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Don't Even Try to Blame It on Rio

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Don't Even Try to Blame It on Rio

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  • Posted By:
    travelgirl2008 at 08/05/2008 5:36:14 PM
    Comment:
    I read the book and really was made to feel bad about how I looked as an African American Woman. The authors keep emphasizing that Black men love the fact that the Brazillian women have long hair that is not a weave and lighter colored eyes and lighter skin. Yes I feel like I cannot compete with that. The only thing i can do is make sure I am in shape, have a pleasant attitude.


    I really wish I could go to this book signing and get feedback from the authors on their findings.
  • Posted By:
    Sparkle at 07/19/2008 6:35:55 PM
    Comment:
    Shaeshae,

    You hit the nail on the head. Basically most African Americans do suffer profound self-hatred. Due to the extensive racial mixing in both Brazil and the Dominican Republic, you have many "mulatas" with the mocha complexions, long silky hair and big butts desired by most brothers. Ironically both of these nations preached and practiced "whitening" for at least the past century. The women of Brazil simply cost less than a comparable female in the US. In other words, a brother need not make six or seven figures in order to obtain this type of a woman.

    Look at any music video and you will see an absence of "regular" looking black females in favor of the exotic and/or racially mixed types. I was watching a program on BET in which a female CEO of a modeling agency stated that she gets requests primarily for the "black Brazilian girl with the blue eyes". So it makes perfect sense to fly down to Rio where said girl can be obtained for a fraction of the cost back in the States.

    I am not hating here. After nearly six centuries of being told that we are "less than" and that our hair, noses, lips and skin color were ugly it's no wonder that so many of us have such a negative view of ourselves. It's just nobody wants to admit to this self hate. We are in the 21st century, we want to pretend that this self-hate and inferiority complex has just upped and walked out the door and it's still deeply embedded in our psyches.

    If the women of Brazil were not mixed, brothers would probably just continue on to Thailand or some other playground where they can mix and mingle with nonblack or nonblack-looking women. Sure the women of Brazil have nice personalities but so do the women of Nigeria and the Congo, yet you don't see packed plane loads of brothers flocking there.

    Again, I am not condemning anyone. It's just sad to me that the US govt does not feel the need to make reparations to African Americans when it is glaringly obvious the depth of emotional and psychic damage that centuries of slaverly and gross racism has wrought.



    • Posted By:
      travelgirl2008 at 08/05/2008 5:47:05 PM
      Comment:
      I agree why not go to African countries or the Caribbean to seek black women with lighter attitudes. I agree with some points about the black womens attitudes at times because many are really competitive toward other black women. All of my school years I was challenged and made fun of because I was different. I was Just quiet and non combative and now those same girls I would not give the time of day because they were threatened by me for me being nerdy and they were rough.
  • Posted By:
    spiker at 07/17/2008 9:01:07 PM
    Comment:
    Any wonder why blacks suffer a 48% herpes infection rate. Or that 48% of black adolescent girls have at least one STD.

    The parent company of The Root should close this outlet for "black" voices, it simply makes it worse for race relations when "truths" are outed like this.

    Sawyer you're a scum bag.
  • Posted By:
    Patra at 07/11/2008 1:42:50 PM
    Comment:
    revilioms...grow up, man...please...grow up. They give that "come hither look" to paying customers (insert rolling eyes here). I'm an African American woman, happily married to a brotha. I didn't give brothas that "come hither" look, either. I saw you all, but that "come hither" ish wasn't my style, nor was that "flirty, tossing/twirling my locs/throwing my head back to laugh bs...that's some white girl ish. When I met my now husband, I met him at a poetry reading. We talked, we enjoyed the poetry, the jazz band. At the end of the evening he asked me if he could see me again, I said sure, he said I'll be here next Wed at 7pm. True to his word, he was there. Since that time, it's been on! One of the things that strongly attracted me t him was that he was the first brotha who didn't try to bull*** a sista, didn't play games, didn't try to lay up on my couch running up my cable bill, didn't try to mindf*** me with declarations of how he was "feeling me", never asked me for a cent, didn't have a bunch of baby mamas, was responsible, wasn't a broke ass N***a, knew how to manage money (even taught me a thing or two...). He's a brotha who has more than earned the title of "head of household" But the most wonderful thing of all was that in the 10 plus years I've known this man he as never broken a promise to me. And he is so reliable, it's scary. A wonderful husband and an equally wonderful father to our boys. See, this is the kind of man sistas want...and I'm sorry, I love yall, but too many brothas just don't fit the bill...because you're too busy trying to use a sista...sexually, emotionally...and some would just as soon not be bothered with yall. More than a few of you don't really want to "commit" to a woman (I'm talking marriage); rather, you want to "shack up"; you want to PLAY at being "the boss", but you don't want to pay the cost to be the boss -- the cost -- being strong, truthful, faithful, reliable, responsible...the kind of man who a woman can feel safe with and no, that no matter WHAT happens, he's gonna take care of ish. My husband is that man. So brothas, you don't have to go to Brazil to find women who'll treat you like kings...those women...African American women...are right here, and will treat you as such...difference is, in Brazil you can be as trifling, lying, scheming as you want...long as you're showing those women the paper, they'll treat you like kings. Here, if you dealing with the right kind of sistas, you're going to have to come correct...and therein lies the problem...too many of you won't...or can't.
  • Posted By:
    reviloms at 07/10/2008 4:09:24 PM
    Comment:
    In Rio some of finest women of color that you'll ever see will give you that "come hither" look, whereas her American counterpart will look right through you. In Rio you can sleep with women as fine as Halle berry, Salma hayek, J-Lo, etc if you got some $$$.... (same as in New York, L.A., Chicago etc.)
  • Posted By:
    shaeshae at 07/10/2008 10:22:13 AM
    Comment:
    CHECK YOURSELVES, BLACK WOMEN . . . .

