Originally Posted by
claire
RANT :dont:
This is a bit off topic, but as a feminist, I can't seem to let it slide. Feminism is about having choices. In the good 'ol 50's all women were expected to fulfill this role regardless of temperament. It was so much so, that if a man and a woman held the same job the man was paid more. because he had a family to support. Of course that ignores the fact that some women were single, divorced or widowed and were supporting a family. Women were also often denied jobs because they would just get married and quit soon or get pregnant and quit. If a husband had a credit card it was only in his name. If he and his wife got divorced, all of the credit history for mortgages etc. were in his name only. It was and still is society that denigrates stay at home moms, depicting them as wearing fuzzy slippers with their feet up, eating bon-bons and watching soap operas. How much value does our society place on homemakers? What kind of programs are in place to make it easier for women to stay at home? What kind of retirement is place for these women or/men. The economy is now structured so that it takes two incomes to come any where near the basic lifestyle my parents had and for some of you, your grandparents. We blame all of the problems we have today with violence and health of our children on everything except the fact that they have no home. Teachers are at fault for poor achievement, not the fact that with two working parents there is no time for parents to supervise homework etc. Our children and ourselves are getting fatter because no one has time to buy and cook from scratch, so we depend on fatty, salty, packaged food and take-out. We can't stay home when sick, so kids pass germs to other kids and we pass germs to our coworkers - because we don't have enough sick days to cover both our children's illnesses and our own. What about maternity leave - 6 weeks is not enough to bond with a new baby and give it the start it needs. The European Union is looking at expanding maternity leave because the minimum of 14 weeks that women get in some countries, is not enough. So don't blame feminists - blame the priorities of the society in which you live and the legislators for making those laws.
As a feminist I am about choice. If you choose to be a stay at home mom, then you should be able to raise your family on what your husband makes and have some assurance of retirement should he die or divorce you. If you are not content staying home then you should have the same job opportunities as men have. If there were more stay at home moms, then it wouldn't be so hard on the single parents who have to work, because they would have more support and resources right in their own neighborhood.If you are a man and domestically inclined and your wife likes to work, you should not be ridiculed for being Mr. Mom.
I don't know when feminists got such a bad name, but it is about equal opportunity, about valuing women in all of their roles and seeing them as contributing members of society what ever they decide to do.
Rant over.
*I know that there are many single parents and families with two working parents who do an excellent job of caring for and raising their children. My point is that it is much harder to do this than it should be.