My mom is fantastic. My dad, equally fantastic! Although they grew up in different times (a pretty big age gap, but they've made it work), they grew up with similar views on social standards. I think that is both because of where they grew up and also simply the times hadn't changed that drastically in the 15 years between them. However, the times have changed a lot since then, and change faster (at times) and faster as we progress. Which is great! But sometimes the household still feels the pinch of 1950s creep in. Not always a bad thing! Sometimes it's simply a Leave it to Beaver marathon on TV Land. Other times, though, I think "maybe we can give this an update."
See, when my parents were growing up, the woman was dedicated to keeping the house spic and span and dinner on the table for the man (and children). It was viewed as the norm that while the husband was away busy bringing home the bacon, the wife would spend her day cleaning and cooking to please the husband. After all, was the wife slaving away at work? No, she had all day to stay at home and cook and clean. Not that hard, right?
That norm, beautifully, went away-ish during the second world war. While the men were off fighting, the country needed the women to come in to work the factory jobs and so forth. To keep income coming in and to help serve their country the best they can. Once WWII ended, thought thankfully the men (and women) came home and the household was back (Woo!), that also means the women went back in the kitchen. Back to free labor. From this, we get the Baby Boomers. You guys can fill in the space between then. Anywho!
With the 1960s (the Baby Boomers reaching that late teens-20s) came the inevitable, the rebellion against the parents. Not to mention crazy wacky politics, but that something totally different. There was an experiment done on women who were married and sexually active. In that, studies showed a great deal of them relying on alcohol or abusing prescription drugs because they were unhappy. It turns out that these women were, literally, being treated as a thing of possession. In that time, there was no law prohibiting rape so long as it was a husband/wife relationship. Women had to do whatever the husband wanted whenever he wanted. He was, truly, the alpha-being in the house. Women were subservient in every way to the man (the details on the experiment that started Feminism as we know it here! Worth the read!).
I remember growing up, helping my mom and grandmother with the Christmas dinner and wondering why the boys were all in the room watching television. "This is women's work," my mom and grandmother informed me. When I was little, it made sense, sort of, but I was angry. I remember doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen while the men were in the living room. "Why doesn't Andy do these?" "It's the woman's job." Once again, sort of made sense, but... why? I remember my mom vacuuming and I was wondering why dad never does. But this time, I didn't have to ask. Like I said, my mom grew up in a time (and place) where that still existed.
Of course, growing up, I realized that the outside world thinks way differently (in some parts of the nation). I informed my mom that there is no women's work vs. men's work. Women can work as employees just like men (but there are still issues, but that's for another post). We, as a nation, should (and are, for the most part) be working toward an equal society where women have the same rights as men.
This is great, wonderful, fantastic for women and just as good for the family value. Because now, it's truly a family takes care of each other. The mom and dad help take care of each other and the children. The children help out when they can (literally when they can, like when they're old enough to comprehend the word "help," they help). The weight isn't totally on the women's shoulders to take care of all of the house and keep her ailments under the mat. First, because it's stupid. If she doesn't take care of herself (as in medicine or telling someone, etc.) she risks loads. The real selfless thing to do is to tell those and seek help (more on that in another post! Woo!). Second, because that's actually what a family in this day and age does! Help each other out! See how it works! Beautiful, right? Like women are humans or something. See, we're all equal. It's our house. Not the man's house, not the women's house. It's ours. Time's are a'changin'. Looking through the world with equality and love in the heart will do wonders!
Jesus always addressed women the way He did men. To Him, men and women alike were God's worthy children. Pretty nifty, right? I just think that if Jesus saw men and women as humans as opposed to the alpha and other, we can do it too. Think forward. Think equality. Think universal love.
Woo!
Mary Taylor
See, when my parents were growing up, the woman was dedicated to keeping the house spic and span and dinner on the table for the man (and children). It was viewed as the norm that while the husband was away busy bringing home the bacon, the wife would spend her day cleaning and cooking to please the husband. After all, was the wife slaving away at work? No, she had all day to stay at home and cook and clean. Not that hard, right?
That norm, beautifully, went away-ish during the second world war. While the men were off fighting, the country needed the women to come in to work the factory jobs and so forth. To keep income coming in and to help serve their country the best they can. Once WWII ended, thought thankfully the men (and women) came home and the household was back (Woo!), that also means the women went back in the kitchen. Back to free labor. From this, we get the Baby Boomers. You guys can fill in the space between then. Anywho!
With the 1960s (the Baby Boomers reaching that late teens-20s) came the inevitable, the rebellion against the parents. Not to mention crazy wacky politics, but that something totally different. There was an experiment done on women who were married and sexually active. In that, studies showed a great deal of them relying on alcohol or abusing prescription drugs because they were unhappy. It turns out that these women were, literally, being treated as a thing of possession. In that time, there was no law prohibiting rape so long as it was a husband/wife relationship. Women had to do whatever the husband wanted whenever he wanted. He was, truly, the alpha-being in the house. Women were subservient in every way to the man (the details on the experiment that started Feminism as we know it here! Worth the read!).
I remember growing up, helping my mom and grandmother with the Christmas dinner and wondering why the boys were all in the room watching television. "This is women's work," my mom and grandmother informed me. When I was little, it made sense, sort of, but I was angry. I remember doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen while the men were in the living room. "Why doesn't Andy do these?" "It's the woman's job." Once again, sort of made sense, but... why? I remember my mom vacuuming and I was wondering why dad never does. But this time, I didn't have to ask. Like I said, my mom grew up in a time (and place) where that still existed.
Of course, growing up, I realized that the outside world thinks way differently (in some parts of the nation). I informed my mom that there is no women's work vs. men's work. Women can work as employees just like men (but there are still issues, but that's for another post). We, as a nation, should (and are, for the most part) be working toward an equal society where women have the same rights as men.
This is great, wonderful, fantastic for women and just as good for the family value. Because now, it's truly a family takes care of each other. The mom and dad help take care of each other and the children. The children help out when they can (literally when they can, like when they're old enough to comprehend the word "help," they help). The weight isn't totally on the women's shoulders to take care of all of the house and keep her ailments under the mat. First, because it's stupid. If she doesn't take care of herself (as in medicine or telling someone, etc.) she risks loads. The real selfless thing to do is to tell those and seek help (more on that in another post! Woo!). Second, because that's actually what a family in this day and age does! Help each other out! See how it works! Beautiful, right? Like women are humans or something. See, we're all equal. It's our house. Not the man's house, not the women's house. It's ours. Time's are a'changin'. Looking through the world with equality and love in the heart will do wonders!
Jesus always addressed women the way He did men. To Him, men and women alike were God's worthy children. Pretty nifty, right? I just think that if Jesus saw men and women as humans as opposed to the alpha and other, we can do it too. Think forward. Think equality. Think universal love.
Woo!
Mary Taylor
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