Organization: Washington University, St. Louis
Date:         Tue, 11 Aug 92 09:01:40 CST
From:         Mikhailina Karina <C09800MK@WUVMD>
To:           NETNEWS@WUVMD
Subject:      Re: a final word
Newsgroups:   soc.culture.soviet

>
>In article <92223.111128C09800MK@wuvmd.wustl.edu> C09800MK@WUVMD (Mikhailina
>Karina) writes:
>>
>>                In striving to achieve equality with men, women don't want to
>>BE or ACT like men. We want the same opportunites, respect, status,
,
>privileges
>>and choices that men are allowed to make. I agree that women are slightly
>>different from men and are neither better nor worse. But because for the past
>>10 (or so) centuries men have controlled this planet, women's qualities have
>
>I certanly can name quite a few exclusions :).
>
Yury, what exclusions can you name?

>>become secondary and inferior. This is not right. Except for several physical
>>attributes that are gender-specific, women can do EVERYTHING men can. And
>
>May be, sure, but should they? Would you argue that some things are better
>done by men, some by women. There is plenty of physical and mental reasons

If women or men want to do something, yes, they should be able to do it
regardless of the gender. Since when are professions gender-specific? Both
men and women can raise children, cook, sew, clean, repair cars, build houses,
fly airplanes, perform surgeries, dance, sing, act, and everything else that
could be done.

>for this. You hardly can argue that women (on average) are gentler and more
>loving to kids. It may be purely habitual, caused by modern state of affaires,
>
There is no hard evidence behind this statement. Women are EXPECTED to be a
certain way, which means that are expected to be gentle and loving. Does mean
that men can't be gentle and loving? I have encountered many women who
neglected and abused their children. At the same time, I have encountered
lots of men who were extremely loving and caring. In my opinion (I am not
stating an absolute here, just my opinion) everyone should be loving toward
children, adults, old people, animals, plants, and earth. Don't tell me you
could argue with that.

>I have a feeling, that modern women are pressed by all this feminist
>propaganda
>from things they would like to do to things they feel obliged to do, as modern

You have just shown your utter ignorance about feminism. Obviously, you have
fallen victim to anti-feminist propaganda that is filled with ignorance,
fear, misunderstanding, and hatred. First of all, there is no such thing as
feminist propaganda. It's a phrase invented by those who view feminists as
a threat to the status quo. Just like there are millions of different opinions
within any one social or political movement, all feminists are not alike. Each
woman who considers herself a feminist may have a different agenda and back-
ground. The large, mainstream women's organizations, such as NOW, don't want
to oppress or pressure women into being what career moms who drop off their
children at the babysitter every morning. On the contrary, the whole point of
feminism it to allow women to MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES. And feminists fight
for social, political, and economic opportunities that would allow women to
make those choices. I am not against women staying home with their children
if that is what THEY choose to do. But I will not remain quiet if someone
tells me that women are predestined to raise children and take care of the
house. If that's why you believe, show me the domestic gene that is included
in women's make-up. The reason women have been staying home to care for home
and kids is because they did not have a choice or access to education, equal
pay, daycare, or social equality.

Now answer this question: would you want to be a woman? And if you suddenly
woke up and found yourself a woman, what sort of life would you want for
yourself? Remember, this would happen to you after spending the previous
25+ years of your life as a man.

Mikhailina