Feminist NGOs say drilling female-named gas fields demeans women

The organizations' statement follows the announcement of the start of the Sarah 1 exploratory well, following the dry hole at the Myra 1 well.

23 September 12 16:47, Yossi Nissan

"We regret that the people who picked the names 'Myra' and 'Sarah' imagined in their minds women when they thought of land for drilling. I am sorry to have to surprise you, but our names and our bodies are not for drilling, and the giving of such nicknames strengthens the perception of women as objects for penetration and drilling," said a group of women's organizations.

The statement by Adva Center. the Israel Women's Network, Ahoti (My Sister), Ruach Nashit (Women's Spirit), Economic Empowerment for Women, Mahut Center, Women Lawyers for Social Justice, and Supportive Community Women's Business Development Center. The organizations' statement follows the announcement of the start of the Sarah 1 exploratory well, following the dry hole at the Myra 1 well.

The organizations added, "The groups picking the names should immediately stop thinking about using women's names for drilling, and realize that, consciously or not, they are lending a hand to the kind of dialogue that objectifies and demeans women. We regret that the people engaged in critical issues like drilling for natural gas, we are forced to deal with hidden chauvinistic messages in these issues."

The women's organizations have apparently forgotten that the oil and gas exploratory licenses were often named for women family members of the geologists responsible for mapping the licenses. For example, the Tamar discovery is named for the granddaughter of geologist Yossi Langotski, and Myra and Sarah were named for the daughters of Petromed Corporation geologist David Peace.

The women's organizations have also ignored the fact that many licenses are named for men, such as Shimshon, Gal, and Yishai. The licenses of the Leviathan discovery are named for both men and women, including Alon and Ruth.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 23, 2012

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