I chose to write about the assignation of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in this particular blog, because I feel as though a blog celebrating the joys of being a woman is the right place to talk about one of the world’s most visible female figures.

As most of you will have by now learned, a suicide bomber assassinated Bhutto today in Pakistan. At least two gunshots were heard before the bomber rode a motorcycle close to the heavily guarded vehicle Bhutto has just entered, and blew himself up. Bhutto has just finished talking to a large crowd of her supporters. It is not known at this point if Bhutto died from gunshot wounds or from the blast itself.

22 others were also killed in the blast.

Bhutto was the first female prime minister of any Islamic nation, leading Pakistan from 1988 to 1990. She was gearing up for the parliamentary election set for January 8, running for a third term.

Despite whether or not you agreed with her politics or her message, the great joy of her public image for me was that she was a strong female figure in a part of the world where women are often overlooked and even subverted. She stood up for her entire country, though, and did not focus on being a female.

The violence and murder that happens daily in many Islamic countries is sometimes so far from our realities here in the United States. Today, though, we should step back and look at what has happened. There is such seething rage in the people of these countries that nobody feels safe of the streets. Political figures are in constant danger and riots are common. I am grateful for the relative peace I am able to live daily.