For example, even though it's not against the law for women to go out at night, I still try not to ever walk alone after dark. I know that at night, the unspoken rules of the city change and in practice, women no longer have the right to be on the streets. I also recognize that people don't respect unmarried women as much as they respect married women with families. So, sometimes when I'm talking to people here, I tell them that I am married -- I lie to them -- so that they pay more attention to my words. Neither of these compromises make me feel very good about myself. I don't like lying, and I don't like being told what I can and cannot do.
I also know that I have a much better situation here than most Tajik women. Not only do I make more money than the average person here, but I am financially independent. I don't have to ask my brother or my father for cash whenever I need it, like most Tajik women do. I can make my own decisions about how I spend my money. Also, because I'm a foreigner, people don't expect me to follow all the social rules that apply to Tajik women. I can do a lot of things that Tajik women can't do, like talk to men on the street or eat in a restaurant by myself. This makes me feel lucky, but also sad that I can't do more to help women here.
Now, let me ask you a question. Do you think that women and men have equal rights in your society? Do women and men play different roles, or have different responsibilities, just based on the fact that they are women and men? Do you think that people perceive boys and girls differently, or have stereotypes about what they can or cannot do?
