why might the phrase 'empowerment of women' be less 'politically

[MightyNice]

. . . charged' than, say, the emancipation or liberation of women?

context is a (valedictorian I suppose) speech for new masters of public health

[chibi]

because you can say it a straight face when referring to poledancing or boob jobs hth

[MightyNice]

it is almost synonymous with pole dancing isn't it, it is the first thing to come to mind

[TunipTheVegemal]

because the way empowered is used these days hardly ever has anything to do with power external to the woman - it is never about her being given actual power, just used to mean that she feels powerful inside. Hence it is very bland and pointless. Not only that, it is often associated with stuff that is actually disempowering to women in other ways: for instance, high heeled shoes are meant to make women feel all empowered, but they stop you being able to run properly.

Emancipation has historically had an meaning to do with human or political rights being given to a group of people. With the history of slaves being 'emancipated', it's not surprising the word is charged.

[chibi]

emancipation implies a state of oppression that one must be liberated from

empowerment (to me) implies wheeeee just gals crazy feather boa hen nite girl power stuff, or when people at the shit end of a power differential are 'consulted' about their needs before decisions made way in advance are implemented

empowerment is feel good bullshit for people who have no power, extended to them to keep them sweet

[MightyNice]

the person who wrote it didn't seem to know what he meant by the phrase, only that the alternatives would be too 'politically charged' so perhaps might not be chosen

sort of hope they choose something written with a bit more sincerity

[AbigailAdams]

I also find it significant that empowering is never a phrase used to describe choices men make. Only women.

[SardineQueen]

It makes me think of Oprah Winfrey and self-help books.

Nothing wrong with those things but the focus is on an individual feeling better about themself / their own situation rather than changing things for the better for a group of people.

And it always seems to relate to things like having a new wardrobe of clothes or pole dancing or wearing a boob tube when you are very large or stopping being very large and being smaller instead and wearing a boob tube.... Just very daytime / lightweight / inconsequential.

You never read or see anything which says eg the women in are feeling much more empowered since women got voted into 70% of the seats in the local council and there are now female execs in most of the top decision-making decisions locally.

Wearing a boob tube does not equal power. Gaining power equals power.

[SardineQueen]

You would never read about women like Hilary Clinton or the Queen "feeling empowered" by getting a new bra or whatever.

They don't need to be empowered, they already have power.

[MightyNice]

I think it followed something about maternal mortality so empowerment probably = literacy rather than high heels and the sex industry but glad it is not just me being about the phrase

[TunipTheVegemal]

Twisty Faster on empowerfulment

[MightyNice]

ohhh sports corset? how can you breathe? what is it for?

[SardineQueen]

So along the lines of improved adult literacy has empowered women to be able to better access and understand information and advice resulting in decreased maternal mortality...?

Why not just say the improved literacy has resulted in. That's not loaded at all.

[Nyac]

Empowerment is the consolation prize for women, because men aren't going to hand over the power they've stolen from us.

[MightyNice]

'female health' was one part of a long list of ways in which public health can save the world, so it went very briefly something like 'one in seven maternal mortality nyah nyah empowerment of women' and on to the next thing, no actual mention of literacy but that is the best way to reduce maternal mortality so I suppose that's what was meant

feel bit mean now for hoping someone else's speech will be chosen, it just seemed a bit cowardly not to change empowerment to a more meaningful word based on fear of the 'political charge'

[SardineQueen]

That's interesting.

Is it literacy in itself that causes the reduction, or the circumstances surrounding literacy? ie women being valued enough to be taught to read and write, countries having enough money to teach everyone, that sort of thing?

[MightyNice]

umm I assume it is to do with status although maybe accessing health services where available? I don't really know, I just believe everything I'm told

[MightyNice]

look

[AyeRobot]

Liberation or emancipation leads to a "from what?" question. That's a dangerous road, you know.

[MightyNice]

yes but surely in context of global public health most people will have vague sense that all is not entirely lovely for women, that liberation from fgm, forced marriage, rape as weapon of war, difficulties obtaining contraception and abortion etc might be needed?

[SardineQueen]

In the abstract it says

"Results: The Human Development Index and Gender Development
Index are powerful predictors of both maternal and infant mortality
rates. Female literacy rate and combined enrolment in educational
programs are moderate predictors of maternal mortality rates"

That is really interesting although not surprising, I am glad research is being done in this area.

I don't think "empowerment" is the right word to use regarding these things, there are much more obvious an neutral words to use!

I haven't seen your collegaue's speech so I won't disect it though!!!

[AyeRobot]

I do think that use of empowerment and its derivatives is not focusing on the structural reasons why women don't have meaningful power. (and yes, I am biased by its use in a "Getting your tits out for the lads is empowerfulising" context). Are the words used regularly for men, such as schemes for homeless men or those with low literacy levels? Genuine question.

[MightyNice]

actually think it might be, in the way chibi describes, perhaps for the mentally ill or homeless

obviously it is a legitimate word, it's just forever associated with page 3 and that sort of thing isn't it

[MightyNice]

(not my colleague )

[SardineQueen]

I suppose for me "empowerment" is a word used in relation to individuals - a person did X and it empowered them so they could do Z - kind of thing. So it doesn't fit right when looking at entire groups of people across whole populations etc.

I think your colleague would be better off sticking to factual terms eg the results show, as per the extract. Rather than using words which are more usually used to describe how individuals are feeling IYSWIM.

Women not dying in childbirth isn't about them feeling empowered, it's about lots of other things. Being concerned with how people feel is only really affordable once the everyday risk of death for them, their families and children has been combated. Women who have been taught to read and have subsequently not died in childbirth shouldn't feel "empowered" - they should feel normal. That is how it should be.

[MightyNice]

I hope it's used in a 'giving power to groups who lack it' sort of way rather than anything to do with feelings but it just sounds so rubbish doesn't it.