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i wanted to make the title, 'what i've learned about or from feminism'.
and it's shouldn't be that my first real effort in a while to make a record of my experiences in feminism- by some glib essay while drinking. but the story begins one day over 20 years ago, when i had the luck to meet the smartest, most beautiful girl in the world. she didn't really teach me anything specifically about it. but it served as an introduction. long story short, i didn't end up with her. but she gave me every chance to. it began when i referred to my landlord as a landlady. and she corrected me. i guess when you rent something from someone they are your landlord regardless of their gender. that's when, in my boyish way, decided i wanted to learn more about this feminism thing.
her mother was a so-called feminist. i imagine she came from the Gloria Steinem school of feminism. and her mother is great. she also gave me every chance to end up with her daughter. - do you see what i'm doing here? feminism is about having chances. funny story, they once rented the movie Thelma and Louise to watch together. and i insisted on watching it with them. and unfortunately at the end of the movie i burst into tears in front of them as thelma and louise drove into that canyon abyss. i'd like to say that was my only embarrassing moment. but the list of those moments in my life are long and frequent. which makes my ex-GF a saint, lol. she also was very kind..that's one of the last things you notice about a really good woman, btw. i've never seen her be mean.
but i've also learned that to many women, feminism is about battle. and the reason i am revisiting it is that there is a discussion going on from some recent articles in the magazine the atlantic. it doesn't happen often, but when it does, most of the heavyweights throw their hats in the ring. and it's been a long time coming. because if you ask me, feminism has become too appropriated. recently it's been about 'having it all'. a job, motherhood, success. it's even become about having sexual satisfaction. in short, it's become about, having anything that you want. as long as you want it. this is not what feminism is. it can be about battle. and it can be about solidarity. but the end result is not about always having a battle to go to. it's about having an equal chance at achieving equality.
a lot of women think that men belong to all-male clubs. the presidents club, the CEO, the board of directors, the military, the priesthood, the all-male bowling club, the strip club..the alone club. they think that we live in some kind of inner circle. it's like they think they have no idea what we do when they aren't around. feminism is not about inclusive male secret-societies, or excessively inclusive all-females ones. the answer to all-male societies is not to create all-female ones as a counter balance.
in America, in the past feminism was about access to schools, it was access to voting. but nowadays it's about equal pay. it's about having an equal chance to be successful. it's about having a mate that does equal child rearing and equal housework.
but most of the times i worry that women don't even get to enjoy what being a free soul really is. even tho that is not what feminism is, yet.
She gives her harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
and it's shouldn't be that my first real effort in a while to make a record of my experiences in feminism- by some glib essay while drinking. but the story begins one day over 20 years ago, when i had the luck to meet the smartest, most beautiful girl in the world. she didn't really teach me anything specifically about it. but it served as an introduction. long story short, i didn't end up with her. but she gave me every chance to. it began when i referred to my landlord as a landlady. and she corrected me. i guess when you rent something from someone they are your landlord regardless of their gender. that's when, in my boyish way, decided i wanted to learn more about this feminism thing.
her mother was a so-called feminist. i imagine she came from the Gloria Steinem school of feminism. and her mother is great. she also gave me every chance to end up with her daughter. - do you see what i'm doing here? feminism is about having chances. funny story, they once rented the movie Thelma and Louise to watch together. and i insisted on watching it with them. and unfortunately at the end of the movie i burst into tears in front of them as thelma and louise drove into that canyon abyss. i'd like to say that was my only embarrassing moment. but the list of those moments in my life are long and frequent. which makes my ex-GF a saint, lol. she also was very kind..that's one of the last things you notice about a really good woman, btw. i've never seen her be mean.
but i've also learned that to many women, feminism is about battle. and the reason i am revisiting it is that there is a discussion going on from some recent articles in the magazine the atlantic. it doesn't happen often, but when it does, most of the heavyweights throw their hats in the ring. and it's been a long time coming. because if you ask me, feminism has become too appropriated. recently it's been about 'having it all'. a job, motherhood, success. it's even become about having sexual satisfaction. in short, it's become about, having anything that you want. as long as you want it. this is not what feminism is. it can be about battle. and it can be about solidarity. but the end result is not about always having a battle to go to. it's about having an equal chance at achieving equality.
a lot of women think that men belong to all-male clubs. the presidents club, the CEO, the board of directors, the military, the priesthood, the all-male bowling club, the strip club..the alone club. they think that we live in some kind of inner circle. it's like they think they have no idea what we do when they aren't around. feminism is not about inclusive male secret-societies, or excessively inclusive all-females ones. the answer to all-male societies is not to create all-female ones as a counter balance.
in America, in the past feminism was about access to schools, it was access to voting. but nowadays it's about equal pay. it's about having an equal chance to be successful. it's about having a mate that does equal child rearing and equal housework.
but most of the times i worry that women don't even get to enjoy what being a free soul really is. even tho that is not what feminism is, yet.
She gives her harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
- Wonderboy
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