Authentic Feminism

Disclaimer: This may be considered by many a very controversial post, so please be aware that what is written is not meant to offend. Rather, it is intended as an avenue for me to share my thoughts in hopes that it may trigger new ideas, comments and discussion on the issue below.

My last post on the differences between men and women in regards to love and respect sparked some other thoughts that I feel warranted another post. This has also come up in our household as Heath frequently teases me about being a "pseudo-feminist". He claims that I don't follow enough of the feminist agenda to really be aligned with their cause or rightfully call myself a "feminist". I, however, take an entirely different view. Arguing that there are many different camps in feminisim, I will focus mostly on the two extremes. There is "radical feminism" and then there is what I label "authentic feminism". Allow me to elaborate.

Many in American society are very familiar with the popular feminist movement, and here is where radical feminists abound. In radical feminism you will find women who:

• --believe in the almighty power of the birth control pill--believe she can do whatever she wishes with her own body
• --support a woman's right to choose in the life and death matters of her unborn child
• --fight to prove their equality to men (sometimes too desperately so and to their own detriment)
• --advocate that all women need to be in the workforce (to prove their worth in the point preceding this one)
• --feel threatened by women who actively choose to stay home with their children, sometimes taking it as a personal attack on the whole feminist agenda

While I could probably write paragraphs on each point above (and I am sure I will in later posts), I will keep this somewhat short and elaborate more on what I like to call "authentic feminism". Since I really do not agree with any of the above points, this is where Heath laughs when I say I am a feminist. He claims I cannot call myself a feminist if I do not believe in their cause. However, I feel the feminist cause has been hijacked by the most radical extreme and thus, warped the entire cause, movement and agenda. I believe feminism is a movement that respects a woman as a whole. This includes her fertility and reproductive organs that some radical feminists would much rather do away with entirely, so as not to have any thing putting them on a different plane than men. Here are the points of adhering to what I believe was the original intentions of true or "authentic feminism". These are women who:

• --believe in the rhythmic power of a woman's naturally occurring cycles, given to her by God
• --believes her body is something to be respected and nurtured, not dominated and subdued
• --supports a woman in all aspects of her life, even when that role may change (e.g single, wife,mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc.)
• --realize the inherent equality of value with men, knowing that differences do not necessarily mean "better/worse"
• --advocate that all women need to discover their worth by doing the work they were individually called to do in this world
• --respect that very often, for mothers, that means staying at home to care for their children (instead of entering the common workforce and leaving the child in daycare)

Now, before anyone gets in a huffy puff, please understand some of the differences I am referring to above. I do realize that not every family can afford for mothers to stay home and I think that is a tragedy, reflecting the state of our country's failure to support families. There are so many women who want to stay home, but feel they cannot for whatever circumstances abounding in their lives. *THAT* is what is tragic to me. We fight so hard to make "choices" for ourselves and yet so often, we are not free to choose the one that is most important--the choice to be with our children and families.

Sometimes (and sadly), it is just a matter of convenient living. Lord knows that Heath and I would LOVE a second income (it sure would help pay off those mountains of student loans that I have!), but we are making some sacrifices in lifestyle so I can be with our children full-time. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I wish I had a break and I guess that would equate to working somewhere else...but I have never thought I should be working instead of with my kids. As tough as this job is, I feel it is the one I have been called to perform. It is where God is calling me to be. It may not always be easy, but it is where I am finding the most freedom in fulfilling His will and not mine.