In the hallway by Ana's old kindergarten classroom is the statement, "To live is to grow and change." This year has been a "living" experience for me in many ways. I've been growing and changing in my views of so many things. What I once saw as black and white I now see so differently.
One of those topics is the role of women and how the world views womanhood. In my younger, more "black and white" days, I would say that a woman's place is in the home. That seeking work outside the home is short-sighted. Please don't strike me down for that view. I still believe that the most important thing that we do as woman is be a mother. That has not changed. I still am committed to being a stay-at-home mom and to be proud of that. But I see now that there are many ways to mother successfully and that women have so many gifts and talents that can be shared with the world.
I find it interesting that so many women who receive the praise of the world are usually not praised for the things that are womanly. Instead they are praised for being rough and "making it in a man's world." I want to see more praise for femininity, instead of praise despite femininity. Women have natural gifts that can bring so much goodness to the world. Women see beauty. Women look beyond themselves and serve others. Women nurture. Women are naturally spiritually in tune. Women see problems differently.
Woman have a desire to contribute meaningfully to their families. We don't have to churn butter and sew our own clothes and smoke our own meat or wash our laundry by hand. But we should be "anxiously engaged" in doing good things. For some that means teaching art classes to children or doing photography. (Both incredibly talented friends of mine.) For others that means working in an office. And still for others it means letting their kids be involved in ballet and music and soccer and whatever else. (This is an absolutely wonderful talk on this very subject.)
So let's start a new movement. A "femininist" movement. Not a movement where we burn bras or demand equal rights. That has been done. A movement where we celebrate strength in femininity. A movement that we look for ways in which women contribute in womanly ways to the betterment of society. A movement that finds joy and contentment in what we are as women. We are mothers. We are also nurses and teachers and CEOs and city planners and dental hygenists and writers and a million other good things. And we are all women.
11 comments:
I love your take on feminism.
What a great thought!
That is such a good point. So many times the world and ourselves are "disappointed" or "unimpressed" by being a stay at home mom. The fulfillment isn't always immediate like it is in the work place. I think women should be celebrated for truly striving to be a good mother! That it should be viewed as a great accomplishment like a college degree/career. It is truly a slow, but fast time in a mother's life that should be viewed as a great accomplishment.
Pres. Uchtdorf said it is women who shape the nations of the world, because it is women who raise the future leaders of those nations. Mothers are a big deal, whether the world at large gets it or not.
Terri: Amen!
This post reminded me of one of my favorite quotes:
"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." -Margaret D. Nadauld, "The Joy of Womanhood"
Shaela, that is one of my favorite talks and that is my favorite quote from it. I love that!
I've thought about this all week in many different ways. Very well said. As is all the thought you have:)
Some years ago my boyfriend was voted as president of his fishing club. So I thought about baking something for their first meeting. And I thought long. Could I bake something for my boyfriend's meeting as a feminist? Wouldn't I be too of a little wifey? Until I realised, if feminism confines me, it can't be feminism (the liberation of women). Feminism is that you can choose to do whatever you want. Refering to your post "that kind of wife" (and Brooke), I believe that you are actually a feminist in every way. And for this post: I like what you choose for yourself (even though I still have to come to terms with the female character traits; I still believe it's human character traits :-))!
Kerstin: My point is that men and women are different. Anyone who tries to define them as the same will come up disappointed. Just as we are different biologically, we are different emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Men and woman complement each other in their traits, and both men and women should be praised for the qualities that they bring.
I'm not thoroughly convinced that men and women are that much different. There are obvious biological differences of course. But I'm just not sure about the emotional, spiritual and mental differences (sure, my boyfriend and I are different in all aspects, but it might be just by accident).
I've told my epiphany because of your other point: Women contribute to their families in very different ways and all ways can be successfull. I agree that there are lots of different ways and you shouldn't be confined to just one.
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