February 26, 2024
By Kylie Self
With the recent feminist movement, there have been demands for men and women to be equal. I agree with the concept that men and women should be treated equally, that women should be given the same opportunities as men, and that men are not greater than women, since that is something that has been an issue in history. However, now that gender equality is a new “norm”, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. We are seeing a new trend where some feminists (e.g., radical feminists) hold the belief that men and women are the same, therefore, interchangeable. Also, these radical feminists believe that women are prisoners of their bodies. For example, radical feminist Shulamith Firestone has very controversial opinions on this very concept. Author Debora Halbert sums up Firestone’s views as “an argument for a future where technology was used to eliminate sexism by freeing women from childbirth and liberating both men and women from the patriarchal nuclear family”.
Definitions of feminism
For clarity, we will define “feminists” as people who believe men and women should be treated equally, and “radical feminists” as people who believe masculinity and femininity are a spectrum, since there is a clear difference.
Now, I do not want to confuse radical feminism with those who have personalities that exhibit traits of the opposite sex. For example, I do not think that “tomboys” (girls who exhibit more masculine traits than feminine traits) should fall under the radical feminism notion. We all have different personalities that define who we are as people, and who help us express ourselves and should not be held back or discouraged. Rather, I believe that different gifts, talents, and skills come with each gender, and therefore, with each set of attributes and behaviors that each gender tends to be associated with. These differences should be celebrated and kept sacred within our society. Unfortunately, they are becoming more and more vague, and femininity is becoming less and less valued in our society.
Circling back to Firestone, she clearly had some very radical ideologies. Yet, she has been very influential and has convinced many women today that a woman is born imprisoned by her own body, and that childbirth, raising children, and having a family are the worst thing that could happen to a woman.
I want to counter this argument by simply stating that I disagree.
The singularity of women
Women were given our reproductive organs to create life, the most important and remarkable thing that only women can do. Yes, pregnancy and childbirth may not be the most fabulous or comfortable experience, but how amazing is it that we can create life with our bodies, have not just a parental bond, but a biological bond with our children, through the umbilical tethering? And yes, motherhood also may not be the most luxurious and fancy lifestyle or job, when it comes to cleaning up messes, changing diapers, refereeing fights, etc., but it is the most important job that anyone can ever have. With these not-so-fun tasks come great rewards, like being able to watch your child be kind to someone else, speak the way you speak, and be able to completely love your child.
This is not to say that fatherhood does not play a role. Fatherhood is just as important as motherhood, which is why it is so important that children grow up with their biological parents, when possible.
Here is where gender ties in. This is more than just encouraging “girl power”; encouraging girls and women to embrace their feminine sides is crucial not just for women, but for society as a whole. Now, traits that are considered “feminine”, like being more emotional, social, vulnerable, and nurturing should not just be applied to women; men should also learn how to accept and adopt these traits as well, especially in a society where men are expected to adopt the traits of being aggressive, tough, and other traits that are seen as “masculine”. I am not saying that these traits are not valued, since in some instances they are, but men should also learn how to be gentle, emotional, and vulnerable, just like how women are taught from a young age. Femininity plays a huge role in motherhood, and because mothers have one of the greatest influences on their children, femininity must be preserved and valued by our current society, and in the future years as well.
