I apologize that it's taken so long to post again. I got busy with the holidays and the new semester and I just haven't had a chance recently. :)
A topic that was forefront in my mind over the holidays was the idea of men and women being naturally different. As a society we tend to think that women, because of their physical difference, are naturally more nurturing and better homemakers, and that men are naturally more aggressive and competitive. During the Christmas break my family and I went to Walmart and we walked through the toy section, letting our daughter play with some of the toys that were on display. In one aisle there were baby dolls that cooed and made other sounds. One particular baby doll came with a bottle and it made sucking sounds when you placed the bottle in the mouth, and it cried when you took it out. On of the dolls was crying and a young boy walking through the aisle grabbed the bottle and placed it in the doll's mouth. Immediately his mother grabbed his hands and reprimanded him saying, "No! Those are for girls. Boys don't play with those." As simple as that experience was it really made me think. So much of what we think is natural is really taught to us and we just take it for granted.
If we look back at our history, we can see that things weren't always this way. Women weren't always taught to be petite and "feminine". As recent as a hundred years ago women were required to be just as strong as their husbands and to be able to work alongside them. I will be the first to admit that there are differences between men and women, but not differences that limit our potential. Women have just as much potential to be strong leaders, intelligent, and even competitive. And men had just as much potential to be nurturing and loving and to have good communication. I think that we are all a lot more similar than society tells us we are and I think that that realization can help us to better understand one another and accept everyone's individuality regardless of their gender.
I loved what you had to say here, and I love you most of all. The future of the world and the church is in good hands with women like you around. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlison
Michelle, it is interesting to me how as women we judge each other so easily.... none of us fit into the box that we have made for each other.... we can be our worst enemies as we try to decide for other women how they must raise their children the same way we would. I find myself judging others when I see them falling short of what I would minimally expect from them. And yet, I am so far from my potential that I should be focused on what I can do to improve. We cannot enter other womens hearts and find out what they are really feeling and why they have responded to their children the way they have... some are doing a phenomenal job with limits we cannot see... And there are women who do not have the traditional family life and so wonder how they fit in to society...no woman should have to ever think that! EAch woman should feel valued for herself. Thanks for posting this blog so women can begin to communicate more and try to uncover more thoughts in this discussion.
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