Although Sharissa Robins made this point almost entirely while this post was just a fetus/draft, I pinky promise I didn't take her ideas in any way, and she probably did not take mine. Her and I just have telepathy. You don't even know.
While there's been a lot of post regarding the misuse of Women in Brave New World, I have a few things to point out, regarding our world and theirs.
Men were to sexually please women as well. It's hard to think that women were to be conditioned to feel as if they should have as many sex partners as possible, but men were conditioned to believe so as well. Their actions are not natural. As hard as it may be to believe due to some modern behavior factors, I guarantee that a majority of men would be concerned about the idea of having to give themselves up to every women that so desires. The term was that everybody belongs to everybody. Not 'women belong to man'. Even in The Reservation, Linda was pushed from their society because of her morals on sex, and I don't believe the women were the only ones to look at her with disgust. That's really the only place by which men and women were equal, the way I see it.
But I don't believe women were as important as men in many other aspects. Women were not given as important roles as men, and I believe women weren't seen to have as much intelligence either, due to the fact that at the beginning of the novel all of the students in the Conditioning Centre just happened to be male.
Regarding our world- Women and Men are different. I believe men to be more of leaders while women are more of mothers. Men lead through more logic while women lead through more emotions. That is NOT to say men are in any way superior- what's a man without a woman to inspire them? I could never be a leader, I'm far too emotionally driven, and I believe that is because I am a girl.
In no way am I saying that men can't be caretakers or women can't hold leading positions. If you can, do so triumphantly. There's just as much pressure telling men they can't be emotional as there is telling women they can't be strong. I may just have this view because of my beliefs, but if you are a person of science, you probably know how estrogen and testosterone work differently in our bodies, along with many other factors. We're built this way. True equality is recognizing how we each are designed and supporting each other, not pretending like we're just as much of something as the other. Obnoxious sexists can run their mouth- but it's only because through their foolishness they like to hear themselves speak. It has nothing to do with the rest of us. Be just as feminist as you are masculist. That is equality.
insert "many other factors". Oops.
ReplyDelete"True equality is recognizing how we each are designed and supporting each other, not pretending like we're just as much of something as the other."
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of equality this way. I thought it was being able to do whatever the opposite sex could do. Now that you've expressed it this way I couldn't agree more. Women are just as important as men. We're caretakers and mothers; we give support and we inspire just like you said. Even though many women don't or can't do what men do, we are just as important. That is what makes us equal.
Haha. I Think you did a better job explaining this than I did Hanna. And of course, I agree. Men and women were made differently and so their roles in society are, by default, different. I don't see how that's bad nor do I see why people should be ashamed of their natural characteristics. Our roles aren't the same but the roles are of equal importance.
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