    Try to listen to what black men are saying, there may actually be some truth to it. Most, (not all) AA women do have attitudes, are combative and a large percentage of us are over weight. HOWEVER, these factors are not the primary reasons why Professional Black Men are going to Brazil or chosing women outside of the black race. LET'S JUST PUT IT ALL ON THE TABLE . . . Black men (most black people for that matter) have a deep rooted self hatred that has lingered since slavery. We will never admit to it but most of us believe that white and mixed people are more attractive than the average black person. To prove this statement just look at the pattern of dating habits among Professional Black men. When it was illegal to date white women the successful black men (i.e. singers, atheletes, actors) of those eras dated the women with the light skin and the good hair (white features). After the Civil Rights Era, light was out and white was in. Now they want women from Brazil. This is also what the J-Lo hype was all about. J-Lo is gorgeous but has a body like a black woman. Excluding the weight, black women have the fiercest bodies. Yes white women have nice bodies also, but most of their bodies consist of air bags, lip injections or botox.
    Black men simply believe these women are prettier. Bottom Line. They want women with white features such as thin lips and straight hair but big butts and breasts like black women. LASTLY, RESPECT IS EARNED, BLACK MEN !!!
    You're saying that Brazilian women are more submissive and treat you like kings, well that's because they haven't lived here with you in America. You don't deserve the respect that you so desperately desire. No one is going to respect you when you constatnly create music that refer to women as ho's, bail out on your children (70% of black children don't have fathers), refuse to educate yourselves(only 46% of black males receive high scool diplomas) and are just total menaces to soceity and America. Black women again I will emphasize learning to confront issues without attitudes and keeping your weight sexy. Then find you a caribbean or african man. These men make better mates than African American men and are usually educated, have good work ethic and good family values. Visit your local reggae restaurant, club, business or try visiting a carribean dating site. Peace
  • Posted By:
    big-c2k at 07/09/2008 7:08:26 PM
    Comment:
    Obviously you don't have a clear picture of the "sex industry" right here in the good ole US of A. If you consider porn, strippers, escort services and plain old prostitution, we are looking at a multi-billion dollar a year industry. No one has to go abroad for sex. There is obviously a different allure to the trips. Be it as it may, sex is clearly apart of the trips, but not the only motivation. And as for your comment about "young, poor but beautiful women in Brazil, sex work is a way out" What do you think the golddiggers in America are doing? For young, poor but beautiful women in ANYWHERE in the world, sex work is a way out. The only difference is that our so called moral majority, religious right, and policy makers refuse to see that prostitution is a VICTIMLESS CRIME.
  • Posted By:
    cubano1 at 07/08/2008 12:21:38 PM
    Comment:
    So Blanchette your "straight' should have been in quotes BUT is completely different than the author's use of regular because.... oh you read the author's mind and know his "true" motives? You want to read the article in the worst possible way rather than read it in context. It seems like you are more interested in self promotion than in a real sensible dialog. I continue to read the article and it just does not make the arguments you claim it makes. Sure you could read it that way but it is more an extension/interpretation rather than what the article actually says. So if "regular" were in quotes, would that make all the difference for you?
    • Posted By:
      Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/08/2008 5:28:07 PM
      Comment:
      If "regular" were in quotes AND the whole part about how women needs must use their bodies to make cash were removed or contextualized, it would be a lot better IMHO, Cubano. Also the idea that making money with one's body because, supposedly, one has no other option is "outrageous".

      And that REALLY is my last word on the topic, friend. If you want to talk more about it, please e-mail me at macunaimatt@yahoo.com.br.

      Abra??os,
      Thaddeus
      • Posted By:
        Abriel at 07/08/2008 7:10:22 PM
        Comment:
        Cubano
        Lets write him off as "Dr Pimp."
        and i don't think this guy is a brother either.
        He studies hookers he is a teacher with students who are hookers.
        He is an American who married a Portuguese woman (who might not be Afro Brazilian)
        He is all about self promotion ...he sickens me
        • Posted By:
          Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/09/2008 8:39:32 AM
          Comment:
          I think you're cute too, Abbie. Hugs!
          • Posted By:
            Abriel at 07/09/2008 10:06:33 AM
            Comment:

            nooo stop it your the cute one....seriously your a jack ass

  • Posted By:
    vjtcvjtc at 07/08/2008 11:26:45 AM
    Comment:
    I am a wife that was left due to a GFE experience gone bad. BTW - most of the men that I know that go regularly to Rio do learn the language. My husband and his married friends, certainly did. i for one, also became fairly fluent, so I could translate . Oh yeah - I was a newlywed at the time. Despite the trauma, I do not blame Brazilian women. It is a combination of black men not having a stronger sense of self, a fairly strong dollar that can go a long way in a developing country, and the culture of fantasy and being a psuedo celebrity.
    A male friend who recently indulged in a Rio trip told me that the problem was that African American women who are mere 5 or 6's act like their 10s and expect too much. When he was down in Rio, it wasn't the physical act. But, the women were prettier, in better shape, and catered to him.

    The fact that he paid for the privilege was not quite lost on him, but it was presented in a manner that made it fairly palatable. This is a good looking guy, who has no shortage of women stateside.

    I have been to Rio to determine if the Girlfriend was pregnant!!! It is a horrible situation all around. What is the answer? I have no idea, but I do know that African American men need to stop living in a fanatasy world. The Brazilian girlfriend ain't gonna like most men's reality back in the states. Anyone can keep up the high rolla front for 10 days.

  • Posted By:
    lilduke64 at 07/08/2008 10:45:27 AM
    Comment:
    I actually studied this issue in a gradate global immigration class I took in the spring. The global sex trade is huge, and anyone who goes on these sex vacations where they copulate with the locals has to understand that it is a very good chance that they are having sex with a person who is likely a sex slave. You learn some of the stuff I learned in that class about women (and men) being exploited and it changes your world view. So it makes me sad, but not too surprised to hear that priviledged black folks hold views about poor black folk in other parts of the world that white folks in this country held (or still hold) about us. Very sad.
    • Posted By:
      Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/08/2008 5:24:54 PM
      Comment:
      "Copulate with the locals"...?

      Jeez, Lilduke, you make it sound like bestiality.

      But more to the point, whatever your prof may have told you, Brazil is not Thailand. All countries have different scense of prostitution and commercial sex: they cannot be equated in one simple description. In Rio, on Copa, in 6 years of research, we have found precisely zero sex slaves. Whatever is happening, these women are not being whipped, beaten and/or threatened to do what they do. In fact, most of the major termas in Rio hire by invitation only and there's a long waiting list for women wanting to work there.

