Sunday Soapbox: A woman's place is in the kitchen

In yesterday's post, I described myself as a budding feminist. I failed to mention that I'm also a complainer (though I try to balance that with being a complimenter as well). Here is an example. I was reading the local weekly paper, and came across two items that made me want to rip it to shreds. The first was an ad for the Brandon Career Symposium. In it, three students were pictured. Under the first, it said Miss __________, CA. Under the second, read Mr. _________, MD. And under the third, it had Miss ___________, RN. Because everyone knows that boys grow up to be doctors and girls grow up to be nurses, right? Grrrrrr. Aren't career symposiums trying to open up students eyes to all the options available to them? Or am I just being naive? Girls are not going to have any problem figuring out they could be a nurse if they wanted to, so why not show them the less obvious choices?

The second item was irritating in the extreme. I was reading the real estate supplement (because I like to keep up on what houses similar to mine are selling for) and came across a listing that said "Calling all women - large kitchen." Seriously, that's a direct quote. Reading this alone would have prompted me into action, but coupled with the ad, it set my blood boiling.

This is where the complaining part comes in. I picked up the phone, called the agency and left a message that went something like: I just read your ad, and I'm really annoyed by it. It is 2006, not 1946. Women are no longer chained to the stove. I think something like "calling all cooks" would have been a lot more appropriate. If I was looking for a house, this ad would prevent me from contacting your company because clearly, you would not understand my needs. You are obviously catering to a crowd that still thinks a woman's place is in the kitchen, and not to women like me.

Sometimes I fear coming across like a crackpot, but generally I've found companies to be really responsive when I bring up my concerns. They want my money, so they tend to listen. I calmly voice my opinion, and if they don't listen to me, I stop being one of their customers. It's not like there aren't other choices.

Complaining comes naturally to me, but feminism does not. I feel very weird about the label, for one thing, and it doesn't accurately describe my views. For me, it's not really about women, it's about equality. I know that not everyone can be equal in all things, but no one should be discriminated against or ignored. Lately, I've been noticing that, despite great gains, women are both those things. I don't see much point in bitching to my friends (though I do that too!), but not telling those who have the power to make changes that it is not okay to belittle, stereotype, or leave out half of the population.

Stepping off my soapbox now.