Friday, February 29, 2008

In My Defense

I've gotten plenty of flak for the views that I write about on this blog. Even if I'm not a feminist, just associating myself with the term, "feminist," seems to irk people in the frum community.

While I did expect such a response, it still bothers me sometimes because when people in the frum community hear the word, "feminist," they automatically throw up defenses because they identify feminists as rabid, anti-religious, heartless women who hate men, love abortions and think that working in the home horrible.

When I talk about feminism, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about supporting the notion of women being treated with as much respect as men are treated. I'm talking about women being allowed to succeed in areas in their lives other than just housekeeping and cooking; not that they have to, but that they are given the option of having other ambitions.

I'm not a "rabid feminist." I'm frum, I don't think that abortion should be used as birth control and actually enjoy cooking.

In fact, when I went to Barnes & Noble, as I mentioned in my last post, I didn't buy the, "Why Women Should Rule the World Book." I bought a cookbook. I used it. I enjoyed using it.

So do me a favor; don't discount everything that I have to say just because I say I might be a feminist.

I have to go and fold some laundry.

7 comments:

  1. as with most people who've been repressed in some form or another and then attempt or do actually push the envelope as far as it will go, the same applies with the feminist movement.
    The feminist movement (with the limited information i possess) certainly has its elements where fantasies of male-female role reversal exists. with that said, why can't we all learn to love each other in an equal opportunity manner? As a man Id rather not see women relegated to the position of "seen and not heard", and at the same time a fematocratic world seems slightly absurd.

    so fem, why don't you just love who you are, direct yourself towards your goals, and forget the talking-heads....really, its ok.

    ps. since im pro-choice, am i a bigger feminist than you?

    -remb

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  2. Does a feminist have to be pro-choice? Respect females! That's all I'm asking for!

    BTW, studies that "Planned Parenthood" will never show you include those on how women who have abortions suffer lifelong psychological repercussions. Some of them never get over it.

    How about taking care of these women by telling them how much they're going to suffer psychologically?

    It's all in this book: http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781595230256,00.html

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  3. i recently read an article about a British women who killed herself after aborting her babies (twins)...regardless im not pro-abortion, just in favor of allowing women that option, hence "pro-choice".
    similarly im pro-weed, but that doesn't mean I intend to smoke up (at least in the near future anyways).

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  4. People choose to kill themselves by doing drugs etc, I suppose that's their business. Abortions are more complicated because they affect more than just the person who makes that choice.

    "I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born."
    -Ronald Reagan

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  5. um...i find it funny that your taking the conservative christian stance on abortion. the fact is that the torah does not view fetuses as fullfledged human beings, hence killing one to the best of my knowledge is not considered murder according to halacha.

    oh yeah and smoking weed is in no way tantamount to killing oneself, its actually fairly harmless.

    -remb

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  6. As far as I know (I'm not an expert, but this is what I was taught):

    The halachic position on abortion is not, conclusively, that it is considered murder. In halacha it depends on the situation.

    An abortion is allowed when the mother's life is in danger because in that case, the baby is considered a "rodef" -- someone who is going to kill someone else, and the halacha is that is someone is coming to kill you, you must kill them first.

    But even then it depends on the situation - how much danger the mother is in, how much danger the baby is in, how far along the pregnancy is etc.

    I don't hold the same position as Conservative Christians on abortion. I hold the position of Torah, which is to consult a Rav, but that in general, abortion is not allowed.

    Note that taharas hamishpacha surround the idea that a month has gone by without a potential life coming to fruition, and that's considered a bad (for lack of a better word) thing. And that's not even talking about a fetus.

    As for "weed," I really don't know much about it so I guess I'm not really qualified to make any conclusive comments on it. I did, in my answer, refer to "drugs" as killing people, which they can and do, but weed in particular... I don't claim to be an expert.

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  7. then why according to the torah, if someone hits a pregnant women and kills the baby is that person not punished beyond paying some sort of fine? if the fetus were considered a person, I'd imagine a far harsher response.

    regardless, why should we establish laws in this country based on any religious standard? do you want Christians saying that other things are immoral and make them into law?
    for example do you really want to keep shabbos on sunday too? oh by the way its immoral according to some that you are jewish, should the government institute jew-converting programs?

    my point is that religion mixed with government is incredibly scary ...and dont tell me thomas jefferson was an evangelist.

    happy adar
    -remb

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