March 14, 2006

Yes, I am a Woman!

My lady friends over at The Cotillion have a number of posts up relating to us wimmin-folk and our body parts, and some women's altering of said body parts. I personally got to thinking that over the last few decades, women haven't just been altering their parts, but they have truly tried to change what a "woman" really is. So, at the risk of putting myself out there, I do have an opinion on this. And not one that many may like or agree with.

I am a woman. All my life I've had boobs and a vagina (mind you, never altered with surgery but altered somewhat with age!). Once I got older, I got a bitchy attitude once a month, I bled thanks to Eve's whole Adam scandal, and I have bought a million dollars worth of tampons, pads, and other various items I try not to ask my husband to buy for me. I carried two babies in my womb, and I can cry watching a game show, as long as the contestant tells us their winnings are paying for their child's cleft palate surgery (don't ask, but it did happen). I like reading People Magazine, and In Touch, and Star, but will pick up a nice novel if I could have more than a 30 minute attention span at any given time. And some times, even if I've never seen any Oscar nominated movies, I can still tune into the damned awards show.

My husband would say I drive like a woman, but I would have to turn around and thank him for the compliment. I can scream and cheer along with any man watching a Husker football game, but I can watch Rachael Ray and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition right after the game. Anyone who reads my blog knows my addiction to 24, and it ain't just cause Jack Bauer is hot. I'm also in touch with my feminine side and I'm proud of it.

I love being female, and that we are different than men. I like the fact that I can wear lots of diamonds, and that hubby bought them for me. I love it when he opens the car door. I love it when he protects me (he's got guns, yanno!). I love to shop...especially for pretty kitchen items or purses, or clothes, especially for my little girl. I love the fact that I could get away with owning a pink car, if I really wanted to. And I like chick flicks. I really do!

Do I think some version of women's lib was needed? Absolutely. I value my right to vote. I do not think men are *better* than women - merely different. I want my man to take care of me, but don't want him to treat me like I'm an idiot. I can do more than clean house, be pregnant and cook. I hold a pretty high position at the company I work for - not because I'm a man or a woman, but because I'm good at what I do. I capitalize on those things that I do well, I work hard, and I try to inspire others to do the same. I'm loyal, I believe in the organization I work for and know that each day I can make a difference to people around me if I try. But in the course of all of that, I don't make a big stink about being a woman, even though other women around me think I should. In the grand scheme of things, my employer can't write "Merri is great because she's a chick" because they'd get sued up one side and down the other (albeit not by me). So I let my work stand on its own merit and it gets recognized.

There are things that really bother me about how some women have approached women's lib, women's rights, etc. I like my bra - don't make me burn it, especially that nice lacy number in black.

Let me vote, but know that I'll vote to to change abortion laws, too. I think the father of a baby should have equal say in whether a pregnancy should end, even if the baby is "housed" in my body. A baby is not a medical condition and it isn't the Immaculate Conception. It took a man and myself to create this human life and it shouldn't be just my decision to murder that human life by myself.

Sure, let me be in combat, but I better be able to meet the same standards the fellow in the next row over has to meet in order for me to get there - and if I can't meet those standards, I probably shouldn't be standing next to him holding the same rifle and the same backpack (okay...so whatever they call them...I ain't in the military so pardon my lack of terminology!). It doesn't make me weak, I'm not discriminated against....God made me different for a reason. In all of that, no one says I'm less intelligent, no one says I'm not a solid contributor to society. If I want equal rights, by God I've got it! But truly make it equal - don't give me special priviledges just because of my appendages or the lack thereof.

In the meantime, Kim Gandy, Gloria Steinem and the rest of the Useful Idiots of modern day feminism can kiss my lace covered, perfumed, flower and diamond loving, Santoku knife wielding ass.