Any country that puts women of childbearing age into combat is a society that is busy cutting its own throat.
I'm a woman who has been on the front line in some prison riots. I did that AFTER I raised my kids, and they didn't need me anymore. (A mother's job description is to raise children to be responsible adults who don't need her and their dad.)
Ah ... I was always a feminist, I think - but then began to realize that I was a "small f" feminist, and the loud and proud official and capital F feminists really had nothing to say to me. Equal opportunities when it came to education, job opportunities, and when it came to pay for doing those jobs ... that was only fair. I also realized, early on, that having some kind of skill/profession that would earn you some kind of living was a necessary thing. I had read of too many women who had no other skill than being a housewife who got left high and dry when hubby decided to trade in for a newer model, or even women with perfect and responsible husbands who were left similarly stranded when that husband died unexpectedly. Have a professional skill, even if you set it aside for a couple of years to raise the children.
I came up in the Air Force, just as the military for women was changing from the ladies auxiliary - to being able to qualify for practically every job there was except for pararescue and combat air controller. In basic training, we had a physical test to qualify for certain jobs - lift 200 pounds over your head. (It was a weight and pully set up, IIRC.) Only two girls in my trainee flight could do it. I could lift it as far as my chin ... but eventually the lesson I came away with was that women had strengths and skills for certain jobs and challenges. Not the same things, quite as men ... but we had those strengths and skills. They were different strengths and skills. Just that. Different. A sensible person ought to go for those jobs that played towards those strengths.
I'm not talking about the official movement, but the word itself.
It's the word generally used for the idea of recognizing that women also have the same natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that men have.
It is also a word used for the idea of hateful Leftist misandry and official conformity to an oppressive groupthink.
It's the word generally used for both in our culture, so it is what it is. I'm personally sick of ideological groupthink wordgames from both sides.
It's beautiful to see how you and Ian complement each other, and it reinforces my prejudices as well. I was born to drag knuckles, grunt intelligibly on occasion, and to guard and protect my wife and children with my life. My beloved is amusing in a way: she'll pay lip service to "feminism", but when push comes to shove, she's smart enough to let me act as Horatius while she gets herself and Kid to safety.
Other than that, it's a partnership of equals. We each have our strengths, and it's our good fortune that her strengths and mine tend to be complementary.
Cherishing the differences and the similarities both is what makes a lifelong partnership.
As a man who venerates, reveres, respects, and defends the "fairer" sex among us, it is a balm to my troubled soul when someone like yourself speaks these truths. Despite how much I hear from "Modern women" and the lies and hate they spew, more and more I hear of ladies like yourself. It makes me smile. 🙂
That was fabulous. A decent person speaks. Of course we are all flawed, but if we know we are flawed at least we can do something about it.And correct for it. Men and women are different. Complementary. 2 parts to a whole. I don't remember when I first started reading the Bugscuffle Gazette, but it always informs me and sometimes just blows me away. Like today.
I've seen you in passing at cons. I thought you would be a neat person to know. Now I'm sure of it. You and Lawdog are both well suited for each other. I would say lucky but luck favors the prepared mind or something. The term blessed comes to mind.
Regarding your note about women in combat - Israel tried this, and experienced exactly what you describe. It's why they no longer allow women in frontline roles.
OMG! I could have written this exact piece! Down to voting for Ann Richards over Clayton, even though I was already a GOP baby. I was both feminine and a original "feminist " in the sense that women should have equal opportunities, but they best keep up. My military Dad disabused me off the notion of women in combat for all the reasons you cite.
My dad always told me that I could do anything I put my mind and heart into. He was right....to a point. You have articulated my inner beliefs perfectly. Yes, I can do many things, but being a frontline fighter (or jobs along those lines) aren't one of them. Truthfully, I'd far rather see a big, burly MALE cop respond to my call for help than a little, lightly built woman. And I believe that we are genetically programmed to fulfill our gender roles. I, as a mom, would absolutely kill for my children...no matter the odds. My husband would protect his family. Complimenting each other.
They used to be partly selected for height. Texas Rangers, for one, made a thing of it. Projecting strength and power has advantages, particularly when dealing with folks who are very scared or dealing in mischief. They had to stop doing that because of "equity."
But, now they train everyone how to ACT like they're 10 feet tall. Because the effectiveness of projecting strength and power didn't go away. Just an easy way to achieve it did.
Don't get me started on firemen. Sorry, firepersons.
I'll go back and finish reading this in a bit, but I had Bernardine Bluntly come up on another of her good shorts "Anything men can do, we (women) can do better" series.
Any country that puts women of childbearing age into combat is a society that is busy cutting its own throat.
I'm a woman who has been on the front line in some prison riots. I did that AFTER I raised my kids, and they didn't need me anymore. (A mother's job description is to raise children to be responsible adults who don't need her and their dad.)
