Society and Double Standards
a column by Guest Editor Aaron M. Fugate
The views expressed herein may or may not be those of Senior Editor, Ben Fugate.
In case you (somehow) missed it, yesterday was International Women's Day.
I have been blessed to have had many godly female influences in my life, including my mother, sister, grandmothers, aunts, and others. In modeling godly womanhood, they have helped to teach me to a better man.
Unfortunately, most women these days are faced with a roadblock in the way to achieving the opportunity to influence others they way the women in my life have helped to shape me.
This roadblock is called feminism.
Of course you ask (and if you aren't asking this right now, you'll have to forgive me, as I can't read minds), "How is feminism inhibiting women from being all that they can be? I thought feminism was made for the purpose of empowering women?"
Newsflash: Feminism isn't about empowering women. It's about women controlling other women.
A common criticism of feminism is that it is more about hating and degrading men than it is about lifting up women. While this is true, I don't find it to be the worst thing about the movement. The worst thing about feminism is that it sends myriad mixed messages to women.
Feminism tells women You can do anything you want to -- unless it's homemaking, of course. If you're raising a family, you're doing womanhood wrong. In fact, if you're not a CEO making just as much as men, you're probably not fulfilling your potential.
This is utter bunk. Ask any woman who has raised a family well -- there is no higher calling than being a mother. Being a mother does not mean that you aren't successful. Success isn't judged by the money you make or the number of lives you change. Absolutely nothing is lacking from the life of the woman who "only" raises her children up in the truth. This isn't to say that women can't or shouldn't be CEOs, just that your family should be your first priority if you have one. This goes for fathers as well. No man who has a family should forsake time with them in pursuit of the dollar. (See? Equality.) And honestly, being a CEO likely isn't all it's cracked up to be. Doing what you ought to be doing with your life, not what feminists tell you you ought to do, is more fulfilling than anything else. I mean, I'd gladly have a family of my own instead of all the money that I have. Haha, I'm just kidding. I don't have money.
Feminists also laud promiscuity. (I'm not going to get into the whole Chloe-Grace Moretz vs. Kim Kardashian thing here, but this kinda has to do with that). They say If a woman wants to be promiscuous, let her. No one should tell her what she can or can't do. At the same time, don't let anyone acknowledge that you are promiscuous. No one should be able to say that you're doing the wrong thing. Not that promiscuity is wrong, but those who say it is are wrong. I mean, they're correct, but not right.
Sound confusing? Try being a woman and being inundated with these messages every day.
If feminism is good for women, let feminists answer these simple questions:
If promiscuity is OK, then why is simply acknowledging a woman's promiscuity "shaming" her? You can't be shamed for doing something good. If you admit that calling a woman promiscuous is shaming her, then you acknowledge that promiscuity is shameful.
Second, if you say that immodesty has nothing to do with promiscuity, that a woman can be immodest but not promiscuous, then why do those point out immodesty get accused of shaming promiscuity as well?
Go ahead and explain these, feminists. I'll wait.
Feminists are intent on making all female characters in media as dangerous, driven, and desperate as possible. They have to be independent. They can't possibly need a man, or want to raise a family.
Thankfully, books are being written that present women who are real -- because the female characters are based on real women, not feminist ideals. One such book is my own. (Yes, this is a shameless ad for my book, because book sales are low and I have rent payments to make. Also, I'd like to finish saving for a new used car before I'm 40.) Overcomers is a book you need to read to find realistic portrayals of women in current media.
One last question for the feminists: If no man should be able to tell a woman what to do, why is it OK for women to tell other women what to do and think?
Women today, especially impressionable young women (and young men are impressionable, too. Don't start.) are told how to think by women. They are told that if they don't let feminism define them, they're surrendering to a patriarchal society. However, if you do let feminism define you, you'll be confused very quickly. I believe feminism is intentionally confusing so that it is less defined. If it were more defined in its beliefs and objectives, it would be easier to take down. As it is, it's all over the map and is thus harder to combat. Feminism is about control, like I said earlier. If you can tell women how to think, you can control them. And many women let feminism tell them what to think because they've been told so long that it empowers them
Women, you don't need feminism to empower you. You are already strong if you find your strength in Jesus Christ.
Thankfully, many women see through the error of feminism and don't let it shape their worldview.
I thank these women for their example.
And now I must go. I have pizza to eat.
