Feminism and this election
"I assume she thinks and agrees with the same policies that George Bush and John McCain think," Biden added. "And that's obviously a backward step for women."
The thing is ... other than the fact that he's wrong ... so many people feel this way. It's only feminism if you're pro-choice, don't take your husband's last name, and have a career and have children in your 40s. Among other things.
I'm a feminist. I'm a strong willed woman who gets exactly what she wants. I've known all my life what those things are. And so far ... I've gotten exactly what I wanted.
I wanted to finish college. Check. I wanted to get a job that allowed me to support myself. Check. Check. Check. (3 jobs) I wanted to get married by 25. Check. I wanted to visit Europe before I had children. Great big CHECK.
I stand up for myself. I don't avoid confrontation, in fact there are those that would say I seek it out. I'm a strong she-man, woman of the 21st century. And I can do anything I put my mind to.
I'm pro-life.
Here's what else I am. A conservative. By current feminist definition, I should have no female heros, I should bow at the alter of men and be completely subserviant and get paid less for the same work. Because, well that's what I advocate, isn't it? A return to traditional values and gender roles?
It's such a bunch of crap.
I can be a conservative and be a strong woman. Just ask my husband. Ask anyone that knows me if I'm submissive. Conservative values does not mean I don't want strong women ... it means I want strong WOMEN, not women who want to be strong like men.
And how the heck does Palin represent a return to traditional gender roles? She's the bread winner ... he's staying home with the kids. She is the epitome of everything that feminism has stood for. Politics aside ... she is a strong leader who's had it all. Career and kids. And a husband who stayed home to care for them as her career has taken off. That in and of itself is a tribute to feminism. But, I guess some people can't see past other things.
I'm getting to the point in my life that I can't vote for people who are pro-choice. I know, I know. But it's a situational thing for me. I know it's a divisive issue, and I shouldn't be a one issue person ... but with the stupidity espewing from Nancy Pelosi about the start of life and Biden and his ridiculous I'm such a church goer and yet I'm pro-choice, it makes my stomach hurt. I know that McCain is pro-choice too, in his heart of hearts.
But Palin isn't. And she's a Governor, and she's grass roots, and she's plain spoken. And she's young. Which shouldn't be such a big deal but hey, it energized Obama's base. I'm looking for new blood, someone to lead the Crist's and Jindal's out of the wilderness of these horrible, horrible spend thrift Republican years and into a better United States. I'm not entirely thrilled with the McCain option ... but we all know that. But at first blush, a knee jerk reaction that isn't thought out and is entirely emotional, I like Palin. I like her vitality, I like her family, and I like her way of life.
And she's no more a pander pick than Biden was. She filled a need, just as Biden did. Obama had a hole of experience he needed to fill. He picked the guy with 36 years in the Senate. McCain had a hole in the youth and vitality category ... he filled it with a younger Governor, who still has some ideals left.
Now ... she's made some pretty stupid comments. Like the now recycled what does a VP do line. And the questions about the guy getting fired. I have no doubt it was legit, but it does raise concerns. My biggest question ... is can she debate. This election will be won or lost on those debates.
It's a horse race, and it'll be a photo finish. For Palin alone I'd like McCain to win, but I'm not sure it's in the cards. I'd like the first female VP to be on my side, and not a Nancy Pelosi clone that thinks she can offend every Catholic and Christian in the place and still take communion. Though they are working on fixing that.
And my last thoughts ... Feminism is about choice. About women being able to choose what they want for themselves and going and getting it. Be that family, career, homelessness or shaved heads. Whatever we wanted we could go get. Just because a woman chooses life, family, marriage and values does not mean she is any less of a feminist than someone that went a different way.
We are women. Hear us ROAR.
Comments
The thing is, even in a perfect situation, having a baby is a trade-off. Even if you're super woman and can go back to work three days after birth, you're not going to be as effective if you been up half the night or are worried about childcare. You just can't.
Having a baby necessarily limits a woman's other ambitions. And if that's something you choose to do, good for you. But if someone is forcing you to...well, as you say feminisim is about women having choices.
I say, a woman can choose to not get pregnant. In this day and age with the pill, morning after pill, condoms, etc. it's ludicrous that a woman (and a man for that matter) can not use contraception. Abortion should not be a method of birth control.
And the sad fact is, the majority of women having abortions are 20-24. That's plenty old enough to know how to use contraception. The methods exist for stopping unwanted pregnancies ... it's called a condom and or the pill.
I'm pro-contraception, and pro-life. And I'm still a feminist.
Assuming she has access to affordable birth control, has education on how to use it, and (in the case of condoms) a parter who is cooperative--she can try.
But you're speaking to a pill baby, so even that really isn't all that convincing.
A person knows before they are having sex if they want or don't want children. And there's a real easy solution for this: don't have sex. If that's not what you want ... fine, have sex. But fully be aware that you can get pregnant. And don't blame the baby because you didn't plan properly.
I'm not advocating the repeal of Roe v. wade or anything like that. I just know, that I'm increasingly sick of abortion. And if education on contraception is the issue ... why do so many know where to get an abortion, but no one knows where to get the pill?
I just hate that whole "punishment" mentality.
Not to mention the fact that, as funding and access to birth control is increasingly being denied, the full implications of your "don't have sex" statement are "don't have sex if you're poor, don't have health insurance, or can't get to a low cost clinic."
I think I wouldn't have so much trouble with the pro-life position, if it didn't seem to come with so many contradictory policies. (Not you personally, just in general.) If birth control was free and kids in every school were being taught how to use it, I would at least have more respect for the pro-life position. But by seeking to restrict access to birth control and preaching abstinence only education (not to mention cutting programs for free healthcare and daycare/mentoring programs for the children we're supposed to be having)--it's just so hypocritical.
But the reality is that most abortions are had by women out of high school, and most are repeat offenders. And the only place I've ever heard of bc being tougher to get is on college campuses, where they had to raise how much it cost. You can still get bc from planned parenthood for $10 a month. That's cheaper than an abortion ($300 - $600), and cheaper than a baby.
And since planned parenthood is doing a great deal of the abortions in this country ... it stands to reason that if a person knows where to get an abortion, they'd also know where to get birth control. At least or especially in the 20-24 age group.
I can quote someone we both know (who is a smart person at least in some sense of the word) who once said something along the lines of "Having babies is cheaper than birth control." His point being, they had to pay for birth control, but once the girl in question got pregnant that was paid for.
You're right, it's not the best decision making. But again, do you want to trust someone with those decision making skills with a child?