Ah ... I was always a feminist, I think - but then began to realize that I was a "small f" feminist, and the loud and proud official and capital F feminists really had nothing to say to me. Equal opportunities when it came to education, job opportunities, and when it came to pay for doing those jobs ... that was only fair. I also realized, early on, that having some kind of skill/profession that would earn you some kind of living was a necessary thing. I had read of too many women who had no other skill than being a housewife who got left high and dry when hubby decided to trade in for a newer model, or even women with perfect and responsible husbands who were left similarly stranded when that husband died unexpectedly. Have a professional skill, even if you set it aside for a couple of years to raise the children.
I came up in the Air Force, just as the military for women was changing from the ladies auxiliary - to being able to qualify for practically every job there was except for pararescue and combat air controller. In basic training, we had a physical test to qualify for certain jobs - lift 200 pounds over your head. (It was a weight and pully set up, IIRC.) Only two girls in my trainee flight could do it. I could lift it as far as my chin ... but eventually the lesson I came away with was that women had strengths and skills for certain jobs and challenges. Not the same things, quite as men ... but we had those strengths and skills. They were different strengths and skills. Just that. Different. A sensible person ought to go for those jobs that played towards those strengths.
'Feminism' joins a whole host of other words that started with decent concepts, but have been twisted and corrupted into something malignant.
You need to learn more about the founding history of the movement.
I'm not talking about the official movement, but the word itself.
It's the word generally used for the idea of recognizing that women also have the same natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that men have.
It is also a word used for the idea of hateful Leftist misandry and official conformity to an oppressive groupthink.
It's the word generally used for both in our culture, so it is what it is. I'm personally sick of ideological groupthink wordgames from both sides.
Damn, girl. You rock!
It's beautiful to see how you and Ian complement each other, and it reinforces my prejudices as well. I was born to drag knuckles, grunt intelligibly on occasion, and to guard and protect my wife and children with my life. My beloved is amusing in a way: she'll pay lip service to "feminism", but when push comes to shove, she's smart enough to let me act as Horatius while she gets herself and Kid to safety.
Other than that, it's a partnership of equals. We each have our strengths, and it's our good fortune that her strengths and mine tend to be complementary.
Cherishing the differences and the similarities both is what makes a lifelong partnership.
As a man who venerates, reveres, respects, and defends the "fairer" sex among us, it is a balm to my troubled soul when someone like yourself speaks these truths. Despite how much I hear from "Modern women" and the lies and hate they spew, more and more I hear of ladies like yourself. It makes me smile. 🙂
This is where I used to be. I'm dead-set against the -isms now, no matter what palatable story is used to sell them.
People. Virtue. Truth. Lovingkindness. Craftsmanship... Yes.
If it needs an -ISM? Nope.
-Isms often turn into a philosophical Bed of Procrustes, cutting and stretching until you fit their ideal, and then they change the ideal.
No thanks- not from the Left, and not from the Right, either.
Yep. Fake gods.
That was fabulous. A decent person speaks. Of course we are all flawed, but if we know we are flawed at least we can do something about it.And correct for it. Men and women are different. Complementary. 2 parts to a whole. I don't remember when I first started reading the Bugscuffle Gazette, but it always informs me and sometimes just blows me away. Like today.
I've seen you in passing at cons. I thought you would be a neat person to know. Now I'm sure of it. You and Lawdog are both well suited for each other. I would say lucky but luck favors the prepared mind or something. The term blessed comes to mind.
Thank you for the kind words.
Regarding your note about women in combat - Israel tried this, and experienced exactly what you describe. It's why they no longer allow women in frontline roles.
Front lines are not always where they seem to be as Israel found out on October 7.
As Tolkien noted, 'those without swords can still die upon them'.
But, training your population how to defend themselves is one thing and useful, but sending them out on the front lines is stupid.
OMG! I could have written this exact piece! Down to voting for Ann Richards over Clayton, even though I was already a GOP baby. I was both feminine and a original "feminist " in the sense that women should have equal opportunities, but they best keep up. My military Dad disabused me off the notion of women in combat for all the reasons you cite.
My dad always told me that I could do anything I put my mind and heart into. He was right....to a point. You have articulated my inner beliefs perfectly. Yes, I can do many things, but being a frontline fighter (or jobs along those lines) aren't one of them. Truthfully, I'd far rather see a big, burly MALE cop respond to my call for help than a little, lightly built woman. And I believe that we are genetically programmed to fulfill our gender roles. I, as a mom, would absolutely kill for my children...no matter the odds. My husband would protect his family. Complimenting each other.
Funny about the police....
They used to be partly selected for height. Texas Rangers, for one, made a thing of it. Projecting strength and power has advantages, particularly when dealing with folks who are very scared or dealing in mischief. They had to stop doing that because of "equity."
But, now they train everyone how to ACT like they're 10 feet tall. Because the effectiveness of projecting strength and power didn't go away. Just an easy way to achieve it did.
Don't get me started on firemen. Sorry, firepersons.
I hear you...also on firefighters.
Lucid and succinct. 5/5.
I'll go back and finish reading this in a bit, but I had Bernardine Bluntly come up on another of her good shorts "Anything men can do, we (women) can do better" series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfZ1ESSFvcs
start here: https://www.youtube.com/@BernadineBluntly
Wonderful article, thank you for writing it.
I find it pleasing that we think the same.