I was just sitting here thinking how I should do a knitting post and, in a bid to delay, checked Bloglines for any new posts on my fave blogs, only to find that Cherry (oh, thanks so much, Cherry, you lovely thing), has set me and a few others some homework. So, I have been tagged and must now think of five things that feminism has done for me. I will try to keep this short, as I tend to ramble (not about feminism in particular, for heaven's sake......just about anything at all).
- Given me the right to claim an inheritance and have ownership of property/finances. It wasn't that long ago that the females of the family were not allowed any claim on inheritance at all. Their brothers/sons could kick their own mothers out of the house if they wanted, once good old Dad had pegged it. That is so not on, it makes me mad to just consider it.
- I didn't have to be considered a spinster by the time I was twenty, though some of my relatives were already getting at me by then. Not because I had no boyfriends, but because I wasn't MARRIED AND HAVING CHILDREN. I mean, way back in the day, you were really at a social disadvantage if you weren't married by your mid-twenties. You wouldn't have stood a chance in the Tudor Court, for instance ( not that I'd have wanted to). You would have been well and truly past-it and on the scrap heap and quite good-for-nothing.
- I can travel about without a chaperone. I have freedom. I don't have to be watched over 100% of the time, even if I just want to walk 100 yards down the road on a sunny evening.
- Ha ha, I can lift weights and run about a lot and get out of breath. That may not sound important but the choice to do it is.
- I have many more choices in life than I would have done if not for feminism. Many, many more.
Of course there are loads of much more important reasons, but these just jumped out at me first.
I'll do a knitting post tomorrow if I get time.
Oh, I should tag some people. Sarah, Frankie, Debby. So sorry!
I've been listening to the woman's hour podcasts last week (on how women's lives have changed over the last 60 years) and have been thinking about that stuff too. As someone born in the 80s (just) it's really easy to forget how different it'd be to be a woman even 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices alice.
ReplyDeleteGood points Alice. I was tagged also !! I found it a hard one due to the way I was brought up; thank goodness times have changed
ReplyDeleteY'know, it's a funny thing but although my other half is modern enough to happily cook/iron/clean/change the bedlinen etc., he still tends to think that his son, who is the second born, should have precedence over his daughter when it comes to inheritance. Obviously, the law wouldn't see it that way but when it comes to what he'd give to who, the boy comes first. I obviously still have some work to do!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting reading other peoples thoughts on this topic. I too have been tagged and am trying to gather my thought on this, the more I read the more I realise how lucky we are!
ReplyDeleteI needed something to take my mind off work :-)
ReplyDeleteJust found out you tagged me, so I will get on this for the next post. Oh, Alice, how am I going to be restrained??!! I am married to the most wonderful man in the world, who listens to me rant on and on (and agrees with me) when we go to the cycling races, and the women's races don't pay as much in prizes as the men. Or the disparity in bike shops, which only offer one tiny corner of clothing & gear for women, and an entire store of choices for men. And usually only male salespeople, who know nothing about what they do sell for women. Are we supposed to be overjoyed that at least we don't have to ride in the long skirts anymore??
ReplyDeleteSee what you started? :) :)
Seriously, I think it's an important topic and I really like your list.