It Was Acceptable In The 50s

It Was Acceptable In The 50s

Saturday, 25 August 2012

I don’t mark myself out as a feminist. I consider myself one, but the opinions I espouse are based on more than a two dimensional label and being honest, I don’t feel like I am really qualified to make deep or meaningful comment on feminism as a concept.

That doesn't mean it doesn't royally boil my piss to see the following being printed in one of the capital’s most iconic papers.

Then, some 3 pages later I see this

I am a person naturally drawn to activities that are traditionally considered “male”. I don’t paint my nails, I don’t actually care if I have nails, or shoes, or a full face of makeup and I'm pretty damn sure I would come out in a rash if you put a princess costume against my skin.

I also spent a long time working out the difference between “the same” and “equal” and realising that fighting to be considered “the same” is an exercise in utter futility. It was a hard and sometimes brutal lesson to learn both professionally and in my social life but one which has helped me be more empowered than I ever could have imagined.

We embrace people in our family, not gender roles. Keith is a stay at home dad, I go to work because it works better for us both as people and as a family. Doesn't make him less of a man, doesn't make me less of a woman because I’m pretty sure, at some point since the 50s, we were supposed to have moved past the fact that the only value ascribed to activities came with a wage slip.

Louise Mensch has given up her job because she values the welfare of her family over the welfare of complete strangers: Yeah, I actually think that is a person with her priorities the RIGHT way round!

How disappointing to call her a “drip for giving up the day job”.

Even more disappointing seeing those words written by another woman: A professional woman who clearly hasn't invested the time she should in learning the difference I alluded to above.

Louise has made what I actually think to be quite a brave choice in giving up her highly valued career to prioritise family life, something the journalist writing that piece clearly believes is a lesser activity.

In contrast, well done Michelle Obama for playing basketball while your old man is off watching the game. No hint of acrimony in that piece is there? Perhaps the problem is that Peter Mensch isn't famous “enough”. Perhaps being the wife of the most powerful man in the western world is a worthy career?

Or perhaps we could stop peddling the same tired gender bullshit before we inflict it on yet another generation?