Motherhood

A few months back my sister in laws and I had an interesting conversation on feminism. We all had fairly similar views on the matter, but we all came from different angles and I know that some of us (ok, I ) struggle to get my thoughts out of my head in a verbal form. That is why I write. Writing helps me feel smarter. Since that day in the food court of a Denver Mall, I have thought about how I could better explain my views on feminism.

First of all, I'm so grateful for what the women of this country have done before me so that I can enjoy my God given freedoms and rights today. That said, I worry that the battle for equality today has gone a little to far. Let me explain.

So many women feel discriminated against for one thing or another. Personally, having known a few women in my life, It is my understanding that we can tend to be a little dramatic. As a women I feel that I have equal rights, freedoms, and opportunities as any man in this country, and for me, thats good enough. For feminists that continue to fight on the matter and complain about statistics that appear to state otherwise, there is one factor that those statistics over look; choice.

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a mother. Sure, I have also set my sites on other career opportunities, but those have always been something I can do AFTER I finish my life's most important work of raising my children. Sure, I had the choice to become anything I wanted to become. If I wanted to be a doctor, I could be a doctor, but I choose to be a mom. The reason there are not statistically as many women in the workforce, or in high end cooporate posisitions is because there are a lot of women out their who simply choose to be mothers, and guess what, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I personally think that mothers have a clearer view of life than many of these feminist demanding statistical equality.

What it all comes down to is the simple fact that womanhood is not weak, it is not inferior. For thousands of years women have been honored through chivalrious acts, as a sign of the deepest respect. Yet today those very acts are looked down on as a sign of weakness and inferiority. Truth be told, women are not inferior. Women have been given the gift of bringing life into this world. Every mother that has ever lived has put her life on the line in order to bring another life into existence, and there is nothing weak or inferior about that.

Once a women chooses to become a mother, it doesn't matter if she stays home all day, works part time, or pursues a career, a mother of any kind will always say her most challenging job is that of raising her children. Child rearing is emotionally, physically, and mentally draining day in and day out, so it is time to 86 the saying "I'm just a mom". Since I had my 3rd child a year ago, I have spent more days feeling like I am in over my head, that I am not strong enough, smart enough, brave enough, or physically fit enough to mother all three of my kids like I want to. But I have also spent more time kissing, hugging, rocking, smelling, smiling, holding, and mentally treasuring my children then I ever knew was possible. This mothering business is not for the faint at heart, so if you feel the need to sit and whine publicly about how picked on you are simply for being a women, then this is probably something not ment for you.

There is one last thing that upsets me about the modern feminist fight besides the fact that it is a direct attack on motherhood and the Devine beauty of womanhood, and that is the attack that it is against manhood. Today the acts of chivalry that were once expected of men towards women are dying, and men are no longer taught to respect women the way they once were. This is perhaps a driving force behind the rise in violent crimes against women. If men are no longer allowed to respect a women and show that respect through their actions, then it becomes socially acceptable for men to handle problems that arise with a women the way they have handled problems between men for hundreds of years, to duke it out. Men deserve the right to have something to honor and respect, something to fight for and protect. There is nothing more perfect than a man and women working together, side by side, as a team. Together they create a stable environment to raise a family, enjoy good health, and live happier lives. There are hundreds of scientific studies to back these facts, so it should just be common sense, but in the ongoing battle of feminism, feminists are destroying everything that is good and beautiful about womanhood and they are dragging men and society down with them.

So it's time to take a stand. Respect womanhood and motherhood enough to recognize the beauty of it outside of a professional or statistical standing. Women who choose to be wives and mothers choose to put their lives on hold in order to give the lives of their children, their husbands, and their family a stronger foundation. It's time to respect womanhood and motherhood as the beautiful roles they are. Men and woman were not meant to be interchangeable. They were meant to be equal through separate roles. When these roles work side by side the outcome is far better than when they are constantly battling for first place. I'm so thankful for a husband who honors me as a women, and not only sees the importance of my role as a mother, but respects my choice to stay home with my children and support him in his career. The results of our efforts to work together in parenthood is something that I can see and feel everyday, and it is the cause of our happiness as a family.