Diamonds

Three of my cousins are currently engaged, and I think it's wonderful. I love all of the change and anticipation happening in my family right now. Of course, somewhat unfortunately, it's made me start thinking about engagement. I'll just put it out there: I'm not getting engaged any time soon. I have a lot of school to get through before that could even be an option, and so does Marshall. Not that we haven't talked about it, which brings me to my ultimate point.

Diamonds.

Picture found here.

Marshall has never really struck me as a big humanitarian, social movement kind of guy. Not that he doesn't care about people, and he absolutely has strong opinions, but they're usually more related to his personal or family life. However, he never fails to surprise me. He has a big moral qualm with the diamond industry, and he has made it clear that if and when we get engaged, I should not expect a diamond. 

Me: But look at how sparkly it is!

Marshall: Yeah, guess how many African kids had to die for that sparkle?

How am I supposed to argue with that? All humor aside, though, he's managed to convert me over to his side, and now I'm really grateful. I'm not super educated on the subject, but I  have recently learned that there are 23.5 deaths for every 100,0000 diamond mine workers. This might not seem too outrageous, but compare it to construction working, which is also considered a "dangerous" profession. In construction, there are 12.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. Most diamond mines in China operate without a safety license. Diamonds are used to finance civil wars in Africa, wars which are often fought by child soldiers. Diamond miners are disproportionately exposed to HIV and AIDS: "Many diamond mining camps enforce all-male, no-family rules. Men contract HIV/AIDS from camp sex-workers, while women married to miners have no access to employment, no income outside of their husbands and no bargaining power for negotiating safe sex, and thus are at extremely high risk of contracting HIV." (info taken from this site). Slave laborers are commonly used to cut and polish diamonds. Beyond all this, diamonds are grossly overpriced for their actual value. Their "value" comes from advertisement and social conditioning.

I'm not trying to guilt you out of your diamond, and I'm sure there are places to buy "cruelty-free" diamonds, I just haven't found any yet. I wouldn't criticize anyone for wearing one, or accuse them of any crime. It's just not something I'm choosing to participate in. And even though once upon a time I would have loved to have a diamond, I've begun to think that it really just isn't worth it. Shouldn't the meaning behind a ring be about the love, and not about the rock? I just don't think I would be comfortable knowing that my engagement ring, the representation of my love and commitment, came to me by harming others.

My birth stone (and favorite stone) is an opal, and Marshall has promised me an opal engagement ring. As far as I've been able to research (But please enlighten me if you know something I don't!), opal mining is a much more humanitarian business than diamond mining, and they are utterly beautiful and unique. I have always loved them. For me, not only does it feel like a more morally sound decision, it's kind of a way of making my love and my marriage my own, rather than following all the reality show steps to a Barbie dream wedding, do you know what I mean?

 

Picture found here.

What do you think about diamonds? Do you think I'm way off base?