Polygamy...We Should All Be So Lucky

I just finished reading a book called Hush Ma by Mamet. We actually had the opportunity to interview this author for our website (www.book-club-queen.com/writer-interview-mamet.html).

The interview was enlightening and also horrific at the same time. Mamet is very candid and honest about some of the atrocities that go on in tribal Africa. As a victim herself, I would say she is an expert.

So the two main customs I'm talking about that are unacceptable are polygamy and female circumcision. I don't know which is the lesser of the two evils considering they are both demoralizing and bordering on inhumane. The women that are subjected to female circumcision are done so because the men of the tribe wish to make sure that their women don't have any sexual feelings at all, therefore taking away any likelihood that they will be unfaithful. The surgery, if you can call it that, is painful and oftentimes performed with rusty equipment. These women are scarred for life.

And who came up with polygamy? Obviously - men. Who wouldn't want to have as many partners as they felt like having with no moral responsibility to the idea of being faithful to one person. There are many who might argue that humans are not meant to spend their lives with only one person but in these tribes described by Mamet the men take full advantage. It might be a totally different story if the women were also allowed to practice polygamy.

It made me angry to read about these practices but I also thankful that strong women like Mamet are out there and willing to share their message with the world so that hopefully it will eventually stop.