"la Mujer Es Como Una Mascota..."

[Redpossum]

Not my words, and not at all my view of things, but the words of a Paraguayan senator named Juan Manuel Bóveda, from the Unace party, which is an acronym for something like "Union of Ethical Citizens", if you can believe that. As if it was ethical to say such things about half the human race.

The full quote was, "La mujer es como una mascota, como una perrita fiel, que debe cocinar y atender sólo al hombre".

Meaning, "A woman is like a pet, like a faithful dog, that should cook and attend only to the needs of the man"

As a yanqui, I find it hard to believe that any man can say such things and escape with his life, let alone hope to continue with a political career. Can you imagine how US women would react if Ted Cruz, (for example), said something like this? He'd be a dead man walking, and rightly so.

In the words of Mao, "women hold up half the sky".

See the story on the front page of Pagina12, on the left side, (which is totally inappropriate, it should be on the far, far right)

 

[Davidglen77]

It doesn't surprise me at all that this would be said in Paraguay, and probably most of Latin America. In spite of the many many advances and loosening of conservative views and beliefs, this is still Latin America, a heavily conservative and heavily Roman Catholic continent, not to mention, it's the land of inconsistencies....for example, in Argentina, gay marriage is legal, however a woman can't legally have an abortion....but you can cross the Río de la Plata and buy and consume marijuana legally, with the government's blessing, yet you can't buy dollars (without the government's permission), but you are required by law to vote, or you have to pay a fine, but you can't write a last will and testament (not recognized in Argentina) and leave your posessions to whomever you wish, your blood relatives are your heirs by law...oh and divorce only became legal about 25 years ago, that used to be illegal too, don't be surprised by this and MANY other things you will get no explanation for here, it is the way it is, love it, deal with it or leave it.....

 

[Girino]

My old boss kept telling me that where he worked before (UAE), camels are more important than women. It is not hard to believe, may I add.
Anyway it pissed me when he told that every f***ing day at lunch, where I was the only female sitting at the table.

 

[ElQueso]

Particularly not surprising from a government official in Paraguay. The Colorado Party and "upper class" citizens are even worse in terms of giving a crap about its citizens than here.

Many people may not realize why in Paraguay the "feminist cause" may be in even worse condition than many places in South America - the War of the Triple Alliance (at least, in my opinion). Some estimates say that as much as 90% (some say this was exaggerated, no real way to know) of the male population was killed in the war as they fanatically fought to the end. No matter the actual number, it was huge, and I believe that it created a rather unique social situation, at least among the poor, where men were valued more than usual and it continues in the social structure to this day, mostly without the people themselves realizing why.

Combine this unique social key and extreme poverty and you all probably wouldn't believe half the things I've witnessed in Paraguay related to how women treat their men, and how men treat their women. It's one of the reasons my wife and I have been bringing her younger sisters to live with us and go to school here, particularly when they become adolescents.

In fact, we may have a third on the way soon - my wife's oldest sister still at home recently turned 13. Last week a 40 year old man who is known to the family (and many neighbors in the area) came to the family farm (barely worthy of the name) and asked for the young lady's hand in marriage. Oh, they are to have a platonic relationship until she turns 15. He was considered a friend of the family until this happened and has caused a considerable scandal amongst the 12 brothers and sisters in the past week. My wife's family is not as ignorant as many in Paraguay - while the mother and father of a commonly poor family may gnash teeth about it, they will still allow it to go forward in many cases because that would mean that the girl has a future husband, something that a large percentage of poor Paraguayan women covet. Of course, the reality is that the girl gets pregnant at an early age and the man either leaves her to go back to her family with one more mouth to feed, or he leaves her at home to dally with other girls.

It's quite sickening.

 

[Joe]

Judging from the reaction to the Dogs as Weapons posting, a lot of BAexpats hold their dog in higher esteem than their spouse... <_<

 

[toongeorges]

it is the way it is, love it, deal with it or leave it.....

Are you referring to the original quote?

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Judging from the reaction to the Dogs as Weapons posting, a lot of BAexpats hold their dog in higher esteem than their spouse... <_<

I love them both, in different ways.

 

[Redpossum]

I love them both, in different ways.

God, I hope so...