First take on feminism

I saw this quiz on Crystal Paine’s blog and I admit it, my interest gets piqued with all these stuff. It was interesting doing this quiz, not because the questions were extremely scientific or anything, but because it gave me enough fodder to write about certain things that I have been mulling about for a while. Also if I cannot contribute my $0.02 what fun is having a blog?

You Are 66% Feminist

You are certainly a feminist - whether you know it or not. You believe in gender equality, at least most of the time. You also believe there are a few exceptions.

Are You a Feminist?

I read a lot of feminist-antifeminist blogs since I believe it makes me have an even perspective knowing what people in both camps have to say. I also believe that this quiz was designed to make anyone look like a feminist. J The wording was really tricky. Still, it helped me figure out some stuff and answer the question- How feminist am I?

Financial Independence: Should women rely on men to take care of them? I personally don’t think so. I think women should rely on God to take care of them. It could be a male figure - father, husband maybe even son that God uses sometimes. But I do not think Bible forbids women from having financial independence by having a career at any point in her life. It could be home based or office based. I do not think people doing one kind have the right to say the other is wrong.

Paul says in his letter to Corinthians “An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” “each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him”

Job preference for untraditional fields: I may be a little biased on this myself J as I am a Civil Engineer by degree which is traditionally a man’s field. I do not think there should be any preference issue at all. It should be based on merit. If a man and woman are equally good on all aspects and fulfill all the criteria equally I do not find any reason that one should be given preference over other.

Sexual Standards: If men are allowed to sleep around, should women be able to as well? This is a ridiculous question. There are no different standards that are biblically applicable to men and women. Neither men nor women should be sleeping around at all. God calls us ALL to chastity and purity. That being said, I will step out a little and mention a phrase common in my country “If a leaf falls on a thorn or the thorn falls on a leaf, the leaf is spoilt.” In other words, it is STILL the woman who gets pregnant. Even those women who undergoes surgeries to move on, their men still pretty much get to go on without even as much as a band aid or a Kleenex. Also it is easier for the STDs to transmit from men to women than it is from women to men. I think women will do well to remember these things.

Equal role in dating and paying for food: I have no idea! The only man I ever dated was my husband and he always paid whenever we went out, because I was a starving grad student with no money and he was working. In turn I would cook him some homemade (burnt!) stuff in exchange for taking me out. He used to think that was more than a fair deal.

Accepting body image: YES! YES!! YES!!!I think women should be comfortable in their own skin (as long as it’s healthy) and not conform to any wacky body image presented by the media.

Woman marrying and having kids with anyone-including women: Well, I think they should change the question to marrying and adopting kids because the last time I heard it took a man as well to have a kid. I know a homosexual pair, I’ve had lunch and dinner with them, but their lifestyle is NOT something I would encourage or endorse or have anyone emulate.

Woman should have the right to choose any path in life: I do agree completely. All women are different. Everyone need not be interested in doing the same thing in life. I have seen an overabundant quoting of Titus 2 (What about 1 Corinthians 7?-It suggests they should not even marry, but serve the Lord) in homemaking blogs- which is well and fine with me, because these wonderful women chose to do it and find joy and happiness in it. From a personal stand point of view, I know that is not something I would like to do per se at this point in my life. Not because I think it is drudgery- because I don’t. I cook and clean and take care of my family joyfully (most days) on a daily basis. I also work full time. And I find joy and happiness in doing both. I think it only makes me strong and not over tired, feminine and not masculine.

Education: Completely agree. My parents always encouraged me to pursue higher education. It is my Dad’s wish that I would take PhD. I do not think I am up to it anymore. J Those days are behind me. But I am very happy I did as much as I did because it only made me a better and stronger person. Also I am TOTALLY against giving girls less education than boys. If you are a woman and you don’t think you want to get further education, it is an individual call. Or when you are 18 and you decide you do not want to study anymore, it is your choice. But if you are a parent and not even giving your child an option, I think it is sad.

Easy access to pill: I think every kind of pill (pure evil) should be abolished. Period. I.am.not.discussing.any.more.on.that.

Woman for a president: I am from the “mystical” East. We had a wonderful woman president whom a lot of people admired. I do not have any problem voting for a woman president as long as I agreed with her politics. I do think it is interesting that India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka, all had women President/PM which are places where women are traditionally in a much more submissive role than the West.

Okay these are my views. Am I a feminist? I would prefer not to be called one because of the negative connotations associated with the word, but the first wave feminism is something I admire. There were some changes needed and these women stood up against a lot of evils in the society. But I do not think I have a whole lot in common with the feminism of today.