By Lubna Abdel-Aziz The modern idea of setting aside a day to honour mothers, is almost a century old, yet its roots are as ancient as Father Time. Humankind has revered motherhood throughout history as the personification of universal love. Who can deny that great reservoir of love, that sense of security, of comfort, of tenderness and protection that only a mother holds! The divinity of motherhood is a concept that is eternal. Was not every man of every age born of a mother, yet how well are mothers, or women treated the rest of the year by a dominating patriarchal society? For many years in England Mothering Sunday was observed around mid-Lent to honour mothers. In the US, as far back as 1872, Julia Ward Howe made the first known suggestion for a Mother's Day. Several others followed in her footsteps, launching efforts to observe a Mother's Day, but it was left to Anna Jarvis of Crafton, West Virginia to campaign hard and long until success was achieved. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, to be observed annually, henceforth. The American observance gave the idea world prominence, striking a chord in the heart of every son and daughter. Within a few years almost every country had a Mother's Day. In Egypt we selected March 21, traditionally the first day of spring, the season of rebirth, to celebrate the human givers of life. Yet it is often shameful to view the status of women in general, in Egypt, in the Arab world, and the world at large. There was a time when "the hand that rocked the cradle" truly ruled both hearth and home. From prehistoric times through the Neolithic period, matriarchal societies were prevalent. Ancient religions and mythologies were dominated by a widespread goddess cult such as the goddess Isis in ancient Egypt, and the Great Goddess in the Aegean culture zone. There was gender equality among the gods in ancient Greece and Rome. "White Tara", considered the mother of Buddhism, leads "the soul across the river of Samsara to the far shore, which is Nirvana." In our present day religions, Mothers are likewise revered. In Islam and Christianity the Virgin Mary represents the perfection of the female principle, personifying the purity and dignity of motherhood. In Judaism, Rachel Imenu, or Mother Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, personifies the innate power of the soul. Yet in all three religions women have struggled for equality in their respective societies. How long and hard is it for a woman to become ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church! In the Western World ask Margaret Thatcher how rocky the road is for a woman to struggle and strive in order to keep pace with her male counterpart. The US may pride itself in its egalitarian principles, but they do not practice what they preach. The gender gap was more apparent than ever during the recent presidential elections, when candidate Obama was forgiven every mistake, mishap, misstep, misjudgment, while candidate Clinton was pushed and shoved, pulled and nudged straight out of the race. In a study released last April by the American Association of University Women Education Foundation, women made 20% less than men just out of college. The gap widens ten years after graduation to 30%, yet the Equal Pay Act was adopted in the US in 1963. It appears that it has yet to be realized. In Middle Eastern cultures, it is even more tragic. While Muslims and Arabs revere the words of the Holy Prophet "Paradise is found under the feet of mothers," the woman is clearly kept in a subordinate position. The Islamic religion venerates the Virgin Mary, reveres mothers, and according to instructions by the Holy Prophet, choose your mother above all else, then your mother, and again, your mother. Despite this honorable position bestowed upon her, there is every indication that women are viewed as morally and intellectually inferior, and often no more that sexual beings, distracting the male. Male authority remains unchallenged and is often wrongfully attributed to Islamic religious teachings. In a strong patriarchal society, the family is based around the father, his sons, their wives and their children, while those 'femmes fatales' must conceal their sexual attraction, so as not to overpower or tempt the helpless male. It is not an application of Islam, but rather the pride and prejudice of the masculine gender. Why do women accept that! Most are totally brainwashed, submitting to the instruction of their male elders. When referring to a supreme source, it is to the term mother that we turn, as in Mother Nature, Mother Earth, the Motherland, the mother tongue, etc, but consider women who are also mothers as equal, that is another question. Defying history, religion, and social reality and logic, men are still basking in the age of their self- ordained supremacy. Thirteen thousand years ago, the matriarchal society revolved around women's skills, women's identities, and women's capabilities. Matriarchal women stood shoulder to shoulder, " like a great wall of self- replicating flesh, between men, and their male peace of mind." We do not call for a return to a matriarchal system or a super status. We call for equality, for reverence, respect, and rights that are on par with the other half of our society. While we enjoy being pampered for a day showered with flowers, and cards, perfumes and sweets, what we really want is to be given the courtesy every day of our lives, in and out of the home. Celebrating mothers falls short of celebrating women, and 87% of women eventually become mothers. True not every woman is born to be a mother, and not every woman who gives birth is fit be a mother, but by and large this maternal instinct, transforms each woman into the perfect mother for each child. Once mothers, they will never cease to serve, to suffer, to worry, to hope and pray for their children, whether near or far, alive or dead. In all societies, perhaps in varying degrees, women are discriminated against. Man has defied every law of nature and religion to keep women a step behind. Should we not vow to take that step forward, remove our shackles and proudly stand tall and equal to men in every way! The sacred role of mothers is divine in heaven; it is only here on earth that the message has not yet registered. The bravest battle that ever was fought; Shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world, you will find it not; It was fought by the mothers of men. Joaquin Miller (1837-1913)
