I hope the girls that need to read this, do. More importantly, I hope the men that need to read this do too. Stop being afraid!
- It makes them intent on making sure you stay home and not be fully engaged in the world.
So there is a whole other side to this, and that is the active participation by women in these social norms. My good friend is a high school teacher. She has plenty of stories of teenage girls saying that they want to be a house wife when they grow up. Are their mothers teaching them this way of thinking? Women are a majority of the world. In the West, where opportunity and rule of law abound, they can only be kept down by themselves. If a religious leader tells you you have to be a virgin, laugh at him and point out to him that he's clearly jealous that he's not getting any high class pussy and walk away. Your body belongs to you, not him. In the Islamic world and Sub-Saharan Africa its a whole different story, but even there women constitute a hugely complicit group. It is women who run the centers that circumcise girls, not men. Women are equally responsible for the lack of self esteem instilled in girls. When your mother forces you to get circumcised, of course you will think its the right thing, even though it feel like the worst thing ever. Feminists--for whatever reason--seem to overlook this point. A patriarchy can only draw its power from women who actively participate in the status quo, and, in fact, actively engage in protecting it. Men are less than half the problem. For every religious leader who hems and haws about virgins, there are 1000 guys who would rather fuck a woman with some experience. But we don't have any power over mothers who teach their daughters that they aren't going to be successful if they aren't submissive and well groomed. That's on them.
- My good friend is a high school teacher. She has plenty of stories of teenage girls saying that they want to be a house wife when they grow up. Are their mothers teaching them this way of thinking?
Is there something inherently wrong with wanting to be a wife and mother? I don't want young women to grow up wanting to be a doormat, but I think there is a powerful difference that you're missing. What exactly is wrong with virginity?If a religious leader tells you you have to be a virgin, laugh at him and point out to him that he's clearly jealous...
Point 1: Aspiring to be a wife an mother is fine. Aspiring to do that and nothing else seems to lack self worth. Being taught that the best you can hope for is to be well taken care of is fatalistic. The fact that women now outnumber men in medical schools is probably an indication that this old way of thinking is mostly dead.
- he's clearly jealous that he's not getting any high class pussy and walk away.
That was unexpectedly crude, b_b. Anyway the equation of "high class" + "pussy" = ? remains to be computed. The entire focus on "fucking" is indicative of a superficial view on these matters. The reason is simple: Patriarchy is a human invention that is based on a social contract between the sexes, and the basis of civilization as we know it. It is clearly correct (and should be obvious) that there could be no patriarchy without the consent of women. The organic order in the 'wild' is matriarchy. Why would "feminists" want to delve into that and have the conversation become adult and informed? (It clearly weakens their position.) Fatherhood and Motherhood are the oldest institutions of civilized [humanity]. (And that is why prostitution is called the oldest profession and why the earlier temples had temple prostitutes.) Simply being a mother is a fact of the animal kingdom. And there is no such thing as "father" in the wild. The people who are pushing "feminism" are intent on weakening the Family. Per our earlier conversation regarding BNW, you should know precisely why they would pursue such a reckless agenda. They seek power. So if there is any kind of "fear", it is positively the concern for the continued flourishing of human civilization where everything is not reduced to an equation involving the genitalia. That there are men who fear the sexuality of women is a given. But that is hardly the root or end of this matter. You mention "Islam" and "submission", which requires a response to address your misunderstanding. The fact of the matter is that the religion of Islam -- which is explicitly directed to men AND women -- clearly conveys the command to "never submit to tyranny". That is a baseline. "Submission in marriage" boils down to an agreement by the woman to give up the right to have the last word, in service of the harmony of the said social unit. A second governing baseline is avoid that which is shameful. So, in a marriage where the woman is tyrannized by the husband, both parties are not following God's guidance. The woman has either submitted to tyranny, OR, it is entirely possible that her brothers, her father, and her community have failed to address her rightful grievances. In such a case, the so called "man" of the unit is both a tyrant (the worst of crimes in Islam, just a step below hypocrisy) and the entire community of the units is bearing "shame". (And yes, I am aware that the Muslim Umma is not currently living up to these exalted standards.) All things considered, the state of the unit ranges from sublime to tyrannical based on the individuals involved. Even if women ruled the roost it would not be otherwise. Your millage may vary and your concern should be to attend to your own affairs: are you tyrannizing anyone in your social circle? have you hurt anyone? are you careful to insure there is mutual respect in all your social interactions? &c. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world", remains sound advice.Feminists--for whatever reason--seem to overlook this point.
But, more importantly, I wasn't commenting on anything contained within the Koran when I used the term "Islamic World". I was referring to things that happen in parts of the world in which Islam dominates. Namely, honor killings, lack of access to education for women, lack of dignity (e.g. women can't be in public alone in some countries), etc. The are not, as you mention, tenets of Islam, but they certainly exist is the Muslim world. Likewise, Christendom isn't a patriarchy by a close reading of the Bible, but is certainly is in practice. We have the Romans to thank for that. Probably I should be more careful with language when I want to make these distinctions. You make some fair points, as always.