Well, as I suppose most of us know, the 19th and 20th Centuries saw great advances in achieving equal rights not only for minorities but especially for women. Think of how far we've come (and also how far we have yet to go), from a state where women are essentially property of their fathers and then their husbands, their sole occupation (at least for women with husbands wealthy enough to support them) being to stay at home, tend to the house and bear as many children as possible. Few careers were open to them, and often jobs such as teaching were a temporary matter until a suitable marriage was possible. Now women are in the workplace in force, are theoretically equal under the law and many career paths are open to them. Marriage is not a complete necessity, and they can vote and own property under their own name.
But, never fear, there are always people ready to take us back to the glorious past where men were men, women were in the kitchen and blacks were conveniently out of sight! Meet the Evangelical "Stay at Home Daughters" Movement. A full article about the movement is available here;
http://churchandstate.org.uk/2010/12/what-is-the-evangelical-stay-at-home-daughters-movement/
Just what we need, a movement ready and willing to undo the achievements of a century or more. What is most frustrating are the women who give in and choose to give up their aspirations and hopes to serve the men in their lives. I cannot begin to express my chagrin; what happened to equality? Oh, wait, that's right, according to them there is no equality of genders, but the male is to be in charge of the household, the woman his gentle servant! How silly of me to forget this timeless truth!
This life is short, and I believe we should all make the most of it, including pursuing our aspirations and hopes. If a woman wishes to become an astronomer or lawyer, let her do it! Don't let her individuality be subsumed in the maelstrom of a man's ego, acting in the guise of good Christian belief! No woman should have her ambition stunted by male sexism, and this abhorrent, anachronistic world view of the "Stay at Home Daughters" Movement should be held up to the appropriate scrutiny and ridicule that it deserves. It is, in truth, a desperate and painfully obvious ploy to take us back to the past, and re-assert total male control.
We can't let them win.
But, never fear, there are always people ready to take us back to the glorious past where men were men, women were in the kitchen and blacks were conveniently out of sight! Meet the Evangelical "Stay at Home Daughters" Movement. A full article about the movement is available here;
http://churchandstate.org.uk/2010/12/what-is-the-evangelical-stay-at-home-daughters-movement/
Just what we need, a movement ready and willing to undo the achievements of a century or more. What is most frustrating are the women who give in and choose to give up their aspirations and hopes to serve the men in their lives. I cannot begin to express my chagrin; what happened to equality? Oh, wait, that's right, according to them there is no equality of genders, but the male is to be in charge of the household, the woman his gentle servant! How silly of me to forget this timeless truth!
This life is short, and I believe we should all make the most of it, including pursuing our aspirations and hopes. If a woman wishes to become an astronomer or lawyer, let her do it! Don't let her individuality be subsumed in the maelstrom of a man's ego, acting in the guise of good Christian belief! No woman should have her ambition stunted by male sexism, and this abhorrent, anachronistic world view of the "Stay at Home Daughters" Movement should be held up to the appropriate scrutiny and ridicule that it deserves. It is, in truth, a desperate and painfully obvious ploy to take us back to the past, and re-assert total male control.
We can't let them win.
Just be careful not to equate this movement with a woman's desire to stay at home for one reason or another. Women have the right to choose, to do what they want to do, what will fulfill them. If a woman makes the choice freely, it should not be ridiculed. The more important issue is that in this movement the men are telling the women to do these things, instead of allowing them to make their own choices. Taking away the freedom to make either choice is the real tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mrs. Joyce on this...after all, with women taking the "breadwinner" role, many men become househusbands...by choice, and do fine with keeping house and taking care of the children. They don't need to be ridiculed either, for refusing the adopt the masculine-dominant paradigm. While roles need to be negotiated between the partners, that ought to be the free decision of those partners and not that of some group of men fearful of their privileged positions.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Joyce--exactly. I have no problem with people of either gender making their own choices--as long as they are not pressured into doing so. This movement is about badgering women into making a choice that they would not otherwise have made, and that is what is reprehensible.
ReplyDeleteThe Shaman has always sided with the Tyrant over the people. This doesn't surprise me, but it does disgust me.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those things that urks me to the extent of stimulating a desire for revolution.