sarah & wodjan

debates over the presence
of Sarah Attar &
Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani
at the Olympics raves on,
concerning whether or not
they have been used as pawns
thrown from the pools of women’s
oppression in the middle east,
as if their time spent was somehow
negative?
those talking on behalf of human rights
go on about how the real issue is the
absence of women’s rights in countries
like Saudi Arabia, that was represented by
both Attar & Shahrkhani,
as if having these two women competing
was not an valid inspiration to women all
over the world.

even if Attar lives in the US and doesn’t
have to deal with a third of the bullshit that
Shahrkhani does, living in Saudi Arabia,
the outcome of the sound bites & images of
her running in the games should not be
discounted, for it all means progress in the
greater scheme.

though Shahrkhani has a greater challenge,
going home to horrible name calling
(dubbed an “Olympic Prostitute” by those
backwards assholes twattering
who see both these women’s participation
in the Olympics as a slap in the face of
muhammad) & slim to no Saudi media
coverage of what has to be one of the most
exciting and meaningful moments
(not to mention amazing & historically
significant!) of her young life,
the fact remains, her Judo fighting in the
international arena, for all the world to see,
means progress.