Cultural Contradictions?

"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to point out what's wrong in other people's cultures but not our own? Or how easy it is to make a quick judgment without knowing all the facts? I find myself doing just this as I experience the culture of Papua New Guinea. One aspect of PNG culture that I have a difficult time with is the inferiority of women. And as I've experienced different aspects of the lives of women in New Guinea, little contradictions have stuck out to me which have made me question the validity of these beliefs. Let me give a couple examples:

1. Dress Code - Generally, women in PNG wear long skirts. It is seen as inappropriate for a women to reveal her knees or thighs in public. However, as I have crossed the river multiple times in the last few months, I have seen women in various stages of undress, from short shorts to only underwear. So I have wondered, "Why do I have to wear long skirts if men see women's knees and thighs when they are crossing the river?"
2. Stepping over Food - When a woman steps over food in PNG, the food becomes unclean. However, women do the majority of the garden work and are constantly stepping over food in while planting it, tending to it, or digging it up. So why is it such a big deal to step over food in the market if it's already been stepped over by a woman in the garden?

But just as I was feeling justified to ignore these aspect of PNG culture, I thought of some contradictions within my own culture:

1. Dress Code - It would be inappropriate for me to wear a swimsuit to church or work, but it is seen as appropriate to wear one to the beach or the pool. (Maybe not so different from being inappropriate to wear short shorts in public but not when crossing the river)
2. Professions - We accomplish tasks in our jobs that wouldn't be appropriate outside of that setting: doctors giving physical exams, dentists sticking their hands in people's mouths, or airport security rifling through someone's luggage. (Maybe not so different from being able to step over food in a garden setting but not outside of that setting)

Am I saying that people should be able to do whatever they want because it's their "culture"? No. I am saying that knowing and understanding someone's culture is important to know who people are and why they do something a certain way and not to hold a superior attitude just because the way they do something might be a little different. That's why I'm thankful for the time the Lord has given me to study the culture of Papua New Guinea.