Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I guarantee you are aware of the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Palestine. This is a practically ancient battle, beginning in the 20th century, but one of the most devastating to date.
Now that the war has become a mainstream topic of discussion, we have found ourselves boycotting iced coffees and big macs, when there’s other, critical issues.
War. Probably the most patriarchal idea known to (wo)mankind. We are witnessing the real manifestations of gendered ideas surrounding submission, power, inequality ad destruction.
Patriarchy. Something deeply integrated within society, so much so that we barely notice it anymore. Yet again, women are taking the fall for men’s issues.
‘Not everything is about feminism.’ (A comment I received on TikTok) But I’d argue that when women are victim to such horrifying conditions, wiped of their basic human rights, it involves feminism. Of course, you wouldn’t know that when we are simply shown soldiers and bomb sites.
Contrary to some men’s beliefs, women’s menstrual cycles are horrifying and unpredictable, something that’s hard enough to cope with in regular conditions. As if over a million women being displaced isn’t traumatising enough, we are seeing women put at risk, all because their bodies can reproduce. The conditions for these women are simply dehumanising, yet again, proving that war will only further prejudice women.
Pregnant women are forced to give birth and have C-sections without any anaesthetic or sterilisation. They are risking their lives, denied their right to safe healthcare. That’s if they are even able to have their baby, so many women left having miscarriages due to stress. The lack of medicinal materials also means any complications are left short of necessary supplies.
As food and medical supplies are banned from entering the area, women are unable to access sanitary products. This further stripping them of their humanity. This includes contraceptives, meaning they can’t even stop / delay their menstrual cycle – even though they shouldn’t have to go to such measures in the first place.
Their make-shift sanitary products put women at risk of deadly infections. If they aren’t already struggling with the missile attacks, they now must worry about whether the towel scraps are going to kill them.
Nevin Adnan, a psychologist, has explained that due to the immense stress women are victim to, their bodies may suffer. This can result in psychological and physical symptoms, whether it be dizziness, pain, extreme bleeding or insomnia. These hormonal changes are dangerous, only amplified by the arrival of their periods.
Palestinian women have also been detained in Gaza, kept in cages, left out in the rain. They are starved, treated like stray dogs. As if the horrors within their unsanitary environments weren’t enough, they have also been subject to sexual assault at the hands of Israeli army officers.
They storm their land, destroying what they call home, but that’s not enough. The soldiers reduce these women to nothing, using their authority to rape, threaten and harm countless women. It is noted that these women were photographed, the Israeli army uploading these images online. Words fail me.
We are never safe. As long as men exist, it seems we will always be treated this way.
Throughout this conflict, we have seen over 11,000 Palestinians killed, most being women and children. Individuals who were failed by the patriarchy and its obsession with destruction and combat.
When we are seeing women use scraps of tents as sanitary products, it begs the question…
Is this a humanitarian crisis, or a crisis of humanity?
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