Filipino Womens Values

Women became part of everyone 's lives since the beginning. It was written in the book of Genesis that a woman was reated after man which gives the idea to the people that women are inferior to men and men are superior to women. According to the International Women 's Day official website quoted from Gloria Steinem (n.d.), "The story of women 's struggles for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." (par. 1). Women have been in the batle for equality, for years. They never gave up, until they succeeded and International Women 's Day was observed since March 8 in the early of 1900 's. With these evidences in the history, people 's perceptions of women 's value really changes over time. But others still see this subject as a disputable one. These

Women in the pre-hispanic era were considered not as slaves but as companions (Titgemeyer, 1997). Filipinos values both men and women in this era. Both sexes were given importance and share same rights and privileges. Women in this era have the power to decide, to lead and to be in charge. They are being look up by other members of the early filipino society. Some women were part of the noble groups which consist of datus, bagani, panday and babaylan. The most well-known women that were part of the higher society were the "Katalonans" or "Babaylans". They are women who have the power to cure diseases, predict the future and inflict curses (Center for Babaylan Studies, n.d.). They were given much value of the early Filipinos. Some people believed that they were given special gifts to connect to the spirit worlds. And because of this glory that those women brought, some men also practices these works that were indisputable matter for women. These men were classified by others as "bayogin" or masculine females (Dynes, 1992). This means that even in Pre-hispanic times, women 's value were being appreciated. But not every things are