      You don't have to enslave people to make them prostitutes: all you have to do is pay them a relatively spectacular wage and ensure them relatively safe and anonymous working conditions and this is what most of the tourist venues on and around Copa do.
  • Posted By:
    cmanbrazil at 07/08/2008 7:56:06 AM
    Comment:
    The weight issue is deep. Again, there aren't many legitimate forums to discuss these issues without getting bashed for being insensitive. However, the weight of your significant other is an issue. If it is an issue for African American women, then logically, their partners are going to have an issue as well. I think what the book shows to me is that when people don't discuss what they feel openly, it gets dealt with inappropriately. The issue for all African Americans is to take care of ourselves better, including dealing with our weight.
    I like the mantle man chapter as well. I think there are a lot of expectations put on African American men in the middle class that either we can't, or don't want to meet. There is a lot of pressure put on men in a patriarchal society. What I find funny about this chapter, is the conception that Brazilian women are somehow more understanding of an African American mans struggle then African American women. As a brotha married to a Brazilian woman, who about ten minutes ago just created a second job for me, I find it hilarious. Brazil doesn't have welfare, people hustle to grow, and don't look kindly on whiners mad that life is a struggle. I interact a lot with the Brazilian community in my city, and get energized by their expectations of themselves, even when they are not here legally. They don't get caught up in a sense of entitlement, just like a lot of other foreign people coming to the U.S.
    To close, I think the book does a good job at sparking discussion, I just hope people will have conversations instead of talking "at" one another. Personally, I also hope people focus on other aspects of Brazil. It is such a rich country, full of Black folks, culture, oppression, liberation, and everything else. Many African Americans go to Bahia for its rich cultural experience, and build good friendships. I also think it is okay for African American's to learn from other cultures, like so many have learned from us over the years. I know my work ethic has grown after interacting with the Brazilian community in my city. I also learn from African's and others who come to the U.S. and do a better job economically than many Americans of any race do.

  • Posted By:
    cmanbrazil at 07/08/2008 7:55:38 AM
    Comment:
    The Chapter just drinking and sexing is real accurate about the "Copa" experience. I can't say Brazil experience, because Copa is a tourist area, which caters to foreigners. If you move into other areas of the city, or other cities in Brazil, the experience is different, and in my view much better -or real. The quotes from the men who have went do good job of describing how intoxicating the experience is, and the type of impression it leaves on some of the men who experience it. I also like how it describes how African American men treat one another there. In Copa, for the most part, there is no fighting, no disrespect, and you can find guys who may not interact otherwise, having good conversations with one another. The Hip Hop and porn issues are interesting. I liked how Woods, through the stories of the guys, explored how men in Brazil were defining their own sexuality, and then in turn, questioned the validity of it.
    I liked the chapters that dealt with some of the gender confusion African American men have with African American women -have been through some of them- and how it causes a lot of frustration amongst brotha's. I think if anything, it is hard for some African American men to find their voice -outside of locker rooms- about their gender issues with African American women. It is more than just sex. It's the whole role issue of who is supposed to do what in a relationship. I think the projection of femininity put on prostitutes who are getting paid to provide an illusion is about as much of a stretch as looking to pornography to define what sex in a relationship is supposed to be like
  • Posted By:
    cmanbrazil at 07/08/2008 7:54:59 AM
    Comment:
    I really enjoyed reading the book. The book talks about the frustrations of some African American men in the middle class, and how this plays out in their trips to Brazil and interaction with Brazilian prostitutes. All of the issues that were laid out in the book aren't mine, but even if they aren't, I can remember those points being discussion points when hanging out with some of my friends. I like how the book was written, easy to digest and not lost in a bunch of academic terminology. I think that his writing style will get a lot more people to read it.
    The question of are Black women necessary is an interesting one. As an African American man who has been to "Copa" -Copacabana in Rio, I like how Woods' dealt with the contrast between the dream created in Copa and the reality lived in the U.S. What I like best is the issue at hand for many African American men, which is to come home to a safe environment, where they feel respected for the battles they fight everday. I think it is pretty acceptable in a lot of literature to explore African American women's needs, but what about the Brotha's. I know "Copa" is fake, but what is real is that many African American men are looking for things they are just not getting.

  • Posted By:
    Anonymous Brother at 07/07/2008 7:45:29 PM
    Comment:
    I enjoyed this article. If lived in the US for a while, I have come to understand why African American men will seek love elsewhere. I am origionally from Africa and have found difficulties in inciting interest in African American women. Dont get me wrong I love my women black but since I dont fit the profile of what African American women look for, I am little below 5 ft 6 and well even though am a handsome guy with a great personality am not a guy they are interested in. I have a bachelors degree, an MBA, pursuing a Masters of Accounting and plan to be a CPA, yet I still dont qualify as a desirable black man, because I cant rap, dont wear baggy clothes and bling. As a result faced with frustration I have saught for companionship else where. I understand how out of frustration with the black women in the US one will look for companionship elsewhere. Black women like playing the victim game, is about time they came to realize they have warped criteria and as such end up running after thugs, and then when a black men goes else where to find companionship they are become bitter about it. I mean when am with a white girl now they give me a nausiated look of indignation. Honestly, do they want me just single, when I go after them they dont want me, when I go for other races they despise me. I would pursue a relationship with a black woman if I would finally find one whio is interested, but I'm seriously considering those Brazilian sisters because most of them are more attractive anyway.
  • Posted By:
    A-traveler at 07/07/2008 9:30:14 AM
    Comment:
    There are far more pressing issues confronting the Af-am community today than a handful of dudes exercising their right to international travel. This idea of an expanding class of black guys with money to burn is Balderdash! In case you have not noticed, black men in America are having a pretty rough go of it. A good number of my black friends do not possess a passport, where are they going? I have been on various airlines going to Brasil and been the only brother on the plane at time; if there were others, they numbered no more than two or three. Do people really believe that black men are so one-dimensional? What about Vegas, South Beach, or Freaknik back in the day. Everything was cool when stuff was state-side. Brasil is a huge country that offers plenty of wonderful things: GREAT food, a focus on fitness, and burgeoning business opportunities. I personally study Portugues daily, and have developed a new respect for the 5 Romance languages. It's sad that black men's activities are always looked at as primarily sex-based. Perhaps part of the reason a small number of brothers go down there is to escape the narrow definitions ascribed to them in America. Unfortunately they end up pigeon-holed anyway. All Amercians are suckers for sensationalism and too many so-called authors use this weakness to further their pitiful careers. On to the next pseudo-scandal!
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/07/2008 2:14:31 PM
      Comment:

      Firstly you just don't get it. Why is it hard for you to understand that a few Afro Americans are concerned about the well being of thier fellow Afro Brazilians???

