The Dalai Lama: Feminist

The Dalai Lama called himself a feminist, in his speech at the International Freedom Award ceremony, held in Memphis (September 23).

“I call myself a feminist … isn’t that what you call someone who fights for women’s rights?”

Hear hear!  It’s refreshing to hear someone using the term correctly, without all the associated baggage, and without the word being preceded by “angry” and “hairy-legged.”

However, he went on to say that women are naturally more compassionate than men, because of their ability to bear children.  An interesting view to voice, given that many feminists are against such biological determinism.  Such stereotypical views of differences between the sexes can still propagate sexism.

More worryingly, the Dalai Lama then called on women to get involved and help create a more compassionate world – so far, so good – before citing the work of mothers and nurses.  Say what?  Mothers and nurses do good work; there is no disputing that.  But better work than female scientists creating vaccines, female engineers building homes, and female foreign news correspondents shedding light on human rights abuses – all in more traditionally “male” roles?

Perhaps this is just another example of how people – even the most enlightened among us – still turn to stereotypical gender roles when discussing the sexes?  What do you think?