Monday, March 29, 2010
Chauvinistic America
I think it is important to challenge all conventions. With that being said, I find it disheartening that, at times, people refuse to recognize the limited confines that define manhood. What it means to be a man is never challenged or examined. The belief that, to provide or create material stability for others is the sole role of men. We seem to ignore the societal constraints placed on men. We have accepted that there are certain things that a man must do to be considered a man, but when definitions are placed on women, then the cries of oppression are rampant.I don't say these things ignoring the plight of women and their struggles to exist in a patriarchal society. What I am saying is that, at times, that model of patriarchy is stifling for men too-men who may be denied the opportunities to reach that plateau, or who may not agree with its ideas either. Rigid definitions for humans must be challenged on all sides. We cannot let our oppression blind us to what others are going through. I raise the question, "when women think of manhood, are there certain things that come to mind that are essential for a man to have?" If so, is it okay for a man to have certain ideas about womanhood and for what a woman must have? I am just wondering.
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While i agree with the fact that it is extremely difficult to define ones self outside of society's confinement regardless of your sex, women remain oppressed not only through men but through ourselves. It's not hard for me to find women who believe that the goal in life remains to keep you looks up, find a man, then marry him, raise his children and then... nothing. Its disturbing and disheartening to me to hear this from women from all walks of life. We strived for so long for equal right and my generation as yet to grasp that we still aren't there. We are continually objectified, abused and demeaned. If you question the status quo you've viewed as a angry feminist. Patriarchy at times, sets both sexes up for failure. Men and women both have unrealistic expectations set upon us for how we should think, behave and act. We take these expectations into our relationships and get upset when our significant others don't live up them. So do we except the roles we're given or change our way of viewing each oher?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying. I think it is important that we challenge the conventions together. Collectively, we should challenge the unrealistic ideas that keep both sexes unhappy. If we can move together to a more realistic view of one another than I think change is possible. However, if we continue to think that it is a battle of the sexes then change will remain impossible. To eliminate the adversarial relationships that exist between men and women is a key to real change. Oppression must be challenged and eradicated on all sides.
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