Sworn Virgins

I love the country that I live in and the freedoms I enjoy. Today I am even more grateful after reading an article in the paper entitled "'Sworn Virgin' Practice Dying Out". The title enough caught my attention and the story that followed was even more unbelievable.

Six decades ago Drene Markgjoni spent 12 years in a hard-labor camp as punishment for her fiancee's attempt to flee Albania's regime, one of the world's most repressive and isolationist. When she finally finished serving her time, she swore she would never suffer like that for somebody else. She pledged to forgo sex and marriage for the rest of her life, and declared herself a man.

Now we're not talking about getting a sex change operation here, we're talking about women in Albania who became "Sworn Virgins" by living a life of abstinence. They dress, act, and are treated as men. Markgjoni says she has never regretted her decision to become a man. It has made her happier and given her freedom and respect she would never be able to enjoy as a woman. For centuries women had no standing in this patriarchal society, but sworn virgins enjoyed the same respect and rights as men. They could inherit property, work for a living, and sit in on the village council. Often women who chose this lifestyle came from families where the head died with no male heir. Or sometimes a woman didn't want to marry the man chosen for her.

What a fascinating practice, although it is dying out in modern Albania. What boggles my mind is that these women were accepted and treated as men after taking their oath of celibacy, even though they were still women. Something is seriously wrong in a society that encourages the denying of one's God given gender and ability to marry. How sad that these women gave up their chance for marriage and family, happiness to me, in order to enjoy rights. That should never have to be the case, but unfortunately women haven't always been treated properly by society.

It's interesting to compare these sworn virgins to the feminists of our time. The virgins did it out of what they thought was necessity. If there is no male to lead a family or if one has no rights, how will one survive? In a society that only valued men, one either suffers or take on the role of a man. It was more of a survival tactic for these women in some ways. But in our society feminists deny themselves of their divine womanhood more out of selfishness. We can own property, vote, receive an education, work, and support a family on our own if needs be. We don't have to become men to enjoy those freedoms. But some women in our country and times don't want to be bothered with the burden of being a woman. Having children and being a full-time mom just are too much of a hassle. No commitments and responsibilities, please! That's not wanting to be equal to men, that's just wanting to justify one's selfish desires in the guise of equality. If only those women could spend some time in the regime that Markgjoni did then maybe they would shut up and be grateful for what they have.

I am smart enough to know that I am very blessed to live where I do and enjoy the freedoms I do. I would take this country any day over any other. I am glad that I can be a woman, wife and mother, without any harsh repercussions. I am grateful that I can walk down the street with my head held high because I have the right to and I know my worth as a daughter of God.