View the h-holocaust Discussion Logs by month
View the Prior Message in h-holocaust's October 1997 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] View the Next Message in h-holocaust's October 1997 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] Visit the h-holocaust home page.
> Louis de Groot wrote: > While it is a misnomer to speak of medical experiments, the > German doctors in Auschwitz subjected women to procedures > involving the reproductive functions of women. This by itself > qualifies for a distinction of the suffering of women and men. I'm grateful for this particular reply.... I was privileged to help proofread a dissertation by a graduate student who used to (?maybe still does?) participate on this list, and her subject was actually the "particular" suffering of WOMEN during the Holocaust and I was quite moved by her insights and explanations relating to this issue. As a mother of two young ones I have very mixed feelings. I guess I can appreciate the idea that women suffered "differently" but I have real, real trouble with the concept that they somehow suffered "more." Is it more painful for a "mother" to lose a child in horrific circumstances than it is for a "father?" Is it more traumatic for a woman to suffer a bodily violation than it is for a man? (men are raped too!) I just have a real problem with this and experience tremendous conflict with trying to deal with it emotionally. I am definitely sharing/writing in the mode of list subscriber in lieu of temporary moderator. I don't want to encourage a major brouhaha over feminism and women's issues because I know how that can get out of hand real quick. But I just wanted to voice the opinion that yes, I recognize and endorse the idea that men and women suffered "differently" during the Holocaust. Yet I am very uncomfortable with the underlying currents of this discourse. What's the bottom line here? What are we trying to say? *********************** Suzanna Hicks (Secretary) "Talking to yourself is more U of Florida / Psychology of a listening than a talking." afn06474@afn.org (home) hicks@psych.ufl.edu (work) [Revised] http://www.afn.org/~afn06474
|