  • Posted By:
    ChangeGonnaCome23 at 07/06/2008 3:01:45 PM
    Comment:
    Amen. I'm glad to see someone addressing the poverty and terrible socio-economic status of Afro-Brazilian women, and not just how "hot" they are.
    As Americans, we need to do better job in acknowledging that.
  • Posted By:
    Paulettejr at 07/06/2008 2:55:06 PM
    Comment:
    This concept is ridiculous! Are these authors saying that the millions of black American men who have never left the US are not dating black American women (who are available in America) because they hope to go to Brazil ???one day??? and get a ???girlfriend???? What a ludicrous notion. The black male/female relationship is more complicated than ???Brazil???. Plus because many American black women have climbed the social ladder and all the socio-political reasons, black men who have all the attributes these ???educated??? black women are looking for are in high demand. Therefore the law of ???supply and demand??? comes into play. These highly desired black men don???t have to commit to a single relationship ??? they can ???date??? for years and many choose not to commit to a relationship. They don???t have to.

    Paulette
    www.letustalk.wordpress.com
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/06/2008 6:30:44 PM
      Comment:
      when opportunity knocks huh?
      Don't come here blabbing about how your sight is far better.
      In whole this is about propaganda catering to men's fantasies no matter what colour they are.
      Yes people shouldn't be judging prostitutes, adding stigmas to a person who wants to leave this life style makes it very hard for them to have hope in doing so. Some people here are saying these women are choosing this life style, but i believe its more of a conditioning a grooming many women with the model or actress dream are being groomed ...oh and how old are models when they start? usually 16 a very young impressionable age would you think?
      So if removing the stigma that goes with prostitution helps a hooker feel proud, then it will also will help the predators who are in the industry.$$$$
      We don't need prostitutes in this world we just need a free world of zero bigotry zero stereotyping and zero violence.
      If everyone starts thinking in an enlightened way the world can and will be paradise.
      The Root is not just good but excellent and the editor is hitting the nail on the head with his views of harmony within the Afro culture no matter where they live.
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/06/2008 11:53:50 AM
    Comment:
    Thanks for the people who have followed this discussion to this point and who have contributed to it in a positive way, principally Dr. T and Cubano. Reading the comments here with me, my partner Dra. Ana Paula da Silva has been inspired to write an article which deals with some of the topics being discussed and we hope that we might be able to interest theroot's editors in it.

    So for those of you interested in taking this discussion in a different direction, keep a weather eye out for her piece.

    Best,
    Thaddeus
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/06/2008 2:43:41 PM
      Comment:
      I see you have taken this opportunity to promote yours
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/06/2008 11:27:38 AM
    Comment:
    Cubano, first of all, let me say that "honest" and "charitable" are rarely two adjectives that come together in a critical reading. I am sorry if I have come across as belittling Professor Sawyer's work: my point was to hold up some problems in it which appear to me to be unexamined and which highlight a greater dilema than the one that is dealt with. This has obviously offended you and I feel that we are reaching the point of decreasing returns when people get their backs up the way yours seems to be, so this will be my last post to you here.

    As I said above, there are many women in Brazil in the upper and middle classes who are engaged in prostitution, not just one. I gave concrete examples of two. I can send you a list with dozens more, right off the top of my head if you like. You can e-mail me at macunaimatt@yahoo.com.br if you're interested.

    Secondly, my use of the word "straight" (as opposed to "non-straight" prostitution) should have been set in quotes. But whether or not that is done, said word use is quite different from unambiguously setting "regular" Black people off from prostitutes. The entire point of Professor Sawyer's article is that prostitution is a form of exploitation which is qualitatively different from other forms of exploitation engaged in by tourists, otherwise why would said exploitation especially anger him, as he claims? So I feel I am on very safe ground when I critique him for presuming that there's a moral divide between prostitutes and "normal" tourism workers. He's not simply relating an emic vision here and simply forgot the quotation marks, Cubano: he is quite clearly making an etic description.

    Your mileage obviously varies and we'll leave it at that.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/06/2008 2:47:03 PM
      Comment:
      Those middle class women you speak about (the ones that have running water in the house and a toilet) well those women are the ones who want to be actresses and models. I would say these women are desperate and predators feed off this.
  • Posted By:
    cubano1 at 07/06/2008 6:50:23 AM
    Comment:
    Blanchette wants the same honest and charitable reading he is unwilling to give others. Taking one phrase out of context and amplifying it and ignoring the other phrases to the contrary or the general context is just "bad faith".

    Then there's the one woman turning tricks for 8,000 reis or whatever. It made the news because it is unusual. But of course for Blanchette the exception proves the rule.

    The point is your arguments can't pass your twists of the words of others. The whole article written by Professor Sawyer is in context against the idea of the moral panic. Yet you want to cast it as supporting the idea.

    Blanchette even uses the term "straight" jobs himself admitting in some sense there is some distinction between sex work on other kinds. Should we accuse Blanchette of moralizing of buying into the moral panic in drawing this distinction. Of course not, it would be unfair given the broader context- Blanchette wants to attack Sawyer for a similar phrase that in context suggests the same thing. He even says prostitutes in Brazil are no more typical or Brazilians than strippers, prostitutes or women in music videos are typical of Americans. This is a simply fact- by typical meaning they are not all available for sex for a price- that is the point of the article and the phrase. Note it is sandwiched with a discussion of a Brazilian student in the US- is this lost on Blanchette?

    No one disagrees that prostitution is about "ambition" but the problem is when sex work is the "ONLY" avenue to pursue that ambition. Others are not so constrained in pursuit of their ambitions.

