I am a girl. I am a girl and I am not replaceable with a boy. I am a girl with strengths that cannot be replicated by a boy. I am a girl that can admit that a boy can do things better than me. I don't believe that you can subtract a man and add a girl. The results would inevitably different. Don't get me wrong, I believe in women's rights. I believe that women deserve to be equal to men. But not replace men. See we are equally important...
But.
We.
Are.
Different.
You can't call Froot Loops Cheerio's just because they are both round! Men and women have just about the same similarities. For reals. Gender differences aren't just taught by society. They can't be. You know why? Because children show gender differences from day one. Infants only a few months old show differences. Baby boys will look around more during nursing, while baby girls will watch their mothers and try to mouth what their mothers are saying after and before nursing.
True.
That's not the same as women belong in the kitchen and men belong at work.
But.
It shows differences. Different interests, different ways of thinking, different in general.
So my question is...
Why would someone want to give up their strengths, their natural abilities to be great...
Just so they could be politically correct?
But.
We.
Are.
Different.
You can't call Froot Loops Cheerio's just because they are both round! Men and women have just about the same similarities. For reals. Gender differences aren't just taught by society. They can't be. You know why? Because children show gender differences from day one. Infants only a few months old show differences. Baby boys will look around more during nursing, while baby girls will watch their mothers and try to mouth what their mothers are saying after and before nursing.
True.
That's not the same as women belong in the kitchen and men belong at work.
But.
It shows differences. Different interests, different ways of thinking, different in general.
So my question is...
Why would someone want to give up their strengths, their natural abilities to be great...
Just so they could be politically correct?
Ugh, had a comment but lost it. Gonna try again
ReplyDeleteWhat if a person doesn't fit into the traditional strengths/weaknesses profile for their gender? It might not be a matter of political correctness. Take your cereal analogy and expand it. You wouldn't call fruit loops and cheerios the same because they're round, but you also wouldn't call call honey bunches of oats the same as fruit loops just because they're both cereal. Or honey bunches of oats the same as escargot just because people eat them. Men and women are so varied even from those that possess the same physical sexual characteristics. A woman might be better at analyzing numbers than she is at analyzing cinversation but because of gender specific language, she believes she needs to pursue another path that she gets less fufillment from.
Language is how we describe and identify ourselves, and if our language stays stagnant and restrictive, it reinforces centuries of sexist ideas. It's as true in Rexburg as it is in Harlem or Laguna Beach.
Not sure if that's what you were talking about, but there's a comment!! :)
Dear Nethy Ann,
ReplyDeleteI think you might have misunderstood my point. I am not trying to force traditional stereotypes on anyone, man or woman. I am simply stating that men and women are different. As a whole I am trying to show that you can be more than stuck in "a woman needs to be in the kitchen and a man at work" or in "men and women are exactly the same and are interchangeable." Each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses and they should understand these and make their decisions off of them rather than stereotypes and ideals.
However I do believe that there are certain roles that men and women are divinely appointed and we shouldn't scoff at them. I had a teacher who said himself that he is a nurturing man. He could be a Stay-at-Home Dad and be perfectly comfortable with it. However he also recognized his divinely set responsibility to provide for his family. So instead of deciding he was the exception to the rule, he used his strengths to become a Child Development Expert and professor. He wasn't traditional by any standard, but he still fulfilled his role.
-Jenn
Jenn,
ReplyDeletei think I see your point now. And I suppose I'd just add that it's great hhat your teacher and his wife were able to decide what would work for them and their strengths.
For me, I don't think it's just being "politically correct" to say it is between partners to decide what situation works for them, whether it be one doing a non-traditional job and staying at home, both working, or even fulfilling traditional gender roles. It is between them and the Lord how they wish to fulfill their roles. Many don't have a choice--there might be only one, and in order to survive, they must work. Or there might be two who can only earn enough to feed the children if they are both working. Divine roles are great ideals. But very few people live ideal lives.
I definitely don't think there are only two extremes and I don't believe the belief in divine roles puts anyone at one end of that extreme, as long as we remember that families choose what's best for them with help from the Lord, and onlookers or society have only the voice the family chooses to give them in tha decision.
Love,
Jennith