What is the best and worst about being a woman?
In the 70s women were becoming empowered, but not to the extent of equality. Instead of a split of responsibilities, women were being told take it all on. Work and family. Mass media promoted the image that "a woman can bring home the bacon, fry it up in pan, and never let you forget you're a man". Sure -- but how about paying for daycare out of the less-than-fair wages. I get angry with myself for buying into the culture that gets created by our media. That's my entry for the worst -- being gullible and believing all the hype.
The flip side -- maybe not the best thing about being a woman -- but my entry for being proud of it -- When the Nebraska Volleyball team won their National Championship last year, I was invested in the thrill. And not just because we do that here in this state. You see--there would not be women athletes competing at these levels if not for the girls in the 60s and 70s who wanted to play sports. And those parents and teachers saw possibilities and demanded time and money be appropriated to girls as well as boys. I feel a part of that -- I participated and by doing so, helped pave the way for the sisterhood. I do feel glad to have lived in these decades of a lot of changes for women.
4 comments:
It is interesting to see the different attitudes from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, women and the
change in attitudes and expectations of those of us that have been around awhile.
Sue
OK Thank Bob for the laugh.
Thank you for being at the beginning of Title IX so I can have season tickets to the Wnba. Monarchs are in the playoffs, by the way. (Third seed but in the playoffs.)
The sad thing is there are still some of those 50's 60's attitudes out there.
Yes -- alot of attitudes still prevail but I hope to see a woman President in my lifetime.
I still feel the pressure of doing it all. I have a mother-in-law who couldn't believe I would expect my husband to change a diaper and stay married to me. I had a woman ask me why I had children if I was going to work and leave my children to be raised by someone else (ie the child minder). A lot of those attitudes still abound but now I am empowered to yap right back at them. I reminded my mother-in-law that she was divorced and shouldn't be giving me marital advice and told the woman that the whole idea of stay at home mothers was something invited by the middle class in the last 50 years. Before that women worked on farms or in other people's homes unless they were wealthy enough to afford nanny's in which case they didn't take care of their children anyway. I also pointed out to her that because the time I do spend with my children is less than the time she spends with hers I make sure every moment counts! Both of them had nothing to say back!
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