Feminism - Take I

Recently, class readings and class discussions have resurrected some dormant thoughts and have left me thinking about things I should have never let myself put on the back burner. We discussed Power Feminism in class today and it was just a really refreshing discussion. The idea that we, as women, are NOT bound by patriarchy to be or do any particular thing. The idea that whether you choose to be a housewife or an executive, that choice is made because it is your CHOICE and NOT because of patriarchal pressure. Now, it may seem pretty obvious that patriarchy is still very much in existence, but I can't see why anybody would deny that the only reason for that is because of society's upholding of patriarchy. Women blame patriarchy for many things, when really and truly, why can't we just do things because we WANT to... we may be judged for the things that we do and there may be serious stigmas on the things we do, as long as we allow that to LIMIT us, the stigmas will remain. We have to go out and do and prove that these things are do-able.. not wait for them to be "acceptable" in all realms before we take that step. So, in essence, i just think it is incredibly empowering to embrace the idea that what we do is what we do because it is what we WANT to do. Ignoring social pressures is hard and almost impossible for some people... but if we REJECT patriarchy, we are not being influenced by patriarchal pressures.

I have more to say about all this, but at this time, I really just wanted to share the refreshing ideas above. Nothing new, just something it is easy to let fall by the wayside, or something it is easy to forget. I feel like this can be applied to people of all ethnicities, sexualities, genders, etc.. but on each of these there are other factors and levels. And while civil rights have come a long way - in all aspects - it does not mean they have come far enough. But I think that as long as minorities in general lay down and take the oppression are giving power to their oppressors.

I don't know. I could talk about this for days, but I won't.
It is rainy and I'm enjoying sitting in the dark, watching daytime TV and pretending that I DON'T have a TON of work to do this weekend.


=)