Thursday, April 3, 2008
Oh no, the "F " word!
So I had a pretty in depth conversation with a guy friend, on the topic of feminism, or gender equity. I think many people cringe when they hear the word, "feminist," and I am not so sure why. The definition of feminist is simply an individual advocating for women's rights. Many people I converse with, associate feminism with radical thinking. I simply disagree. Of course there can be radical feminists, just as there can be extremes with any issue. My guy friend posed the question, "Why would it be so bad to have a male dominated workforce?" I think his comment was intended to fire me up. His position was that women should be mother's and stay home to raise children. I completely respect women who choose to stay at home and raise their children. In fact, I hope to be a mother someday, and be a stay-at-home mom. But there is something liberating about having a choice. What about women that don't get married, or have children. If we did have this "male dominated workforce" how would society view women who don't have the opportunity to marry or have children? My friend's response is, there is always an exception to the rule. But then we create alienation and this huge divide amongst women. Anyway, I just needed to vent. People, please don't fear the word, feminist, and automatically think they are a bunch of nut jobs. Look up the definition before you state your argument.
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4 comments:
Michele,
I think the problem here...and it is always the problem when you talk stereotypes...is that the extreme feminists are the vocal minority. They are the ones in the public eye and therefore define the stereotype. The problem with stereotypes is they unfairly categorize people and usually create a negative image for a group. I guess there are just a lot of people who can't look past stereotypes to see what really lies beneath.
I AM A FEMINIST! and proud of it.
michelle: the biggest problem i have with comments like your friend's about a "male dominated workplace" center around not women staying at home, but the ideological conception that the man's place is at work and the woman's place is the home. i value womanhood and motherhood, and i am grateful for a mother who did the same and who had the opportunity to stay home. but i'm also grateful for a father who believed that HIS place was in the home as well. sure, he worked outside the home, but he also understood that his first responsibility and identity was found in the home.
i also grow ancy when people are okay with inequality just because it doesn't affect their sphere of living. even women that stay home are negatively affected by this kind of patronizing mindset. it's not just the fact that i like options, which i do appreciate; mostly it's just that when i feel like someone is saying that inequality is fine at the work place, that kind of mentality makes inequality in others spheres (especially because our society values the workplace highly and uses it as a gauge of importance). that's why it would be important to me as a woman, feminist, and potential mother to valued equally at the workplace regardless if i spend my time there professionally; as a symbol that i am valued as a woman.
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