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Miss Venezuela: No Longer Any Gender Barriers Amongst Us

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Sun Aug 23, 2009 at 11:06:01 PM EST
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The final question to Miss Venezuela, 18 year old Stefania Fernandez, winner of the 2009 Miss Universe pagent:

In many parts of the world, obstacles still exist that impede women from achieving their goals in some corporations. What can women do to overcome these barriers?

Her answer (verbatim) with a big smile:

I believe that nowadays we women have overcome many obstacles and I do believe we can reach the same same level as men have. We must realize there are no longer any barriers amongst us.

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    Miss Venezuela: No Longer Any Gender Barriers Amongst Us | 8 comments (8 topical)

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    Dear Ms. Universe: Please report (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by oculus on Sun Aug 23, 2009 at 11:10:52 PM EST
    again in 10 years.  Thanks.

    Wouldn't it be pretty to think so? (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by clio on Sun Aug 23, 2009 at 11:35:38 PM EST
    She's so young.  
    Sigh.  
    And so sheltered.  
    Unless she challenges cultural gender barriers such as heading the Venezuelan Oil Ministry, say, or running against Chavez in her own right and not as a wife/mother/figurehead of/for men she''ll remain so.

    And as long as she stays on the beauty queen circuit (and remains wealthy and beautiful) she can retain her dream of female equality while living in one of the most misogynistic cultures on earth.

    Parent

    You may be right, however, (none / 0) (#3)
    by jerry on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 01:19:49 AM EST
    Perhaps her younger eyes see something you cannot or will not.

    Young, sheltered, victim, pretty, wealthy, ...

    You dismiss her and actually are very condescending to her.  Then you objectify her and stereotype her as a beauty pageant contestant.  And assuming you don't live in Venezuela, or specifically study their culture, I will assume that growing up in the culture she is probably very aware of what the culture is like, and more so than you.

    You also dismiss the modern job of wife and mother.  And yet, if I understand other sources, the modern job of wife and mother should probably be paid over $100K each year.

    I am not sure your post best exemplifies how to treat this young woman as a person.

    Perhaps you are not as enlightened as you believe.

    Parent

    So where's my money? (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Fabian on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 04:24:23 AM EST
    If my position is worth $100k a year, then why don't I see any of it?  Some countries have generous paid maternity leave - actually paying parents to stay home and do the work of parenting!

    If you choose parenting, full time or part time, you don't get paid, you pay instead - lower hourly or annual pay, less chance of promotion, lower lifetime earnings.

    That doesn't include sexism in the workplace, which has costs of its own - and benefits, if you are a man.

    Parent

    Yes. Bless her heart. (none / 0) (#9)
    by Cream City on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 11:26:53 AM EST
    But my, we have made progress.  Recent studies show that -- at least, before this economic crash -- women college graduates were starting at almost the same salaries as men college graduates.  But by ten years later, the women were far behind in salaries.

    So I hope she has brains as well as a blessed heart -- brains to get help in investing for the future from anything she gets now.  The clock is ticking.

    Parent

    The New York Times Magazine is (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by tigercourse on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 01:48:20 AM EST
    completely devoted to the global plight of women this week. Very depressing articles.

    Well... (none / 0) (#7)
    by DancingOpossum on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 08:54:17 AM EST
    It's true, we don't look to beauty pageant winners for brilliant insights into much of anything -- or, for that matter, 18-year-olds who aren't even beauty pageant winners. I'm sure she's very aware, as jerry noted, of her own culture and her own possibilities within it. Why pick on her?

    the modern job of wife and mother should probably be paid over $100K each year

    meh, the SAHMs like to throw this one out without ever acknowledging that mothers who work do the exact same things they do on top of a full-time job. I don't want to get into the whole SAHM vs. non-SAHM debate here because it's a dead end, but that "statistic" has always pissed me off (single and childless by choice meself).

    my working mother didn't (none / 0) (#8)
    by Dadler on Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 09:56:34 AM EST
    she was far too busy and stressed to do all those things you think every mother does anyway.  my mother had to work in many ways, but she also WANTED to work to avoid dealing with home issues.  women are not some monolithic block of wondermoms, the same way men are not one mass of anything.  additionally, waking the kid up, getting him out the door, then spending a few more hours with them at night, while trying and difficult, is NOT full time parenting.  it is the kind of piecemeal, part time, pin the tail on the donkey parenting that our society creates by not valuing its citizens -- not valuing them in their labor or their capacity and ability to love and nurture simply by being real full time parents.

    Sorry, I am from the genesis of the two-parents-working-all-the-time-generation, the divorce generation, and you know what, none of it is good for the kids.

    Parent

    Miss Venezuela: No Longer Any Gender Barriers Amongst Us | 8 comments (8 topical)

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