    Is there "agency" in sex work. Of course. The article does not say otherwise. Only your tortured read of it, through your own interests suggests this. The article is not about that issue. Such a criticism would be appropriate for an article entitled "Women agency and sex work in Brazil." You are simply reading your agenda into a piece on another subject-PERIOD full stop. And it is as you suggest "bad faith."
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 8:51:20 PM
    Comment:
    Abriel, do you know how silly you look lecturing someone about how they deliver their thoughts when you use "u" as a pronoun?

    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 8:56:46 PM
      Comment:
      blow me
      • Posted By:
        Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 11:32:28 PM
        Comment:
        Abs, there's not enough money on God's green Earth that would get me to do that. However, I will report you for abuse. Have a nice life.
        • Posted By:
          Abriel at 07/06/2008 12:02:19 AM
          Comment:
          http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic21664.html

          WHAT EVER BITE ME!

          Thanks for your enlightenment your such a great teacher wish there were more mentors like you floating around.
          (that's sarcasm)
          • Posted By:
            Abriel at 07/06/2008 12:41:04 AM
            Comment:
            Just in case i hurt your ego (god forbid)
            BITE ME IS ......GO AWAY!!!!

            http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=%22Bite+Me%22
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 7:18:51 PM
    Comment:
    Cubano, I'm presuming that people here are discussing things in good faith, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and ask where, exactly, have I claimed that prostitution is a "desirable profession"?

    What I have said - and it seems to me that this should be blindingly obvious by now, having been repeated several times - is that prostitution is frequently a dirty, dangerous and unpleasant job which happens to pay far more money than many other dirty, dangerous and unpleasant jobs men and women routinely subject themselves to and which well-meaning people like yourself rarely, if ever, object to.

    As for the article, thanks for the advice. One is on the way.

    Now, you claim you make "no moral judgement" about prostitution and I'm sure you're sincere in that belief. However, it's difficult for me to believe that no moral judgement is implied in your statement where "regular black folks" are set off against prostitutes (who are what, exactly? Non-regular black folks?) YMMV, but that's how I see it.

    Nor do I believe that your criticism of the current moral panic aids women in Copa when it is couched in a language which strips all agency from them and turns them into passive victims, manipulated by global economic forces beyond their control.

    "Do the children of rich Brazilians go into sex work? Absolutely not!"

    Surely you jest, Cubano. An ex-Miss Brazil was recently involved in a prostituion ring which charged 8000 reais per trick. Xuxa apparently started her professional life as a call girl. There are many, many middle and even upper class prostitutes in Brazil, though most of these people have the social and political capital to be able to call themselves something else - "models", say, or "actresses". They still sell sex, however. Here's a very provable simple fact, Cubano: prostitution occurs at all levels of Brazilian society, not just among the poor. Sure, there are more poor prostitutes than rich prostitutes, but that's no surprise, is it, given our country's notoriously poor distribution of wealth.

    But like I said above, our on-going research in Copa indicates that most of the women working there are NOT the poor and desperate but in fact the lower middle and working classes. These are not people who are "forced" into prostitution for economic reasons but who CHOOSE it over straight jobs as it gets them more cash, more quickly. Prostitution - at least on Copa - is far more about AMBITION than it is about abject poverty, though, of course, there are all sorts of people turning tricks out there for all sorts of reasons.

    I do not think your piece here is bad. I DO think it is informed by several unstated prejudices regarding work, sex and Brazil and that those prejudices should be examined. If you don't like people responding to your views, don't publish them in public forums with "comments" sections.



  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 6:57:30 PM
    Comment:
    Thank you, Abriel, for telling us about a fact of Brazilian life that has been amply discussed in our nation's public forums since the end of the military dictatorship in 1985.

    According to a recent poll in Veja magazine (Brazil's Time), 87% of the nation considers Brazil to be racist, but gringo commentators are still repeating the same old saw that "Brazil considers itself to be a racial democracy".

    Go figure.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 7:48:05 PM
      Comment:
      yes your right, "everyone knows this"....u like to hear that uh?,,,cause your really so wrong in the way you deliver your thoughts, i actually question your motives.

      Do u ever wake up?....why am i pointing out the obvious?...wake up and get over your self.

      Do u ever ask yourself the important questions?....

      the system works like a predator....poor people are the target.

      Do you understand what a predator is? go study this.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 7:31:14 PM
      Comment:
      Ever look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself "all these years I've known Brazil i still ask the question "(What can i do?"
      If i'm pointing out the obvious then why do so many people like you forget humans are not for sale and neither is sex in a perfect world?....unfortunately there are predators out there and i can smell one a mile away even through the web...and unfortunately these people who fall victim to predators ie prostitutes become a predator in a passive aggressive way being a opportunists is a predator mentality.....are you one of those?
      • Posted By:
        Abriel at 07/05/2008 8:23:08 PM
        Comment:
        oh yeah your next book should be titled
        "a hooker an opportunist and a predator"
  • Posted By:
    cubano1 at 07/05/2008 5:16:12 PM
    Comment:
    Dr. Blanchette,

    If you want to promote your own work and argument i.e. sex work is a desirable profession, then publish an article on said issue. Your critique of my piece is what I call a case of simple and not so sophisticated "product differentiation". Are maids exploited in Brazil, hell yes! I make no moral judgment about sex work. Doing so does more harm than good. At the same time, do the children of wealthy Brazilians go into sex work? Absolutely not! They don't because for them there are other ways to make a good and even luxurious living in Brazil that are NOT available to women who are sex workers. I never say anyone is forced. And the fact that a relatively small amount of money for Americans is a good living and a better living for those in Brazil who are poor or are not in the upper classes is about the general issue of exploitation.

    I just don't like you taking parts of my argument and taking them to the extreme. I point out people should interact with specific organizations doing work in Brazil. In fact, the organization I linked to one can donate! They are helping prepare Afro-Brazilians for higher education and supporting them. That does help.

