MEET THE PROS: "We can all do much more"

On April 25, 2013 Allison Shelley and Melissa Turley came to Westchester Community College to talk about their engagement in the 'Women & Children in Crisis' issues. Specifically they spoke about the countries they visited in Eastern India and South Africa. These brave women stepped out of their comfort zone in a way many Americans wouldn't be able to. They felt so strongly about the livelihood of women and children that they sacrificed their basic way of living to visit these countries and get to the bottom of these deep rooted issues. They talked about things like the struggle for women to practice homosexuality and the struggle women in India go through when they are on their menstrual cycles. I say "struggles" only because I cannot find a more harsh word for it. The life of a woman in South Africa is threatened if she is a lesbian; women live in fear for the well-being, they are afraid to walk the streets, afraid to get water because they feel they might get raped. Why would they get raped? Well, because men think it is best for a woman to be raped if she is a lesbian so that she may know how things are "supposed to be." In India, woman are isolated in little animal huts or boxes because they are on their menstrual cycle and men think that they are unclean. They believe this is the way life should be. We as Americans need to understand these deep rooted issues and take control! We have it easy compared to the women in these countries and should never take for granted the kind of life we are able to live. As Don Gregory said, "We can all do much more."