Duality In Feminism

When I was a younger woman, I took pride in the fact that my step-mother taught me and my sister that we need to depend on ourselves and not a man. She insisted that we do outside chores and inside chores. She wanted my sister and I to learn how to change a tire, rake the yard and cut grass. So we did.

It is with pride that I call myself a mechanic. I can change tires, oil, brake pads, calipers, radiators, spark plugs and wires, and alternators. I actually learned how to do most of this by trial and error seeing as how in my early 20's I stayed broke. It was cheaper to fix these things myself. It might take me all day but it would get done. 

Sometimes though, and with this statement I am going to set the women's movement back 100 years, I wish the world was different. I am very moved by how society has changed and women actually had to get out into the workforce and I do believe we should get equal pay and we should have equal rights. I personally struggle with the dual nature of being a woman and being everything to everyone and having to hold things down like a man. I tell my sister "I'm tired of being a man". 

I do not get a choice when it comes to staying home and raising my children. I have to work everyday to be able to support them because I am a single parent. Even when I was married it took two incomes to make it. The struggle is real at my house but I wouldn't have it any other way. I want my boys to know what a strong woman is or should I say a woman with character?!

Maybe it is not a feminist viewpoint at all, maybe I am this way because of the way I was raised...maybe I shouldn't be hating on the feminist movement. I just feel that, no I want a man to open doors for me, treat me like a lady and appreciate my feminine mystique. I want a man to work on my vehicle, take out the trash, do the yard work....I'm tired of doing it all myself!

There is a dual nature to the feminist movement. We are equal to men, we work, we get paid, but something is lacking. I have no choice now and God forbid I voice an opinion like this one. Then it will be all, you are anti-women, blah, blah, blah. This is how I personally feel and opinions are like assholes, we all have one.