The Feminist Revolution? Or Another Kind of Oppression?
As a mother (and, for another week, a mother who works outside the home) I always pay special attention to the "Mommy Wars" topics that come into my e-mail. Sometimes they come in via NOW (the National Organization for Women), and sometimes through the New York Times. But never do they seem to do justice to the complex stage of life that is Being A
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IAWTC 110%!
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Well done write up!
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Chad and I were JUST talking about this this morning on the way to pancakes. He was talking about some new author (yuppie babyboomer - Bennett maybe? Book, The Feminine Mistake) who was writing that ALL mothers have to work or we'd be setting back the revolution. Oh and if we didn't work, our children wouldn't know how to be resourceful. WHAT?!!? This is so asinine. I am so SICK of the mommy wars. Feminism is about CHOICE, about EQUALITY, not about directives! Aarrggh! Not all women were cut out for staying at home. And not all women were cut out for working and taking care of the family simultaneously. Why is this soooooo hard for people to understand?
I know! Let's rework the laws so that all stay-at-home moms got a monthly stipend for doing the hard work of raising children and tending to the house. Then we'd be doing "paid work" and everyone could shut the f*** up about it all.
Have you checked out MomsRising.org? They seem to be on the right page about these issues.
/rant
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Do you read Harry Potter? I just realized the whole house-elf/SPEW fiasco is undoubtedly a nod toward mothers in general, and specifically SAHMs.
T-1 week!!!
CUTE picture of Silas-in-a-tree, btw. :D
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I did read Harry Potter, but it's been so long I had almost forgotten about that fiasco (esp. since the movie totally ignores it). I'm sure you're right about that!
T-1 week, woo-hoo! Hopefully we'll get to hang out soon at some of these playdate thingies (eating bon-bons and sipping champagne, as us SAHMs are known to do...) ;)
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As for the stipend, I understand your viewpoint, but raising the next generation of leaders IS an important job. If it's not done right, we'll end up with a crazy megalomaniac government who thinks they can bomb the hell out of whomever they wish - oh wait! See what happens! Anyway, I think it should be done right, and I agree with you that it's a choice people make. I, too "would rather devote most of my time to one or the other rather than trying to split it up, at least while the children are young." But it's really hard to afford to be able to give my kid that kind of time and attention.
Being a mother is hard work. And important work. A society that is invested in its people and its future should be willing to pay to have those children raised right, just like they pay for public education. 'Course we see how good THAT is. But that's another rant for another day.
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personally, at the risk of sounding rude or nasty, i don't think anyone should be rewarded for doing what our bodies are capable of doing like every other species. i think that when someone (or two or more someones) choose to have a child, it's their *responsibility* to provide a stimulating enriching environment where that child can grow and thrive. (and i don't have a lot of respect for people who bring human beings into the world only to mistreat them or neglect them or otherwise not do their best to provide for them.) i don't deny that this is difficult, but it *is* a choice and not a requirement to have children.I don't think people should be rewarded for just popping out kids, either. I think that we as a society should be making sure that people who choose to have children are supported by our greater community (as usually happens in the natural world) and given the tools necessary to provide an enriching environment. When both parents work long hard ( ... )
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