I must agree with Paul on the feminism article - basically she felt the need to justify her personal sex game with her husband very publicly to everyone on earth. I was with her until she made the crack about women who believe in equality but don't call themselves feminists. She acted like it was cowardly or naive. Katy is right - it means too many things for too many people. Many feminists seem to think that we should only support women in their quest to be more manly. The author's own fears reflect this - how can I be girly, but still be proud of being a girl? The problem is in the question (and on a side note - I don't like the implication she made that begging to be fucked is feminine, it seems like a highly personal game that I have seen men do a couple of times, too.) The prevalant type of feminist denigrate housewives and stay-at-home mothers, although I would think that anyone with a brain should see that it is better for a child to have a parent at home than be in daycare from birth. You have two ways to go - either say that parenting, nuturing, and all that other stereotypical girl shit is as good as the masculine ideals provided that we allow both men and women to NOT fit the boxes - or do as many 'feminists' do, and join the patriarchy in holding these in contempt, effectively emulating the abuser.
My sister had a radical feminist professor who rebuked her for smiling so much. She said it was a sign of weakness and submission to smile at people, and that men wuld not take her seriously. She was personally offended that Cara was somehow undermining the whole women's movement by being pleasant. This made Cara feel bad - which of course pissed me off. Didn't the woman ever consider that perhaps men would have to re-define how they interpreted smiles in the business world as more women entered it? Or that if women have to imitate men, no progress has been made at all?
posted by Holly at 10:26 AM link/comments
