Forgiveness is Women’s Work
This article was originally published by Gender Across Borders.
I forgive you. This is certainly not always my most readily accessible sentiment, but nor are they the hardest words I’ve ever uttered. Apparently I might just think that because I’m a woman.
Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit in on a taping of HDNet’s “Dan Rather Reports.” The episode I was in attendance for asked the question “Can Women Stop War?” and featured Alice Urusaro Karekezi of Rwanda, Amra Seleskovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mossarat Qadeem of Pakistan, Dima Dabbous-Sensenig of Lebanon, and Ambassador Swanee Hunt.
Amidst discussions of women’s influence during negotiations, how communities respond to widespread gender-based violence, and the role poverty plays in extremism the host, Dan Rather, repeatedly turned to the subject of forgiveness.
“But I want to– pick up on the word “forgiveness.” But based on your experience and your opinion, are women better, faster at forgiveness than men?”
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