So....Tiger Woods had sex...

...and he apologized for it today. Profusely and repeatedly...without inflection or emotion...to the point that I found myself falling into a trance as my mind wandered to visions of proud poles and pristine balls set against a backdrop of lush foliage.

But all personal grooming issues aside....the whole thing leaves me wondering yet again...WHY? Not so much why did he do it. As why do we care? So, another powerful, rich, reasonably attractive man has slept around. Was this really a news flash to the world? Or rather...was it really a flash worthy of the news? Not to say what he did was okay. Or smart. Or even reasonable. But, to me anyway, it certainly wasn't unexpected. I'm sorry for his wife's anguish, but fail to see how the minute, intricate details of Tiger's infidelities have any bearing on my life. Let alone my choice of which watch or which cell phone provider to choose.  Basically I don't believe it's  worthy of the media attention that has been showered on it.

Perhaps my reaction is due in part to the fact that a few days ago I watched a lecture delivered by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, renowned author of Infidel, at the University of Wisconsin. She speaks out vehemently against the burqa and how Sharia law oppresses and objectifies women of the Islamic faith. And for that a good friend of hers was brutally murdered and she now lives in hiding and constant fear of her life. As part of her speech she talked about how acts of violence against women on American soil are continually ignored by the American media. She cited tales of a Texas father strangling his daughters for dating boys outside their faith, of an Atlanta girl having to flee her own home and go into hiding because her own parents have condemned her to death for converting to Christianity. Such stories rarely make it to the media, let alone make a big splash on the front page. This lack of attention is like a silent affirmation, thus allowing such persecution to continue relatively unnoticed and unchecked even though it goes against everything North American society stands for. Ayaan poses some very poignant theories as to why.

Unfortunatley I don't have any answers to that, but it certainly puts certain news and scandals into perspective. I am tired of hearing about the shock and outrage over Tiger Woods supposed sex addiction. There are much better things to be shocked and outraged about in our own communities, things that, perhaps we can have an influence on. But in order to feel that shock and express that outrage and make those changes we have to know what's happening to our neighbours and our neighbours' children. Somebody has to tell us. I just wish there was somebody out there who cared enough to do that.

A woman's sexuality is very closely tied to her sense of self and personal empowerment. And, yeah...it helps to have an intact clitoris--not to mention a healthy intact body to go along with it. That is something I would rally for for all women. I just wish I could find more ways to do that.