WHITE SLAVERY MOVEMENT

When women are sold to slavery as sex objects, that act is called white slavery. In recent times, the phrase has turned into trafficking of warm bodies. Always, the element of objectification is there.

Now comes a catholic movement purporting to provide a truthful assessment of who the leaders of our government should be. It calls itself white movement. Isn't that funny?

How come Pope Francis did not get any Filipino cardinal to sit in that group that will study how to update the Roman curiae, how to make Catholicism more relevant to the needs of the people? That could probably be because the Filipino Catholic priests are more Vatican than Vatican. Whereas in Italy divorce and contraceptives are acceptable, the priesthood here hammer on medieval thinking and practices. They want to curtail the freedom of the sexes to protect themselves.

Look what happens as this movement campaigns against the Reproductive Health Law. It wants to make women turn away from protecting themselves against rapists-husbands, AIDS- customers in the case of prostitutes, and violence-prone sex partners. It encourages unbridled pregnancies and claims that they are being religious in that manner. But what is being religious? Does it mean not thinking of the future of the flock? Does it mean driving them to unprotected sex?

And what about the unwanted children borne of such liaisons? Our population is reaching 100 million already. How will the Church contribute to feeding, clothing, educating them? Are they ready to reserve 80% of their alms every mass to the feeding of these children? I doubt it very much.


And by what fiat do they base their opinion that reproductive health is their territory only?


I am really aghast at the holier-than-thou attitude of some Catholic priests and laypeople following them in our country. Despite the many books they have read about liberation theology they persist in living in the dark ages.

Then, look at how the Catholic Church turn a blind eye to the very scenes that will cause people to sin. They are ready to pounce on people who do not go to Church but look at the women who go there -- wearing short shorts and making the men feel the sex urge. Does the Church bother about female students in Catholic universities wearing the same? Nada, not a squeak. The image of Mother Mary is looked upon as outdated. The Filipino women have gone overboard in copying the fashion that makes exposing the thighs the high point of their being "fuckshion" icons. Sure some priests have called attention on this but in general, the view is to keep mum and let them do "their thing.|" Need we wonder at all that no Philippine university can be found in the first 50 rankings of world class universities? Our educational system has really gone very low and women are just very cheap to look at. Does the Church care? Not at all.


What about the TV programs during lunchtime? Women in bikinis "bumibisaklat" on stage to show how they can split their legs without experiencing any injury. This vaudeville act is the normal show in the girlie-girlie bars frequented for the very bare, skimpy attires by men out for "sexual entertainment," besides the after shows. Now the bar shows have invade the tv stations, beamed to millions of viewers including children who future regard for women definitely will include their sex objectification.

And so what are the effects of these happenings to our women? Of course, women get the end of the bargain -- low salaries, less if nil promotion, dismissal outright, least preference for employment (unless they can prove that they can offer "something palatable." Just the other night I was at an American restaurant, and the male manager hit the behind of the sales girl who cried out, " Sir, ha." when I pointed out this thing to the female manager, right away the guy followed up and said that he was not aware of it at all. What?? He was insensitive? )



I think now is the time for everyone to take stock of the Catholic religion. Let us believe in Christ, in the Trinity, but let us reserve our real lives for ourselves -- the proper existence where we may still enjoy life and tap our talents and potentials for ourselves and the good of humanity.

And so the white slavery movement, as well as those that campaign against all RH law advocates, what do you say to the above? Stop presenting yourselves as pure and "white" but deep inside you, have you really discussed the most serious questions besetting our women, our country? May first will be coming soon. Let us be more courageous in delving to such issues mentioned above so that our women workers will still find it worthwhile working here in our country, instead of abroad. Home is where the heart is, we say, but given some Catholic moralists with questionable agenda, I must say it the disheartened heart, the callous heart, that could be lurking at the corner.

 Ms. LLITA LOGARTA was my first editor who gave me the freedom to think and write about feminist. I rue her passing away. She never cut down any ideas of mine that I presented to her. She was very liberal and accepting of all the things that I had written for that small space in the PDI way back between 1989 and 1992. And when the editor-in-chief wanted to remove me, she was there behind my back and offering a quiet support, although she knew that the problem was deeper than what was presented in reality -- that my writings had stepped on the toes of one official hit by my article on "Cheating in the Elections." God rest her beautiful soul please.