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• Monday, February 6, 2006 12:18 PM

  Is it really about happiness?

  And this is a serious question, not a snarky one. Do we honestly think that feminism came into being only to make sure women could all be happy as individuals? Is there a corresponding movement promoting men's happiness?

  Maybe I'm a second-waver at heart, my age notwithstanding, but I'd say the answer is no. There are responsibilities that go with rights, and sometimes they don't make everyone happy. Am I saying that all women should immediately get jobs for the cause?- no (I certainly don't want anyone to start howling), but the fact is that in focusing on the personal, political relevance is necessarily diminished. And when enough women eschew public activities & financial independence, the women who don't still lose some significance, because they are seen as an anomaly, or of little import.

  Only a few people here seem to be discussing the harsh economic realities that go with these choices; yes, you may be incredibly "privileged" to leave the workforce for years on end, but economically speaking, you're still dependent on your spouse, with all of the uncertainty that entails. Like I mentioned earlier, agreeing that both traditionally-defined roles are equal is certainly nice, but when and if the outside world has a say in the matter, it's simply not so. You want to leave the workforce, fine, but then the workplace will most likely leave you too.

  I think feminism always assumed that women would be happier acting in a broader, more far-reaching context than home & school activities allowed... maybe it was a bad assumption, and once most women were able to get educations, jobs (up to a point), and a bit more emotional/social leverage, that was enough.

  —lattitudes Read lattitudes's other letters
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