All the Ladies in the Room... Please Stand Up
Anytime that I read Jessi D.'s social justice blog... I wish that I was her friend and we could speak about these things together.
Here's what I am thinking:
I took a class last quarter that was called Life in Politics. Good class. We talked about the role of women as elected representatives and why it's a good thing to have them participate in the political process. Many of the women in my class agreed that it's nice to have people "like them" and people who were concerned about the same issues, representing them. That sounded all well and good until I really understood the implications there... basically women want women so that they can push "women's issues." I hate that... "women's issues." I mean what issue of mine actually takes on gender? Let me tell you what "women's issues" are...
1.) Passing legislation about lengthened hospital stay after pregnancy.
2.) Reproductive Rights
3.) Family Oriented issues
Ok... so women friends... do we still take on that role? Are these the only things we care about? Do men really not care about their wives, mothers and daughters enough... do they still keep these issues so distant from their platforms.
I understand that many times in our culture you will find women taking up these stances... but when will it be time for men to? I mean... I thought they already cared?
Do you know what I mean? Men have the right to have opinions about abortions... right? They did help create that thing... and what their wives shouldn't make as much money or should be fired for staying at the hospital a couple days after having a child.
Is our nation completely fatherless?
I am going to Cedar Point on Wednesday... because that is the day of my birthday. Sounds like a lot of fun... I think it will be. I got proof today that my mom really does love me...isn't that nice.
posted by Sweet T @ 6:27 PM
7 Comments:
hey talya. actually, if you want to talk about this in person someday, i'd be happy to. i've had the really great opportunity to work with a professor here that has researched every sort of issue that touches on gender extensively, and i was surprised--shocked, even--at how there really are "women's" issues, then and even today, this very minute. while what you say is true, that there shouldn't be any "gender-specific" issues, there are, unfortunately. i wish that what you wanted was reality, but it's not at all. we may have the right to vote, but gender does divide us in ways i couldn't even believe.
remember in that black class we had together...i forget what it was called...but the prof talked about how we as white people can decide when we want to jump in and out of dealing with racial issues. we can decide when we want to think about racial inequality. for minorities, they are submersed in this battle every day. they have no choice. they have to think about these consequences whether they want to or not.
is this the same with women's issues?
i don't know i'm asking you!
also, happy birthday stinker pants! i hope you have an awesome ride.
I definitely think that men can't represent women like women can. Even though they are fathers and husbands and brothers, they just don't get women (see: stand up comedians). Take this for instance: It wasn't until like 10th grade that I found out that a period lasts 5-7 days. Before then I thought it was a one day thing. Heck, a one moment thing. And I was blown away by the discovery. So it's hard to know how long a woman needs to recover from pregnancy without ever being pregnant myself. So women, and minorities, should definitely get in on the decisions. And when I say that, I mean, I wish we weren't a country run by old white men who control everything.
Happy Birthday, late.
i like to wish people happy birthday two days late so that they may be pleasantly reminded of birthdays past!
wishing you many happy returns.
and a merry birthday!
love, Lyndsey
ps- are you 21 yet? (ha!)
I still stand by what I said... And Lyndsey you gave me a great comparison... Have you ever interacted with someone who is either in an interracial relationship or is in some kind of relationship with someone of a different race...? It's as if they have suddenly become the victim of all of that racial slander... they suddenly become passionate about bringing justice by way of civil rights...
Or at least that's what I have seen happen...
Why doesn't that happen with a husband? If we were to turn to the conservative (religious) view of men "leading" women... wouldn't we see them actually loving them so much that these issues would become their own.
Chris... you didn't vote then... it's ok that you didn't know about the woman's body because at that point it was of no concern to you. Now... Right now... you are a voting citizen that understands that pregnancy sucks... that children don't only have mothers but fathers too... and that rape and battering does not only affect women in society... right? You get mad and passionate about those things... right? I have heard so many men speak of rape, abortion, their children, and their wives... clearly they know that they are there and that they have needs.
Let me just say that I know there are differences between men and women... some stereotypes stay intact because they were grounded in some kind of truth... I am not living in one extreme of non-gender indentification or something that's the opposite... I do think that the term "Women's Issues" is shit.
tayla: i'm actually sort of confused as to what you're saying in your comparison to a biracial marriage? is that something you encourage or discourage? i'm not sure.
also: i'm not sure what you mean by "pregnancy sucks."
i would also submit that rape and battering affects women and their children almost solely, though i would like to hear more about what you think about that point.
and not to debate semantics, but while i agree with you that the term "women's issues" is uninclusive--these are indeed issues that should be important and addressed by the whole of society--i think there is a kind of identity inherent in those issues. there are many women, many races, many groups, that feel there is a kind of individuality and particular insight that only they themselves can give a voice to. i'm not arguing for one or the other--i believe these issues can be both unique to women and appreciated as vital by society as a whole.
You can definitely be my friend and we can definitely talk about these things. Email me. jessidobos@hotmail.com
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