Inner feminist? Inner Contradiction

Suddenly, our PM finds his inner feminist

Another Julia Baird article from the SMH, this time, taking the PM to task for his reamrks about "women of cover" (weaers of the hijab and the burqa) whom the PM finds "confronting".

The article presupposes that not only is the Pm taking a cheap opportunistic shot, but also that his comments are not as valid as a woman, or a Muslim woman, because he is a white, Christian male. While asserting:

"It is right to be proud of the equality of women in Western culture. It is also right to respect diversity - and faith - in a secular state."

she goes on to say...

"I'm not saying there is no validity to Howard's comments. There are aspects of the treatment of women in Muslim culture that are being vigorously debated by feminists, and women of that faith, with good reason. But it is their debate, and any change must be led by them, with arguments of reason, theology and equity, not those of judgement or disdain.

It's not as though the Christian religion is entirely sound - the Catholic Church and some parts of the Anglican Church still refuse to ordain women as priests, let alone bishops, and many prevent them from preaching or speaking at all. This is the religion of many of our leaders, and yet this is a subject on which they remain strangely mute."

Howard obviously does not the right to speak with authority on this issue because his own house is not in order. Will anyone be able to speak with authority on any matter on these grounds? It seems you either have to have no relationshio with the subject at all in order to be free of moral taint- but unfortunately this makes you less than authoritative. Or you are deeply concerned about the issue because it parallels your own concerns - but as you are not without sin, you are not free to cast any stones.

The only ones with legitimacy to comment on their own "oppression" seem to be the victims of same - and these are the least likely to be in any position to do so.