Women imitating men is dubious
Pat Burke
class of '00
Editor's note: Because"The Vagina Monologues" contains some graphic content and offensive language, the letters discussing these issues will contain such language as well. In order to foster an intelligent dialogue on this matter, this language must be included. Readers who might be offended by such language are cautioned.
Thanks to Molly McShane for presenting the logic of feminism in all its glory. Guys immaturely make a big deal out of their private parts, so women should too. Men are crude and obnoxious, so women should be too.
Women imitating men is a dubious enterprise to begin with; but feminists seem not only to seek to imitate us, but imitate us at our very worst. It is as if they consider decency, class, kindness, compassion, sensitivity and dignity — those qualities that most separate women from men — to be awful shackles holding women down, keeping them from attaining true happiness.
Once women can be vulgar, indifferent (if not even hostile) toward babies and small helpless animals, loud and boisterous, drunk and promiscuous, mean to poor people and cripples and ambitious for power — in other words, like us men — then they will be free, they seem to think. It is a strange view.
McShane also seems to think our attitudes toward our private parts can either take the form of pride or shame. I think this is a false dichotomy. Not being ashamed of what God gave you does not have to mean doing a play about it. No one is asking you to be feel embarassed about what is between your legs; no one is asking you to tell everyone about it either.
We should be neither proud nor ashamed of what we have been given, reproductively or otherwise. Should I be proud of being tall? Should I be ashamed of being short? Should I be proud of dark hair? Should I be ashamed of being bald? Should I even be proud of doing something virtuous? No.
Jesus tells us when we do good, we are still only unprofitable servants, doing what we ought to do anyway. Hopefully everyone can think of an alternative to pride and shame when discussing themselves, or parts thereof — I think quiet is the best one.
Pat Burke
class of '00
Feb. 18, 2002
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, February 19, 2002
