Feminism: Its
Effects on the Family
Women’s voting rights, female
independence, better job opportunities, and gender equality (“The Women’s
Liberation Movement: Its Origins, Structures and Ideas”)—these are the subjects
with which feminism has come to identify itself. Although, feminism has a wide
range of supporters, they are not all underneath one banner. Some are called
radicals because of their push for the abolition of gender distinctions, and
others may be considered conservative because they hold that women should have
equal job opportunities and that there are distinct gender differences in men
and women. All in all, feminism’s origins has had a wide range of supporters:
from the passionate “radical” leaders to the single mother who is struggling to
provide for four children and just wants to have a better chance to the
mistreated women of every class. These supporters have aided feminism in
gaining ground as a movement. While better job opportunities and equal voting
rights have been achieved, there been some negative effects on the family unit
as a result of feminist’s push for individuality and gender distinctions’
eradication.
According to “True or False: Family is
the Basic Unit of Society,” the family is the basic unit of a culture; so if a
wide number of mothers and fathers teach their children to pursue their own
gain, pride and ego, then a generation of stuck up, greedy, and self-centered
individuals will dominate that culture because of that family’s teaching.
However, if the mother and father teach their children to treat others with
respect and discipline them when they wine and complain about not getting their
way or refuse to get along with others; then a generation of kind and temperate
(mild-mannered) people will result. A nation built on the backs of these
individuals will prosper naturally because the friction among the people will
be much less. But in a greedy, self-centered culture, people will always be trying
to benefit themselves and will not care about hurting other people in the
process. Lawsuits will abound, reconciliation will be rare, and people will
struggle for survival amidst the jungle of ferocious beasts. On the other hand,
a nation of kind and mild-mannered individuals will not pursue gain at the
intentional harm of others, will reconcile more often, and will be less likely
to propose a lawsuit out of hate or envy—there just won’t be that many hateful
individuals around.
In the analogy of self-centered
individuals is an illustration of what feminism, intentionally or
unintentionally, has done to the family. It has pumped some women full of the
idea of pursuing their own selfish interests. Now, nothing is wrong with a
woman working hard at something that she wants to. Proverbs 31 makes that very
clear when it says, “She…worketh willingly with her hands. She considers a
field, and buyeth it,” and “her merchandize is good” (Proverbs 31:13,16,18
KJV). Women should be allowed to work and have a chance to try what they dream
to do; however, when this work becomes so consuming that it replaces her family
and she hatefully looks at men as an evil domineering bunch, one must wonder if
she has gone crazy. I am not saying that all feminists are like the hateful
woman described in the preceding sentence. For instance, Valeria, a woman in my
composition class at college, said that she was a feminist, but against the
destruction of sex roles. She believed that women were to be helpers, but
should also be given equal opportunities to work (Personal interview).
In the family unit, many mothers now work
(“Women Employed: Facts About Working Women”), some out of necessity and some
out of choice. Nothing is wrong with working and enjoying one’s work, but a
problem arises if one develops a mindset of being part of an elitist. This is
what feminism appears to do. Its ranks are filled with those who want to be
respected and want to have an equal chance, which is fine. But there are also
some power-hungry, radical individuals who are only there to aggressively push
their agenda on everyone else. For example, is not a feminist angle presented
from the classrooms across this nation; not just taught, but preached? Dr.
Christine Hoff Somers, in an radio interview by Kevin Swanson at Generations
with Vision, said that modern education is designed for girls (“Generations
With Vision—The War Against Boys”). Women should be allowed to work in a wide
range of fields, but should the idea of female mistreatment continually be
restated to children? It appears that a battle against the mistreatment of
women has turned into an agitated group of political revolutionaries.
When women decide early on that they want
to be successful in the workplace, they may develop a hesitancy to get married
for fear that their career will be jeopardized. If they have a family, the fear
that they will not be able to do everything that they want to do with their
lives may develop. These women are probably correct; having a family requires time,
investment, and self-sacrifice, but are not children and a loving husband worth
self-sacrifice? I mean, yes, one might not be able to accomplish everything on
one’s dream list, but are not those closest to a woman more important than
money or massive success in the corporate world? When these fears arise they
not only delay a marriage or the willingness to have children, but they
encourage small families.
Another effect of feminism on the family
is the push for gender equality. That statement, gender equality, seems great
at first. Yes, women should have equal shots at job opportunities as men and be
able to choose to go to college; but based on history, there is more to that
gender equality statement than meets the eye. “The Women’s Liberation Movement:
Its Origins, Structures and Ideas” says that “Egalitarian Ethic means…The sexes
are equal; therefore sex roles must go.” This notion is pretty absurd because
there are some general, distinct differences between men and women. Aside from
chemical and anatomical differences, there are mental differences. Most women
think in a pattern that is best described as one big wad, all their thoughts
are interconnected. When she thinks of breakfast she may think of the letter
that she didn’t open and then of an instance when her mother lost a letter, and
then on and on until she remembers that she has an appointment in half an hour
and better hurry up. However, men generally tend to think in a compartmental
fashion. Everything is in its specific box and box A never crosses over or
mixes with box B. According to “Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are like Spaghetti”
by Bill and Pam Farrel, “a man is like a waffle (each element of his life is in
a separate box) and a woman is like spaghetti (everything in her life touches
everything else).” Trying to change gender differences is not possible. Men are
generally and biologically stronger than women, while women are generally
weaker than men, plus they think differently. Nothing is wrong with this truth
it is just a result of the different chemical and hormonal make up that God has
given each gender; we were designed to be different. We are equal as human
beings, but our roles and functions are somewhat different (Gen. 1-3, Titus 2).
In all, feminism may indeed have started
for amiable purposes; but there have been consequences on the family, whether
they be intentional or unintentional. Families are now smaller in size, largely
because many women delay marriage until later in life due to career
aspirations. Complete equality in every area of life is actually detrimental,
even dangerous. Gender differences are innate: being biological, mental, and
anatomical. Feminism is dangerous when so much emphasis is placed on the
individual woman that she neglects kindness and resorts to radical hate and
malice towards those who stand in her way: whether it be to men or to other
female advocates of gender distinction. All of these areas: gender distinction,
selfishness or love, and marriage delay truly do effect the family.
Works
Cited
Espinosa, Valeria. Personal interview. 7 Nov. 2011.
Eyre, Richard. “True or False: Family is the Basic
Unit of Society.” Deseret News Publishing
Co. Provided by ProQuest
Information and Learning Company. Find
Articles, 14 Dec.
2003.Web. 8
November 2011.
Farrell, Bill and Pam. “Men Are Like Waffles, Women
Are Like Spaghetti.” Love-Wise.com
n.d. Web. 11 November
2011.
Freeman, Jo. “The Women’s Liberation Movement: Its
Origins, Structures and Ideas.”
JoFreeman.com.
1971.
Web. 4 November 2011.
King James Version of the Holy Bible (KJV).
Swanson, Kevin. “Generations With Vision—The War
Against Boys.” Kevin Swanson’s Blog,
Generations
with Vision. November, 2004. Web. 4 November 2011.
“Women Employed: Facts About Working Women.” Women Employed. n.d. Web. 11 November
2011.
