What women want

My husband says when I get on my feminist soapbox, I sound angry.  A statement that just lets me know he is clueless.  I'm not angry; I'm passionate, and there is a difference.  You can find the piece of my writing that led him to that conclusion here: http://jen-thedesertrat.blogspot.com/2011/02/todays-letter-to-editor.html

For the record, he's the only person that said that.  My boss, told me not to feel bad for "calling troglodytes on the mat."  My boss is a man.  On a personal level, if you're not pissed off at injustice, in my book, you're part of the problem.

Anyway, there is a little "expo" coming up in my part of the world that makes my brain want to bleed.  Last year, it was complete with a "scholarship pageant."  Dear GAWD, hand me the wastebasket, I need to puke.  If it was truly a "scholarship" pageant, I want to see those women balancing partial oxidation/reduction reactions and doing derivatives...NOT being judged in evening wear and swimsuits.

The facebook page for "What Today's Women Want" tells us to be VERY excited.  Afterall, the "2012 Expo will be the hottest place in SE Idaho where you can experience the latest in fashion, health, beauty and MORE! Bring your girlfriends and enjoy the fun and excitement!"

Seriously,  "East Idaho has a strong, unique, active and intelligent women's population. With the What Today’s Women Want Expo, we have an event to cater to this great group. The goal of the Expo is to give women (and maybe even a few other good sports) the chance to see the wide range of women oriented business and services which East Idaho has to offer. Now in its fourth year, it is the largest such collection ever gathered in the region and one which will be a favorite event for years to come. With the kids in school and husbands talking about the big hunt, it's the perfect time to take a little time for yourself and some friends."

Yes, THE PERFECT time for intelligent women to focus on fashion and beauty...while your kids are at school and your husband is hunting.  Because, I mean REALLY, these are the FOUR most  important things today's intelligent women focus on.  Just ask Jay...he's the guy to email with questions.

Jay, a name which takes me back to that letter I wrote that my husband said made me sound angry.  In it, I tried to remind people how completely assinine it is when a man gets to decide what is feminine.

You know what Jay??  I'm friends with a LOT of intelligent women.  You wanna know what we REALLY care about?  We really care about not being judged as complete morons and paying a hefty "parent tax" when we decide to stay home with our children. WE care that that "tax" doesn't hit us or our spouses who decide to be the main caregiver to our offspring.

We care about being judged as uncaring, unfeminine, bad mothers if we work...or don't breastfeed.  Or being judged for breastfeeding and told NOT to do it in public; Hooters uniforms being completely acceptable.

We care about getting to decide how many kids we decide to have and when ...and not being judged when we decide NOT to be mothers.

We care about education.  We care about peace...THAT is one thing those "Scholarship" pageants, as cliche as it sounds, have right...ever hear of WORLD PEACE?

We care about equal treatment of everyone.

We really kind of give a shit about domestic violence and rape and the kind of unintellectual diatribe you are feeding to our daughters about needing fashion, beauty, and advice regarding the latest "crafts."

Don't get me wrong...I love a good fresh wreath made by me as much as the next girl...but is it really what I want?

FUCK NO!

We want affordable and quality childcare.  I want to know my grandmother and my best friend's mother, who never paid into social security, because they were paid in love, will be taken care of when they get old...so I dont have to work until I'm 90.  We actually care that after taking care of a man and family for their entire lives, that those people don't get to walk away at the last moment and leave them on the street.

We'd like to  know that our best friends who sacrificed time with their children to work full time AND get an education, get equal pay for equal work.

You want a craft booth?  Invite the crafts...welding, electricians, carpenters.  WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER CLASS ON FLOWER ARRANGING or the latest in crochet baby blanket edging.  My great-grandmother taught me all that shit while she made me read classic literature...and do math.

We don't need to know about fashion or beauty.  In case you weren't paying attention, Jay, we are bombarded with that shit every damn day...in the check out line at the grocery store, on television, and every time we click a link on the internet.

You want to know what today's intelligent women want, Jay? For you to get a clue...and pick up your shit.  And a nap.  We could really use a nap.