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With changes in society leading to a fall in marriage and rise in divorce, is it possible that the institution has outlived its function? We investigate the marriage industry and costs of divorce against a backdrop of government incentives, the arrival of gay marriage, rise in sanctioned infidelity and alternate relationships.
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Fewer Americans are tying the knot nowadays, according to a new Pew Research report that showed 51 percent of the adult population is married, compared to 1960 when 72 percent of the country was. NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez discusses the changing demographics of marriage in the United States with Stephanie Coontz of Evergreen State College. Origina?
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Taking inspiration from the spiritual concept of Shakti, the Great Mother or supreme female deity of the Hindu religion, this program celebrates the power of women to drive social and economic change in India. Female-centric activism propels an organization that combats the practice of child marriage, and another which has created a banking system for the poor. The video also examines a renowned scientist who promotes eco-feminism and a married couple...
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In February 2012, a federal appeals court ruled 2-1 against banning same-sex marriage in California, upholding a lower court's ruling. NewsHour correspondents Spencer Michels reports and Gwen Ifill discusses the decision and the next steps with David Boies of the American Foundation for Equal Rights and John Eastman of the National Organization for Marriage. Origina?
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When Vice President Joe Biden said he now believes same-sex marriages should be protected under law it touched off a new round of political culture wars. NewsHour correspondent Gwen Ifill hosts a debate between Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage, and gay rights advocate Richard Socarides. Origina?
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The caste system in India was outlawed over 60 years ago, but the power of khap panchayats remains. For thousands of young women across the country, what began as a tale of romance lead to the unimaginable; fathers, uncles, and brothers turned killers... all in the name of honor. In this film, follow the story of three couples who defied village tradition and married. Anuradha, Brijesh, Srinivasan, and Prathiba live in fear that family members will...
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In a remote corner of southwestern China are the Mosuo, arguably the best remaining example of a matrilineal society in the world today. In this program, anthropologist Chou Wah-Shan-one of few outside scholars who have lived and worked extensively with the Mosuo-and Mosuo villagers offer insights into what life is like in the 91 communities where women rule and husbands don't exist. Commerce, belief systems, rituals and festivals, and the day-to-day...
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Unlike birth and death, which are inescapable facts of life, marriage is rite of passage made by choice and in the Middle Ages it wasn't just a choice made by bride and groom - they were often the last pieces in a puzzle, put together by their parents, with help from their family and friends, according to rules laid down by the Church. Helen Castor reveals how in the Middle Ages marriage was actually much easier to get into than today - you could...
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This documentary portrays Australia's aborigines through the eyes of aboriginal women. Archival footage, excellent narration, and storytelling by the women themselves reveal the tribes' struggle for land rights, and the even greater struggle to retain traditional lifestyles and customs in a world that is fast disappearing. As the stories are told, ancient myths and legends including that of the Dreamtime (creation) are illuminated, and their importance...
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African-American women have captured the moral imagination of mainstream America through their essays, novels, poetry, and other artistic endeavors, breaching the static lines of race, gender, and class. How have their reflections so clearly articulated the hopes and philosophies of so many? In this program, writers Alice Walker and bell hooks and Ohio State University faculty Dr. Martha Wharton, of the departments of African-American studies and...
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After genocide ripped their nation apart in the 1990s, the women of Rwanda have led the healing process and have helped usher in a much-needed era of stability. By depicting the multifaceted efforts of women activists to build a sustainable peace between the majority Hutus and minority Tutsis, this Wide Angle documentary explores the challenges facing Rwanda. The film features an in-depth examination of the remarkable role Rwandan women play in politics...
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In post-apartheid South Africa, one in two children die of AIDS, one in two women are raped, and 20,000 homicides occur annually-the world's highest murder rate. Against these appalling statistics and a disintegrating social fabric, this program presents examples of South Africa's greatest hope, the spirit of its people, such as Garra, who feeds 400 children a day out of her tiny apartment's kitchen; Kate and Busi, both rape victims and HIV-positive,...
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Taking a grassroots approach to dealing with the physical and societal ills plaguing their countries, individuals and small groups in sub-Saharan Africa are creating success amidst widespread civil and economic instability. This program illustrates five empowering instances of solidarity and self-help: the Yeredeme project, run by single mothers in Mali; the Janjigui So association, for Malian women with improperly healed fistulas; the Fasil Circus,...
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The Ashanti are the best-known tribe of Ghana, comprising around 2 million of the country's 12 million inhabitants. All of the Ashanti kings belong to the Oyoko Dako clan, the clan of chieftains; they are the ones who have created and strengthened the Ashanti nation. This program shows the Ashanti kingdom: it explains the strict hierarchical organization of the village, the importance of the characteristic kente garment, the naming of children, the...
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Filmed in Istanbul and Oslo, this artistic documentary by Turkish/Norwegian filmmaker Nefise Ozkal Lorentzen openly explores what it is like to be both gay and Muslim. Through the interrelated stories of a gay rights activist, a gay imam, drag artists, and others, Gender Me gently denounces homophobia in general, encourages discourse and engagement within Islam as a positive societal approach to coming to terms with sexual otherness, and seeks to...
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This shocking documentary reveals the scale of forced marriages in Europe. Ayse was just 11 years old when she became engaged. "Eat sugar and speak sweetly" is a Kurdish and Turkish saying advising young brides like Ayse to talk about pleasant subjects rather than complaining about their forced marriages. Regularly beaten and raped, she was forced to work as a slave for her husband's family. Her story is not unusual. In the Turkish immigrant community,...
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This program discusses reproduction and motherhood in the hyper-patriarchal societies of Latin America. Women on different economic and social levels discuss such topics as working mothers, and how the extended family contributes to child-rearing; the sterilization movement; abortion; gay parenting; manipulation of women's reproductive rights by governments; and how access to medical services varies from country to country.
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Stratification of women in Guatemalan society is the subject of this program. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for their equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. Scenes and descriptions of sexual abuse among lower economic groups are graphic, as are descriptions of political terror. Women refugees...