Aaron M. Fugate
The views expressed herein may or may not be those of Senior Editor, Ben Fugate.
In case you (somehow) missed it, yesterday was International Women's Day.
I have been blessed to have had many godly female influences in my life, including my mother, sister, grandmothers, aunts, and others. In modeling godly womanhood, they have helped to teach me to a better man.
Unfortunately, most women these days are faced with a roadblock in the way to achieving the opportunity to influence others they way the women in my life have helped to shape me.
This roadblock is called feminism.
Of course you ask (and if you aren't asking this right now, you'll have to forgive me, as I can't read minds), "How is feminism inhibiting women from being all that they can be? I thought feminism was made for the purpose of empowering women?"
Newsflash: Feminism isn't about empowering women. It's about women controlling other women.
A common criticism of feminism is that it is more about hating and degrading men than it is about lifting up women. While this is true, I don't find it to be the worst thing about the movement. The worst thing about feminism is that it sends myriad mixed messages to women.
Feminism tells women You can do anything you want to -- unless it's homemaking, of course. If you're raising a family, you're doing womanhood wrong. In fact, if you're not a CEO making just as much as men, you're probably not fulfilling your potential.
This is utter bunk. Ask any woman who has raised a family well -- there is no higher calling than being a mother. Being a mother does not mean that you aren't successful. Success isn't judged by the money you make or the number of lives you change. Absolutely nothing is lacking from the life of the woman who "only" raises her children up in the truth. This isn't to say that women can't or shouldn't be CEOs, just that your family should be your first priority if you have one. This goes for fathers as well. No man who has a family should forsake time with them in pursuit of the dollar. (See? Equality.) And honestly, being a CEO likely isn't all it's cracked up to be. Doing what you ought to be doing with your life, not what feminists tell you you ought to do, is more fulfilling than anything else. I mean, I'd gladly have a family of my own instead of all the money that I have. Haha, I'm just kidding. I don't have money.
Feminists also laud promiscuity. (I'm not going to get into the whole Chloe-Grace Moretz vs. Kim Kardashian thing here, but this kinda has to do with that). They say If a woman wants to be promiscuous, let her. No one should tell her what she can or can't do. At the same time, don't let anyone acknowledge that you are promiscuous. No one should be able to say that you're doing the wrong thing. Not that promiscuity is wrong, but those who say it is are wrong. I mean, they're correct, but not right.
Sound confusing? Try being a woman and being inundated with these messages every day.
If feminism is good for women, let feminists answer these simple questions:
If promiscuity is OK, then why is simply acknowledging a woman's promiscuity "shaming" her? You can't be shamed for doing something good. If you admit that calling a woman promiscuous is shaming her, then you acknowledge that promiscuity is shameful.
Second, if you say that immodesty has nothing to do with promiscuity, that a woman can be immodest but not promiscuous, then why do those point out immodesty get accused of shaming promiscuity as well?
Go ahead and explain these, feminists. I'll wait.
Feminists are intent on making all female characters in media as dangerous, driven, and desperate as possible. They have to be independent. They can't possibly need a man, or want to raise a family.
Thankfully, books are being written that present women who are real -- because the female characters are based on real women, not feminist ideals. One such book is my own. (Yes, this is a shameless ad for my book, because book sales are low and I have rent payments to make. Also, I'd like to finish saving for a new used car before I'm 40.) Overcomers is a book you need to read to find realistic portrayals of women in current media.
One last question for the feminists: If no man should be able to tell a woman what to do, why is it OK for women to tell other women what to do and think?
Women today, especially impressionable young women (and young men are impressionable, too. Don't start.) are told how to think by women. They are told that if they don't let feminism define them, they're surrendering to a patriarchal society. However, if you do let feminism define you, you'll be confused very quickly. I believe feminism is intentionally confusing so that it is less defined. If it were more defined in its beliefs and objectives, it would be easier to take down. As it is, it's all over the map and is thus harder to combat. Feminism is about control, like I said earlier. If you can tell women how to think, you can control them. And many women let feminism tell them what to think because they've been told so long that it empowers them
Women, you don't need feminism to empower you. You are already strong if you find your strength in Jesus Christ.
Thankfully, many women see through the error of feminism and don't let it shape their worldview.
I thank these women for their example.
And now I must go. I have pizza to eat.
Aaron M. Fugate
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