What feminism means to me.

After reading blogs, bulletin boards, etc, I developed this rant this morning. I got tired of reading "the feminists said this, why are they not supporting Palin, and how could they say that. etc." This was all in the vain of "How could the feminists not be supportive of one of their own." Once again it reminded me that feminism is still considered a negative thing.

So, I wrote this rant, and I thought I'd share it here.

To me, feminism means equal opportunity, it means equal pay for equal work, it means the right to decide to stay home with my kids or to work (or to have my DH be a SAHD instead). As a feminist, I don't believe that primary role of childcare needs to occur by me - I think my spouse can do the job. We get options and should not be beat up for exercising those options. As a feminist, I expect to be treated with respect for wanting my daughters lives to be better than mine, and those before me.

I am a feminist even if the word has been used as a way of describing the most extreme.

I am appalled that Sarah Palin's role as mother has become an issue for whether she is qualified to run this country (because I do believe that we need to vote for our VP with the knowledge that they can be the one to run this country. I don't think it's right that she is criticized for running for office with a special needs child. We don't know what plan her family has made for this child's care. She doesn't have to be primary caregiver - her spouse can be. I hate that her other child's pregnancy has become a criticism for her views on sex education. I'm not certain that I will have as much input in my 17 y.o.s actions, I don't think she is to blame for hers.

I hate that the way she looks or dresses is appropriate for our society to focus on. We don't comment about the fact that our other candidates are attractive, why should that be the focus for Palin?

But, I don't support her as a VP candidate because I don't believe in her politics. I don't agree with her views or what she would likely want to see legislated.

I wouldn't want to see anyone support her just because she is a woman, any more than I would want to see someone rejected as a candidate just because she is a woman.

But, I pride myself on being a feminist. I pride myself on wanted my daughters to be able to hold the job they want, get paid as much for that job as the male sitting next to them, to not have to fight for respect when they chose to work rather than stay home or defend the choice to stay home and not work.

Hell, I look forward to the day I can see the sororities be given the same prize amount for a stupid snow statue competition on our university campus. But DH and I are still working on that battle.

And I look forward to the day I can say I'm a feminist without feeling like it's a bad thing.

Back to your regularly scheduled program.