We're clearly soldiers in petticoats
And dauntless crusaders for woman's votes
Though we adore men individually
We agree that as a group they're rather stupid!
-Mary Poppins
And dauntless crusaders for woman's votes
Though we adore men individually
We agree that as a group they're rather stupid!
-Mary Poppins
I think there is something I have to admit: back in the college days, I was pretty convinced that women are fundamentally superior to men.
I wasn't a feminist. That phrase is way too broad, too liberal, and too misinterpreted.
But I did have a brief stint into the world of stilleto-wearing supergirls setting out to prove to men that women are equal to (and better than) the males of the world. I was a very watered down version of a feminist, if you want to use that term. (I mean, seriously -- when you start out wearing denim jumpers and progress all the way to knee-high leather boots, the plunge into feminism is stark but mild.)
I wanted to be a power woman. A crazy successful, super powerful, and overly ambitious female. Men were the enemy and I was the (projected) victor. I believed what Thomas Leary said: "Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition." (And, if I'm honest, I'll admit that quote still makes me laugh. Hard.)
No more the meek and mild subservients we!
We're fighting for our rights, militantly!
Never you fear!
We're fighting for our rights, militantly!
Never you fear!
Somewhere along the way, though, I realized the truth: women aren't better than men, we're just different. There's no superiority, there's just diversity. My knee-jerk "women are superior" was merely an attempt at consoling myself at the plight of a women (and acted as my cheerleader for outperforming the men around me). But once I figured that out we're all unique and no one is superior, the world suddenly started to make sense.
Started to make sense -- but still not fully understandable. I mean, the questions still remain: why are they so downright loud? And why do they wear white socks with their black pants? And how can they eat so much food?!
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
And they'll sing in grateful chorus
"Well done! Well done!
Well done Sister Suffragette!"
And they'll sing in grateful chorus
"Well done! Well done!
Well done Sister Suffragette!"
---
Continued tomorrow. =)
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