    But please don't suggest moral judgments I don't make. Don't push my words to the extremes to make your argument. If you have something to say about sex work in Brazil publish an article on it. Don't try to use a comment forum and my commentary on how African Americans shouldn't use it as a moral panic as your platform. It does no justice to what you say and actually does a significant amount of violence to my argument as you are pushing an interpretation of the article that does not reflect my views. You owe everything a fair reading on its own terms, not because it word for word does not repeat your own argument.
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 2:37:01 PM
    Comment:
    It is a bummer that theroot.com cannot read my quotation marks and apostrophes and substitutes question marks for them. Must be a portuguese keyboard compatability issue. I appologize to anyone taking the time to read this stuff.

    Does anyone know of a solution to this problem?
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 5:37:33 PM
      Comment:
      HELLOOOOOOO are you there!!!!!

      http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/brazil2/index.html
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 2:34:42 PM
    Comment:
    Law, not to belittle you, but if Youtube is your "most reliable source" on Black Brazilians, God help us.

    Here's a book for you to read: "Samba", by Alma Guilermoprieto. Not that it's a good source on samba, per se, but it is a great look into popular black carioca culture.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/06/2008 3:33:15 AM
      Comment:
      So what if he doesnt have the depth of knowledge about Brazil like u do?!
      Your a teacher, a mentor, is this how you talk to your students?
      • Posted By:
        Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/06/2008 4:34:58 AM
        Comment:
        Yes, Abriel. When my students show up in class with "proof" of odd foreign happenings culled from the internet, said "proof" being a Youtube clip or a slice of Wiki, I do indeed roll my eyes and say "God help us." It is indeed the role of a teacher and a mentor to correct a student when they do something incredibly silly and nothing is sillier than trying to understand a country of 180 million people with 500 years of history under its belt via Youtube. The role of a teahcer, in such a case, is to push the student to engage more deeply with the topic and to point out to him of her that "I saw it on the internet" is one of the hoariest jokes out there.

        Given that you like to tell people you disagree with to "blow me" and "bite me", you are hardly in a position to lecturing anyone on their teaching or mentoring skills.
        • Posted By:
          Abriel at 07/06/2008 2:42:39 PM
          Comment:
          Your a teacher not me....your "belittling style" isn't what i call a good formula for a mentor to use. RESPECT you want it TEACH it then!...FYI teachers teach respect with treating others with respect.
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 2:31:01 PM
    Comment:
    Dr. T., you claim that one ???cannot compare sex work to being gay, or black or any other minority group because they did not choose their identity, and even if they did their ethnic/sexual status is not based on making money, like drug dealing and sex work is???.

    First of all, what we are talking about is stigmatization due to prejudice and whether or not that legitimates said prejudices, which is a completely different thing from claiming that all stigmatization is identical. But let???s keep our comparisons to choices. In Brazil, until recently, capoeiristas were considered to be one step up from street bums and no ???mainstream??? parent would have wanted their child to grow up to be one. Does that mean that capoeira should have been abolished and its practitioners ???saved???????

    I enjoy how readily you conflate drug trafficking with prostitution. Are you seriously saying that the health and human welfare consequences of selling sex are comparable to the consequences of selling crack? Here in Brazil, one of the fastest growing rates of HIV incidence is seen among married women and prostitutes are used by the government to teach safe sex. It would be very difficult for you to find a pro on Copa willing to have unprotected sex. So what ???danger???, precisely, is it that prostitution creates that is not concretely and immediately caused by other peoples??? prejudice which would justify your comparison to drug dealing?

    ???Finally I will repeat sex workers should be protected under the law but I think their needs to be a focus on improving the education system, after school programs and even more labor rulings to improve wages.???

    We are entirely agreed on that point, so we definitely have common ground for common work here.

    ???I would just hope that we stop glamorizing sex work and put it in context with other social issues.???
    Once again, who is glamorizing sex work? I have repeatedly described it as dangerous, dirty and unpleasant. Now, is my English that rusty that I haven???t made myself quite clear on this point? It???s quite frustrating that it hasn???t been understood yet.
    ???I love the discussion with you, but Dr. Blanchette you need to acknowledge the ethical questions in sex work, that threaten the very women you want to help.???

    Ethics: the study of standards of conduct, moral judgment, or moral systems.

    Morals: principals and standards with regards to right and wrong.

    We ARE discussing the ethics of prostitution. There isn???t a concern that you???ve brought up which I haven???t addressed, so if there???s something that isn???t being discussed here, it can only be your moral belief ??? unstated, but implied ??? that prostitution is simply WRONG. And that is indeed where we part ways, because my morals lead me to reject the view of prostitution as a question independent of other forms of labor exploitation. So when you claim I don???t acknowledge ethical questions, Dr. T, what you seem to be doing is confusing your persona
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 2:30:43 PM
    Comment:
    Dr. T, we seem to be talking past each other and a good portion of that problem may be my fault, as I???ll admit to being pugnacious as hell on this issue.
    So let me state where I think we agree:
    1) Prostitution is a stigmatized profession.
    2) Prostitution is often dangerous, dirty and unpleasant work.
    3) Prostitution is often a relatively lucrative form of work.
    4) People should have access to other forms of labor which pay as well as prostitution.
    5) Sex workers have a higher rate average of drug and alcohol abuse than the society around them.
    Now here are the points which, in my view, you don???t seem to get:
    1) If a profession is stigmatized, that is not a logical reason to reinforce stigmatization by treating said profession as necessarily worse than other, similar, professions.
    2) There are many kinds of dirty, dangerous and unpleasant jobs in Rio and yet I don???t see any rejection of these other kinds of work by you or other human rights activists.
    3) In a capitalist society, money is one of the best indications of empowerment. While prostitutes suffer from social stigmatization, most of the ones I have interviewed feel that such suffering is bearable due to the options in life an increased cash flow brings. What almost all these women say, when given a chance to speak their minds, is that they want to be respected as citizens no matter what they choose to do with their bodies. In other words, they want the stigmatization to end, they do not want to be saved from ???a lesser form of rape???, as Abriel would have it.
    4) While people SHOULD have access to better forms of labor, the fact of the matter is that they DON???T and, until they do ??? and perhaps even afterwards ??? the commercialization of sex will continue. Furthermore, I think it???s ludicrous to hold a tiny and relatively homogenous nation like Holland up as a comparison for Brazil. Whether you like it or not, the U.S. is a much better comparison and wealth there has not stopped the sale of sex. You say that it???s poor women selling sex there, too. I say that if you Americans haven???t been able to construct reasonable alternatives for your own poor, then it???s really not for you to be giving Brazilians advice on how to adjust their society in this respect.
    5) There are MANY professions in this world which evidence a higher than normal incidence of drug and alcohol abuse, yet I have never seen this brought up as an argument for the abolishment of any profession other than prostitution. In my mind, then, the drug abuse is simply a red herring.
    6) Finally, you persist in characterizing my argument as ???sex work is just as good as anything else???. A more honest reading would be ???other forms of work are often WORSE than sex work???. You have gone out of your way to characterize me as glorifying sex work when I have repeatedly done just the opposite. I would appreciate it, sir, if you would stop building convenient straw men in this respect and actually address what I am, i
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 1:34:00 PM
    Comment:
    To Abriel:

    Abriel comments that ???Something happens to the chemistry of a human who is basically voluntarily giving their body to a lesser type of rape???.
    Abriel, I???m willing to lay down dollars to donuts that I know a sight many more prostitutes than you do, many of whom HAVE been raped. If you can???t make the distinction between rape and commercial sex in your head, let me assure you, those women can and do. Maybe you should listen to what they have to say, hmm? Because I seriously doubt that the few dancers and prostitutes you know would qualify what they do as ???a lesser form of rape???.
    As to the concept that one???s body chemically changes when one engages in prostitution, I have to admit, I???d thought I???d heard all types of biodeterminist nonsense that human beings could come up with in this world, but that is a new one for me!
    Finally, in all my years of studying prostitution in Copa, I have yet to find a single child working Help, Ciccolina???s or any one of the tourist bars on the orla. I???ve seen some (very) few adolescents (even in the high period less than 2% of the total). Typically, kids are not even allowed NEAR the places where most sexual tourism goes on, let alone in them. In fact, I am so certain of this that I will publically commit myself, here and now, to giving 500 USD to anyone who can take me to a night spot, on Copa, where children routinely and normally work the sex trade. If this is as common as you imply, Abriel, then you are set to earn an easy 500 bucks, which you can then donate to the charity of your choice ??? or even to the kids you are talking about.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 5:15:35 PM
      Comment:
      I never said Brazil has a problem with child prostitution. I said we need to help starting with the children. I don't care how many framed notes you have on your wall saying your the Guru of Hooker knowledge. All that lengthy studying of prostitution and still you don't get it. Its not rocket science prostitution be it man or woman will sociologically warp peoples minds.....like i said i didn't need to study them i just figured it out, they turned out to be opportunist at the highest level the way they think is practically irreversible. This is what i learned within one year of being "friends" with them and i wasn't studying them. Good people can rot like apples too. There are many people who have turned around and stopped being this way and that is usually through dedicating their life to Jesus or some other form of religion.
      • Posted By:
        Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/06/2008 4:36:29 AM
        Comment:
        "like i said i didn't need to study them i just figured it out" is the excuse of narrow-minded bigots the wide world over.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/05/2008 4:54:36 PM
      Comment:
      OMG!! your something else!!
      I never said anything about child prostitution...why don't you get off your high horse of .."I'm so well educated on prostitution"...looks like you need to be reevaluated like a social worker needs it time to time.
  • Posted By:
    girl from the 'hood at 07/05/2008 10:48:56 AM
    Comment:
    HI,
    I lived in Brazil for two years and my daughter was born there and has dual citizenship. I think some black men go to Brazil have relationships with prostitutes or girls who need an economic leg up. These are not serious relationships because if they were, black men would be marrying these women. Secondly, I think some black men are enchanted with the fact that there are these beautiful women who do not have a long list of what you need to have and give me in order for us to be a couple. The average Brazilian makes about $200 a month -- that is the minimum wage. So, an American who comes to town to drop a few bucks is seen as a great thing. Also, I am black, my husband is not and so when we lived in Brazil, many people assumed I was Brazilian and had bagged a "rich" white American. Often times the non-black Brazilians didn't really talk to me much - until they found out that I was both educated and American. It is a stereotype that European and other foreigners come to Brazil and marry a saucy black Brazilian, but that is not necessarily true.
    Also, I think by blaming Brazilian women, it takes the heat off the black community. There are problems within the black community and reasons why black men feel they have to go to Brazil to find the women of their dreams. I don't have the answer, but we need a dialogue about this. We also need to realize that in America, you have the right to go where you choose, whithin the law, to find love, no matter if it takes you to Brazil, or to Germany, where I found my husband.
    -- a girl from the hood
  • Posted By:
    lawani2k at 07/05/2008 8:17:17 AM
    Comment:
    i woke up this by a neighbor and i was online so i was lookng for something to grab my attention so i went to the root, i have to admit its not in my top websites that i check regular but I stumbled upon this article. I know quite a bit about Brazil and the dominican republic, a colleauge of mine when i was working at a school wanted to go and was pleading for me to go with him as a travel partner. I wanted to go but my money wasn't right to go this was back in 2006 the roundtrip ticket was about $700-$800 and thats not included room and other items. I read this article and i challenged myself from what the author said to learn about the problems and culture in Brazil, so to try to get a glimpse of Brazil. I went to my most reliable source youtube and I typed Black Brazil as a tag, and I saw this documentary on blacks in brazil. And right out the gate I nearly wanted to cry with the pride they showed brazilians praticising martial art- Capoeira that they brung from africa, key word "brung". It was amazing great article also like stuff white people like.
  • Posted By:
    Dr.T at 07/05/2008 7:56:59 AM
    Comment:
    cont.
    Finally I will repeat sex workers should be protected under the law but I think their needs to be a focus on improving the education system, after school programs and even more labor rulings to improve wages. The Lula government has made improvements but more needs to be done. You are right sex workers are not going anywhere, but my point is sex workers are here to stay in every country in the world not just Brazil, and unfortunately every country deals with the ethical questions it raises.
    I would just hope that we stop glamorizing sex work and put it in context with other social issues.
    Also I do not personally condemn man or women who pay sex workers. I just want to acknowledge the ethical problems it raises for the society, but you are also right there are ethical problems when a working person cannot make a living wage. The difference between you and me is I rather focus on the latter than on sex workers. Since sex workers have been around since the bible and people have been concerned since the beginning about the ethical question it raises. I will let others continuing debating that. The bottom line Brazilian women are not a monolith group and the sexual stereotypes are tiring, and finally there are to many ignorant Americans who have reduced Brazil to the dancing mulatto of Rio de Janeiro???s carnival and think that what Mark Sawyer was getting at and Brazil is more that. I know you would agree with that. Furthermore I think we are saying the same things but our focus seems to be a bit different. Anyway its been real.

