Epiphanies and memeage
I don't care for celebratory days unless they are intended to draw attention upon an underrated theme. So, all's well with AIDS days, water days, books days, and gay days and women's day and whatever other minority day. But "mother", "father" - what do these "days" mean?
Please tell me who's supposed to be celebrated today: someone who's conceived ( ( Read more... )
I've never, ever understood that sense of smug superiority that some mothers have when facing women who don't have children. And I speak, as you know, from the position of having two children of my own. I love my girls, but they don't make me a better person.
It's sort of like binary code - you have the choice between two symbols (1 and 0), both of which are of equal importance and value in the language as a whole.
So why don't we choose two goddesses from the pantheon, one to represent woman who have no children (I don't say "childless" because it's a word that carries a whole baggage of inadequacy that I don't like one bit), and one to represent motherhood. We choose a colour scheme for each - two colours that contrast but complement each other. We choose a day. Then we have the biggest party we can, with decorations in both colour schemes.
And booze. Plenty of booze. Not forgetting the chocolate. And we all get to play practical jokes on men.
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That's it.
I'll add this, as far as I am concerned: I am not defined by my being, or not being, a mother
My festival of choice is Womens' Day, as it - rather, my idea of it - involves all of us, and everyone being part of our minority has experienced some of the issues involved with being "the left side." Of course, my 8th March would be a day of reflection, exchange of greetings with women of the most disparaged ages and circumstances, and lots of fun and laughs. And I wish men "in" who have similar issues or at least are willing to listen, understand and participate with respect. I regret having erased my list of examples, because one of them concerned men who "mother" children, in the sense that they provide for them the way mothers usually do. I'm sure they struggle with time, job and life the way typical mothers do :)
Again, my day would surely NOT be a day for revenge, nor for paying to ogle oiled specimens of the male of the species in a reversed power play (not that I have anything against ogling in itself, mind you! :D It's the money involved that makes me cringe)
*hugs*
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I really like the part where we get to play practical jokes on men!
It's a lovely dream, this worldwide party celebrating womanhood. I like it very much. And just as I was fantasizing about a big party with all my female friends, and how much fun that would be...
I caught up with my f-list and read someone talking about how a woman is able to conceive children, and that that is true magic.
Science. Biology. That's what that is. If there is magic to be found between changing diapers and watching their jerky starts and stops as they take the car out for the first time themselves, I think it might be in those wee hours of the night when they are sleeping and a mother -- who bore them or not -- looks upon her child and gets that wondrous feeling that it was all worth it.
Notice I said when they are sleeping. :)
It's a tough job, so tough that I don't want it, and I commend you for taking it upon yourself to be responsible for those two little lives. In a way, I do understand why there is a special day just for mothers.
And then again... binary code. Yes.
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