In the Land of God and Man

The story of In the Land of God and Man opened my eyes and heart to a poignant injustice that I had never really been aware of. Silvana Paternostro did an amazing job portraying the life of the average Latin American woman and the burdens she must inevitably face because of the constraints of a patriarchal society. Paternostro’s story made for an even more compelling story in that she shed some truth and light into her own personal existence and experiences. She is a rare individual. I, for one, know that it is not easy for women who are deeply rooted in their culture to separate themselves from the countless expectations that are ingrained in their minds since they were little girls. I have had my series of battles growing up as an Arab-American woman. I, too, come from a family, who to a certain degree, hold strong the belief that a woman’s place is in the domestic sphere – to cook, clean and raise their children. However, the mentality of men and the unfortunate epidemic of unwanted pregnancies, dangerous abortions, men having sex with men, and most importantly, the high-risk factor that women have of contracting AIDS is not an issue that people in my family encounter as seriously and violently. I admire the courage and strength that Paternostro had that inspired her to gravitate towards a new independent beginning to her life. She not only showed a tremendous amount of dedication in her work, but also a strong passion to raise awareness and advocacy to break the perpetual cycle of what really is happening to the women of South American cultures.