Dowry’s…give me a break!
Okay. before this title makes me sound too sexist, I want to give an explanation. Do I believe that dowries were a good idea? Yes. Do I believe that they were utilized properly? No. Dowries where given to women with an idea that they would never get to take advantage of them. But they absolutely did.
I want to examine the case of dona Maria Pino Argote. First, let me start by saying she symbolizes every white trash trailer mom out there. Now, so you all won’t bitch at me, my own mother is a small town, close minded individual. I was raised in a one red light town with very little to talk about other than local sports or politics. But….I personally think that owning a dowry should not give a woman the right to economic independence as it gave her (Maria Pino Argote). Come one, the only reason she was able to support her children is because of what her husband gave her.
It is clearly stated in the reading that she had no obvious grounds to sue. So why did she? she sued because she knew the laws and knew she could benefit from them. The father had given her everything she had and I would bet that the children wanted to be with the father but no…she had the dowry…she had the right…and she got the children.
I know it didn’t always work out like this and I know that a dowry was a great thing to have. If you were a woman. Especially a poor woman with no social background. Dona Maria’s husband wanted his children just as bad as she did, most likely, but because of the dowry, he had no way of getting them. So this dowry, which her husband gave her, gave her complete power over him. I’m sorry but this is bullshit, and if it were the reverse situation I would say it is bullshit too!. The female should not get economical independence simply from a dowry. What did she put into the relationship to deserve all of the power…..Nothing
To be continued….