we do not need any Stepford Wives
This week I have had many encounters with the same ignorant thought from many diffrent sources, and it upsets me so much, that I feel the need to speak against it. We read an excerpt from this self-help book for women in the 18th century, which, to summarize, said that it is a woman's place to be inside the house at all times, making babies, dinner, and sure that her husband is happy. I thought that in modern times, this brand of sexism would be seen as offensive, but I am overwhelmed with the number of girls in the class who admired such a life. Why are you wasting your time and money on college, when your greatest aspiration is to be June Cleaver? I don't know if we still have finishing schools, but if not there is apparently an audience who might desire such an outlet.
One girl raised her hand saying to inform us of her life goals: degree in English (so far so good), then law school (impressive), then it all goes downhill: get married, never use her law degree, and make babies. Wow! What a fucking waste! I swear it is women like this who should never speak of gender equality because they still believe it is the man's job to work and the woman's job to keep house. When you start dividing jobs by gender who are just being sexist. It is wrong when a man says a woman's place is in the kitchen(unless she is a cook; that's alright), it should be just as wrong that that is her highest aspiration or that she thinks a man's job is working for her.
Then, in the same class, we got in our small groups to discuss the books we are reading, and the aspirations of the girls in my group became the topic of discussion. Again, all made a point of mentioning that they hoped their husband made enough money to enable her to do nothing. Actually not nothing, but these girls were talking about how they would love to do non-profit work and how having a degree will aid them in filling out forms for governmental aid for their organization. Can I just say bullshit? What class teaches you to fill out bereaucartic(sp?) forms?? Then one of these girls was trying to make me sound like an ass by cornering me into saying that I felt that non-profit work wasn't real work, which is obviously preposterous. All I would say is I don't belive it's a man's job to do one thing or a female's job to do another, and I thought it was wrong for a woman to be able to do any job she wanted, while her husband stresses over bringing home money. Why shouldn't we be allowed the same luxury of doing non-profit work and not having to worry about our occupation?
Then she was saying it takes 10 hours (!!!??!!!) a day to make sure the house is clean because you have to vaccuum everyday, wash the dishes everyday, wash clothes everyday, and then something about cleaning other things with just a toothbrush, which was just as rediculous as everything else she said. I know plenty of people who live alone, or with a few roomates, and managed to go to school, have a job, have a social life, and still keep an impeccable home.
"Do you expect a woman then to work 8 hours a day, and then clean your house and make your dinner?" "No, it's not my house. It's our house. And it is not like it is her chores to do, but again, our chores to do. I want to marry a partner, an equal, not a servant." "Well...you're not like most guys." Whatever. Even if that were true, women should demand this type of treatment and not accept such an antiquated existence.
Even if the joke is lame, I am tired of meeting all these girls who are only just about getting one thing in college: their Mrs. Degree. I don't admire this at all, and by no means will I marry a woman who desires such an absurd life.
One girl raised her hand saying to inform us of her life goals: degree in English (so far so good), then law school (impressive), then it all goes downhill: get married, never use her law degree, and make babies. Wow! What a fucking waste! I swear it is women like this who should never speak of gender equality because they still believe it is the man's job to work and the woman's job to keep house. When you start dividing jobs by gender who are just being sexist. It is wrong when a man says a woman's place is in the kitchen(unless she is a cook; that's alright), it should be just as wrong that that is her highest aspiration or that she thinks a man's job is working for her.
Then, in the same class, we got in our small groups to discuss the books we are reading, and the aspirations of the girls in my group became the topic of discussion. Again, all made a point of mentioning that they hoped their husband made enough money to enable her to do nothing. Actually not nothing, but these girls were talking about how they would love to do non-profit work and how having a degree will aid them in filling out forms for governmental aid for their organization. Can I just say bullshit? What class teaches you to fill out bereaucartic(sp?) forms?? Then one of these girls was trying to make me sound like an ass by cornering me into saying that I felt that non-profit work wasn't real work, which is obviously preposterous. All I would say is I don't belive it's a man's job to do one thing or a female's job to do another, and I thought it was wrong for a woman to be able to do any job she wanted, while her husband stresses over bringing home money. Why shouldn't we be allowed the same luxury of doing non-profit work and not having to worry about our occupation?
Then she was saying it takes 10 hours (!!!??!!!) a day to make sure the house is clean because you have to vaccuum everyday, wash the dishes everyday, wash clothes everyday, and then something about cleaning other things with just a toothbrush, which was just as rediculous as everything else she said. I know plenty of people who live alone, or with a few roomates, and managed to go to school, have a job, have a social life, and still keep an impeccable home.
"Do you expect a woman then to work 8 hours a day, and then clean your house and make your dinner?" "No, it's not my house. It's our house. And it is not like it is her chores to do, but again, our chores to do. I want to marry a partner, an equal, not a servant." "Well...you're not like most guys." Whatever. Even if that were true, women should demand this type of treatment and not accept such an antiquated existence.
Even if the joke is lame, I am tired of meeting all these girls who are only just about getting one thing in college: their Mrs. Degree. I don't admire this at all, and by no means will I marry a woman who desires such an absurd life.