Why do some people think that in order for women to be considered "equal" to a man we must be the same?

Question

I am a woman and happy to be feminine to try to be what I am not and was not made to be would be a slap in God's face. Why do some people think that to have value I should try to be "manly?"

Why do you think being happy with being a wife and a mother makes life meaningless and makes one oppressed? "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

What I am asking is in what way has Christianity "Oppressed" me?

Actually I am not saying you should not be able to work outside the house. I work in nursing. It is just I am tired of having femininity be considered subserviant.

Answer 1

Amen!
God made us different for a reason.
But we are all one in Christ.

Answer 2

I don;t think you asked the right question, dear. Equal means equal. If you want the things men have you had better be able to do the things men do to get them.

If you want fair treatment, well, this is probably as good as it's going to get. You will get the most negative comments from rabid feminists, not men, or women who work outside the home.

I like being a woman too, and no there is no shame in making a home. What more noble job could there be,? It doesn't pay well in cash and perqs, but the benefits are great.

Do what is right for you and your family and let the rest of the world do the same.

Peace.

Answer 3

that is very simplistic thinking. I am an avid feminist, one time I was an activist as well. I love men and am happily married to one I adore. I also have 2 wonderful sons, now grown, that I adore as well. Of course it is not necessary to be the "same" as a man...and that is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard so far. Feminism is simple saying that women are as fully human as men and as such should have the same rights. Allowing all rights to women includes allowing women to stay tightly in their feminine role if that is what they chose. It does not force, it allows..get the meaning. With you lack of thinking how is it you know what is on god's mind and how someone can slap his face. Actually God made many women highly intelligent and currently that intelligence is not being put to use due to the limitations in force throughout the world including th USA. So that my friend, is the real slap in God's face...under utilizing the intelligent women HE made. Your statement above "Why do some people think that to have value you should try to be manly?" is equally absurd. The whole thing boils down to this...you be who you want to be I be who I want to be (a highly intelligent physician in training) and we all win! So why do you want to force me to be a fluffy housewife like you? Huh?

Answer 4

i'm a man and i dont think that. I think women who are really women are just a perfect partner for a good man. I've been in combat and i dont want my daughters to do that although many lesbians and womens rights groups have demanded (equal rights) that now it will be hard to draft a fighting force in case we need one because they would have to draft women also. Honey you ask a question that only the ones who want it should abswer but i'm afraid their opion will be slanted and not in best intrest of the country and thats what i call stupidy/I worked as a lineman and a lot of women wanted that job because it paid good,but was dangerous as hell so we had to put some of them in the job to satisfy the goverment only thing is taht when it git tough they would ***** and complain ,cry and say they were being mistreated before you knew it one of the men would be transfered to anothyer job just to get the woman satisfied thats why i dont believe in the quota system you cant make people equal all it does is hurt the society you're living in and its called "symbolism over substance" you have the job title only but no ideal of the job responability///

Answer 5

My problem is just the opposite. my nature is to be outspoken and very "matter-of-fact". This is considered unladylike. In order to succeed, I often have to depend on feminine wiles rather than straightforward communication. I actually felt more feminine during the years that I was a bodybuilder and stronger than a lot of men. but I could not express my feelings to anyone because I would have been percieved as masculine. i loved having been muscular even as a a totally heterosexual female, but too many people were uncomfortable with that.

Answer 6

I think we are different physically, emotionally, and cognitively. There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, we complement one another quite well.

The problem comes in when someone arbitrarily assigns worth to the other. This is innapropriate.

Rather than trying to be alike for equality, we should support and encourage all aspects of one another -- both men and women.

Example -- In 1976 West Point began admitting women. This was celebrated by women's rights groups and the media. In all truthfulness, West Point's mission was to train Army officer's primarily for the combat arms...of course, most of these jobs are not open to women for physical reasons. Rather than create a sister academy specifically for women to promote and encourage there unique abilities in combat support roles, politics meant they should all undergo the same. In the end, the women required different physical standards, and facility enhancements. Programs had to be altered to be more accomodating. And at graduation, the women still could not enter most combat arms positions. The Army got quasi-combat trained women who need additional training to enter the combat support branches...the men got altered training programs at West Point with modified standards for the inclusion of women. Was this the best thing to do...did this really benefit the women who gave so much? I do not think so. The only beneficiaries were the politicians, and women's rights groups. We tried to make women just like men, even though vast differences exist. The day we recognize and celebrate our contributions will be the day women and men will benefit and respect one another to a much greater degree than today...and they will be different.

Answer 7

Hello Debra M,
You are smart & brave and I admire you so much.
We forget that women go where no man could ever go...into the heart of motherhood and the creation of life in their very wombs.
God Bless you for being right and saying it so eloquently!
~ YOU GO GIRL! ~

So much cultural back-sliding into Sodom & Gamora has caused too many women to think that they are just a slab of meat for consumption to the highest bidder. Try be "equal" under that situation and you'll find out that your only a commodity, and not a human being deserving of respect and honor.

Answer 8

Women's equality was established for oppurtunity not obligation.

Meaning that women have the right to be an attorny/cop/firefighter/etc just as much as they have the right to be a stay at home mom.

Feminists argue that women SHOULD take full advantage of the rights that were given to women.

Having the same oppurtunities as a man doesn't mean that you HAVE to pee standing up, just means that you CAN in you want to.

Answer 9

People are pre-conditioned to measure others by a masculine scale because men have predominantly built up our society. So, if you want to be seen as equal you are measured against many male attributes. Saying that, I'd argue that not all societies are like that and there are many who recognise women's role, especially as mother and home provider, as sacred. Such societies however, do appear 'chavinistic' because there's seldom a cross over of responsibilities - men do what men are good at and women do what they are good at.

You can only hope to be as good as you are and if you are then no-one can question it.

Answer 10

It is fine if you don't want to be "manly" and want to be a homemaker. But I would like to believe that I have some worth other than being a helper for a man. I want to make my own way in the world, go out, achieve my dreams, become a sucsess on my own. I would like to get married, yes, but unless the man I marry is willing to be my partner, not the head of the household but my partner in every aspect, I won't marry him. I want to have children too, but the father has got to put equal time and effort into raising them.

Everyone is entitled to their openion. if you don't want to be equal to men, that's fine. But i think we should all be given the option.

But I dunno, I'm not a Christian, so maybe my openion dosn't matter.

Answer 11

we don't have to be manly. that's perposterous. I work in a man's field and am a girly-girl. And I'm the one that gets the promotions and the good assignments.
There is alot of value in femininity.