Women In Israel Demonstrate Against Sex Segregation On Buses In Ultra-Orthodox Areas

I don't really consider myself a feminist but rather someone who concerns herself with human rights, regardless of gender. I probably focus more on women's and children's rights because they seem to be violated more in certain countries and withing certain religions. I definitely believe in equality, and that women are not inferior to men, and it irks me to no end that certain religions view women as merely human birthing vessels and nothing more than personal property. Women are often raped and abused by their own husbands, because of such thinking. They are treated as second class citizens with no rights. That is why I love the part of our Declaration Of Independence that says

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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I believe that applies to every man, woman and child on this earth and if we only could treat each other with respect, this world would be a much more pleasant place to live. But sadly, religion comes in to play and women are usually the recipients of the worst parts of those religions. There is obviously a great inequality when it comes to males and females in Islam, at least how it is practiced in many countries. But there is also a great lack of respect for women with some ultra-orthodox Jews. It's interesting that the ultra-religious Jews and Muslims hate each other, and yet they are very similar in the way they treat their women, and expect their women to act.

Ultra-orthodox women also are expected to dress very modestly, are segregated and not allowed to pray alongside the men, and are also expected to be fruitful and multiply. In other words, the more kids the merrier. Apparently, in certain ultra-orthodox Jewish areas in Israel, the women must sit at the back of the bus, which is reminiscent of the segregation of U.S. Blacks, in the mid-1950s, who too were forced to sit at the back of the bus. But that was then and this is now, and rather than blacks it's women being discriminated against, and there are many women who are not happy at all with having to do that.

So, a large group of women and men demonstrated, recently, in front of Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's home to show their displeasure.

Hundreds of Israelis staged a protest on Saturday against gender discrimination on some bus routes in ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, where women are forced to sit at the back for religious reasons.

Around 1,000 men and women gathered outside the Jerusalem home of hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, holding up placards reading "Democracy, not theocracy," a media correspondent said.

Opposition leader Tzipi Livni sent the protesters a message of support, saying that "those who relegate women to the back of the bus consign them to the edge of society."

This is the problem with ultra-religious men, from whatever religion, who believe they are justified in their shoddy treatment of women. Females have contributed greatly to this world and deserve respect.