have sex with me, he says, she goes back to her mother. That is my right." Said a 23 year old man.

"People are really reacting to it, whether they are for it or not. We have been heard. That's the voice of women power." Rukia Subow, chairwoman of Kenya's oldest women's NGO,

“It might make a difference, but it's not right,” Says a female hairdresser. “According to God, according to the law, women should submit their bodies to their husbands. It's a rule.”

“They (men) have to be told something. They are so involved in themselves, especially the politicians. They're not thinking about other Kenyans.” Said a student named Olive.

This reminds my of an occidental history course I took like 10 years ago where we discussed at length how Greek women stopped the Peloponnesian Wars by withholding sex from their husbands. I remember being impressed by the whole business and not entirely unconvinced that it would probably work, although back then it was probably just the hormones talking.


If it's good enough for mythology then it must be good enough for Kenya. I raise my hat and my pint glass to these courageous women who decided to take public political matters into their own hands by making sure that their husbands must now take their "private matters" into theirs for the next week or so.

I hope there's a follow up story in some paper on this because I'm really curious to see if it actually does change something for them and for their country.

Muchacho Enfermo


Add to Technorati Favorites

5 comments:

Usha said...

Woah!!!
Never thought this would take place in reality though.
Hats off to the Kenyan women!
AND this story should be followed..one seldom hears such events.

Muchacho Enfermo said...

I know! I was so impressed when I first read about this. I never thought I'd see this put into practice!!!
I promise I'll stay on this as much as I can :D

wendy said...

clap, clap, clap....bravo... temendo coraje, pa que sepa,,, pero la verdad que ya es hora no puede ser que todavia alla gente pensando asi, el mundo esta todavia chico tiene que creser,,,,bravo

Muchacho Enfermo said...

I don't have any news on these women yet, but yeah... When women in a country like this take such a stand, men should really sit back and listen.

wendy said...

yessss, women are the best,, jajaj, sit back and listen