  • Posted By:
    Dr.T at 07/05/2008 7:56:17 AM
    Comment:
    Dr. Blanchette,
    You say I am getting you wrong in the discussion, but there are a few points that you get me wrong on. One I never stated that sex workers are forced into that profession. I am suggesting it is one of the only professions where non-skilled women of color can make a good salary. In fact most women choose not to be in this profession because they the sex workers, not me Dr. T the blogger, stigmatize the job as wrong. Therefore you can treat it like any other profession and put blinders on but my point is even the sex workers themselves do not treat this work as normal even though their work is legal and protected by the law. Perhaps through education this could be changed. I see you prefer to focus your help and time on sex workers. I prefer to focus my energy on getting women properly educated and organize unions so that women could have other options of higher pay. In regard to your comment about the United States: The United States is not a role model for the world in regard to sex workers. Women sex workers in the United States tend to be single moms poorly educated that have few options to a high paying wage as well. However those societies where women have other option like in Holland, the natives do not choose sex work when given better options. Also the point about drugs and alcohol being higher in the sex industry based on my research is true. I would like to see the studies that prove me wrong. Sorry call me a moralist but I do not want my daughter to be a sex worker. I would not disown her, but yes I would hope for something better. Does this mean I think sex workers should not be protected under the law; they should be protected health wise and economically. Still scholars fail to deal with the larger social consequences when they are so nonchalant about the ethical questions of sex work. We should have this debate just as we should have the debate about the legalization of drugs. I find your argument sex work is just as good as everybody else work as a weak argument because you refuse to deal with ethical questions that arise from sex work. You cannot compare sex work to being gay, or black or any other minority group because they did not choose their identity, and even if they did their ethnic/sexual status is not based on making money, like drug dealing and sex work is. I love the discussion with you, but Dr. Blanchette you need to acknowledge the ethical questions in sex work, that threaten the very women you want to help.
  • Posted By:
    Abriel at 07/05/2008 1:45:01 AM
    Comment:
    Thank you for this wonderful blog, Brazil is part of my roots. Unfortunately i know a few prostitutes and dancers they might never leave that life style no matter how much they hate it and they do. Something happens to the chemistry of a human who is basically voluntarily giving their body to a lesser type of rape. If anyone wants to help Brazil it starts with the very young children. Almost every person who turned to prostitution because of poverty or piers may never see the light again.
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/05/2008 12:14:37 AM
    Comment:
    Finally, as for "mainstream"... do you think many parents say to their children "My dear son or daughter, I think it would be great if you grew up gay?" In fact, there was once a time when "capoeirista" was synonymous with "shiftless criminal" in this city. Parents wouldn't have wanted their kids to grow up to be capoeiristas, either. So much for what the mainstream thinks.

    It is not logical to argue that prejudices make things evil, bad, horrible, or "non-mainstream". We always come back to this point, Dr. Tat: you seem to believe that because people dislike prostitution, this is a logical case for prostitution to be classified as a bad thing. But I'm sure you will agree that bigotry is not a sure guide to what is good, bad, or otherwise in this world.

    You also seem to be laboring under the confusion that I subscribe to the myth of the happy hooker or the idea that prostitution is empowering. I most obviously believe in neither of these myths. I simply think it's arrant hypocrisy to be appalled by prostitution when one simultaneously touts work that is just as oppressive, just as dirty and dangerous and even LESS well paid as "good for the economy".

    Let me ask you one simple thing, Dr. Tat: who here is arguing that Brazilian sex workers' have great lives?

    Quote me one single sentence I have written here which claims that pro???s lives are wonderful. I simply don't think they necessarily suck worse than the lives of maids and I believe that because of what dozens and dozens of prostitutes who've done both jobs have told me that, face to face. But I suppose the Brazilian "mainstream" knows more about this than the women themselves, right?

    It depresses me that every time one engages in this sort of debate, the same basic points need to be gone over, again and again, because people just can't break away from their prejudices of what sex work in this city is like. Simply state the blindingly obvious - that many women consciously CHOOSE sex work over the other options available to them - and one will be accused of glorifying sex work.

    And I have never - but NEVER - seen gringos get up in arms about the conditions under which hotel workers whose services they use labor under. I don't see Oprah Winfrey decrying tourism in general as "exploitation". I don't see people concerned about dead-end careers in dangerous employment in Brazil when said employment involves serving OTHER tourist needs. Only when sex - or flat out slavery - is involved do Americans, in general, become concerned about things like "empowerment", "safety" and "health" for workers in Brazil.

    Sorry to offend the minority of readers out there who really do worry about these things, but let's be real: if Jewel Woods were to write a book about the lives of maids in Salvador, when 9 out of 10 of the people looking at this right now give a wet rat's ass? Sex scandalizes Americans and that is the ONLY reason that prostitution in Brazil is on most peoples' radar screens at all.
    • Posted By:
      Abriel at 07/06/2008 3:25:29 AM
      Comment:
      Don't compare prostitution to bigotry...
  • Posted By:
    Dr. Thaddeus Blanchette at 07/04/2008 11:45:50 PM
    Comment:
    So while sex work may not be an ideal solution, hardly any real work in Brazil is. As for "stigma"... I'm sorry, but the fact that many people are prejudiced against prostitutes cannot be used as a logical argument against prostitution. Homosexuals frequently hide their sexual orientation from friends and loved ones due to bigotry and discrimination. Are we to presume, then, that their life is also "less than ideal" and that it should thus be abolished? It's prejudice which should be ended here, Dr. Tat. that's what you should logically be fighting against, not sex work.

    As forempowerment"... please. Save your feel good NGO buzzwords. If you could give us a clearcut way to measure empowerment or even define it, that would be a nice start. As is, it's just an empty adjective and I fail to see a