MEN: More Efforts Needed
by I never fully understood the oppression of woman in the past, and the oppression that still continues today. I have learned that now is my time to act! I am stepping up to the plate and taking the responsibility for my rights. This means that I must refuse to let others do my thinking, talking, and naming for me; it means I will use what I have learned and respect my own brains and instincts.
For many issues that men should have responsibility in, the responsibility has been placed upon the women. Issues like abortion, wages, and education not only affect women, but men as well. Regardless whether one is a woman or not, the other option, to be a man, is one that relies upon the woman and cannot survive without her. Men do not take responsibility for these problems because: “Many men feel threatened by the idea of taking responsibility”. To work for women’s rights goes against their authority and power that society has engraven into their minds as being their right of passage. Men state “here is your problem… fix it”, and then the men take away the options for women to fix it. It is impossible to run a car without oil, why do men expect women to do likewise?
Looking back in history, who was it that sailed the ocean blue? Who was the first president of the United States? Who were the original owners of land in America? Who held the right to vote first? The answer to all of these questions is MEN! The men in our society have been placed upon a pedestal being honored and revered for their accomplishments, yet the women do the background dirty work and receive no recognition. Who is the one that maintained the well being of these men pressing their shirts, cooking their meals, and making sure that the home stays together? Only recently have women been able to own land, vote, and run for office, yet there still have not been any women presidents or billionaire entreprenuers recognized!
Clearly the past has shown that men wanted to lead and that they wanted the women to follow. Today is the day for women to stand up and require men to follow them! Women must claim their rights as individuals! Just as a dog that waits to be unleashed to roam freely around the yard, women cannot afford to wait to receive their rights, for the leash will never be unloosed. “To claim is to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction. To receive is to come into possession of; to act as receptacle or container for; to accept as authoritative or true. The difference is that between acting and being acted-upon”.
I never fully understood the oppression of woman in the past, and the oppression that still continues today. I have learned that now is my time to act! I am stepping up to the plate and taking the responsibility for my rights. This means that I must refuse to let others do my thinking, talking, and naming for me; it means I will use what I have learned and respect my own brains and instincts.
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Post CommentTanya Urban
On May 5, 2009 at 6:27 pm
It’s true that the woman is expected to take care of the home in the traditional family structure. But this article is just man bashing. In the same traditional setting men had important responsibilities as well, such as- go to work (work in the field, or other physical type of work), go to war, protect his family from physical harm or social stigma, be a teacher and educator to his children, religious center within his family, the provider of all physical needs to his famly. It only made sense that the woman would be the one who took care of the family and the home. In the time before birth control, women had to have children- only the woman could take care of her children (breast feeding was the only option)
Today’s world is changing, gender roles become blurry, and just as women step away from the home, many men discover the joy of raising their children. The truth is, that though men and women should be equal, they will never be the same. Our brains work differently, our bodies have different capabilities. Women’s nurturing instincts will always be stronger, her attachment to her babies is partly chemically based.
When the house work is not done properly, the woman tends to pick it up, because she understands the importance of a clean house, whereas a man often does not. If you are looking for a proof just look at the condition of single men’s places. In other words, men are just not good at those things. I think it is more of a matter of agreement between the two partners in domestic matters rather than what the society expects.