An article called "Why OWL (Older Women's Liberation)?" has stuck with me and came to mind after a conversation I had this weekend in which I was basically chided for wanting my husband to share more equally in the schlepping around of his children to their activities. I would like to think I do not qualify as an "older woman." This article defines this term as someone over 30. *Sigh*. The article talks about how "older women" have real life problems that need to be addressed that the feminist movement was ignoring. Here are some of them as raised by the Older Women's League:
"How to pursue a job, career, or anything while one is raising a family"
"How to change from 20 to 40 years of behavioral response"
"How does a mother relate to adolescent sons who are attempting to reach male maturity by emulating male stereotyped role models"
"How does one live equitably with a husband when the relationship is not egalitarian"
"How to cope with aging and dependent parents"
"How does one raise a daughter"
Theorizing is easier than living out one's beliefs, as we all know. It's also much more appealing to write on a fresh slate. The Older Women's League was encouraging women to help each other figure these problems out. They were specifically asking the feminist movement to be broad enough to incorporate all kinds of women's needs.
bell hooks cautions against saying "I am a feminist." She believes this reinforces stereotypes and causes division. It sets up a kind of absolutism that does not make room for other types of thought. When I read hooks' thoughts on this, I am not inclined to want to take on feminism as an identity. An "I am" statement cuts off other possibilities and viewpoints that could inform the problems we wrestle with. I think we have to be careful in identifying under labels of any kind, because we draw boundaries around ourselves that could cut us off from potential valuable lifelines.
I guess I just needed to say that in going forward with this blog. I am interested in women forming supportive networks and exploring options, not in advancing an agenda. Like the Older Women's League, I have all these questions about how to do life in a way that upholds certain values that are important to me. I am not a fresh slate. I've been written on and erased a few times. But it doesn't mean I've stopped seeking fresh words to be written on my life.
I like that. Fresh words written on my life. I think when we don't want fresh words, we are not growing. All of the issues, for older women...like us *gasp* are still there. Therefore, we still have a lot of room for fresh words.
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