Takeaways: International Women's Day '24 Event: Women Without Borders Featuring Jennifer Hall Lee

On March 7, I was delighted to watch a presentation by the wonderful Jennifer Hall Lee. Jennifer Hall Lee is a writer, filmmaker, and public speaker who spent six weeks last year documenting the lives and minds of Pakistani women, Working with women from the International Islamic University, she created a photographic and film exhibit called Women Without Borders: A Visual Exhibit of Women's Lives in Pakistan. 

She chronicled her trip, describing the rigid patriarchy that still exists in Pakistan, and the courageous, passionate women who seek to change it. In her work, she portrayed the influence of culture in perpetuating the repression of women in the country. Her slideshow highlighted quotes from a couple of specific women.

For example, Dr. Ambreen Salahuddin created a glossary of gender terms for Pakistani women. She explains how the tradition of Chinese foot binding was extremely limiting to women's mobility and how she draws a parallel to the limiting of mobility in Pakistan. Although they are not forced to bind their feet, they too face limits due to the repression of women within their society.

Jennifer Hall Lee, went on to explain the culture shock she experienced while in the country as a woman. At some cafes, there are no women allowed, and it is uncommon for women to walk alone in the streets. Even in the comfort of their own homes, they were shocked by Jennifer's t-shirt. To hear of how women have to live their lives much more consciously and carefully was shocking to me. Already, in America, I sometimes feel that there are too many restrictions that define the way a woman may live her life. At the same time, when listening to Jennifer's speech, I realized how much freedom I have. In that same moment, I saw what makes Jennifer's work so inspiring - the struggles women face transcend borders and cultural influences, but there still must be a fight to create more international equality.

I left the presentation with an increased sense of empathy and awareness for the issues that surround me.