randy@ms.uky.edu (Randy Appleton) (01/04/91)
In soc.feminism you write: >There are other goals of feminism: the safeguarding of the dignity of >all women, be they workers or be they household engineers, and =================== >ensuring that society respects whatever choice of lifestyle a woman >makes. Oh Gawd, what a terrible euphamism! I don't mean to come down on what my mom would call a housewife, but those duities do *not* fit with what I think of when I think of an engineer. "Household engineer" sounds too much like "Sanitation engineer"; a title designed to add respect to a very common occupation, but one that ends up degrading it thru sarcasm. Not that I think you mean it sarcastically, but .... Perhaps homemaker is already an honorable profession. And finally, except for this part, I liked what you wrote. Keep up the good work. -Randy -- ============================================================================= My feelings on George Bush's promises: "You have just exceeded the gulibility threshold!" ============================================Randy@ms.uky.edu==================
rwilson@sol.uvic.ca (Rich Wilson) (01/05/91)
In article <randy.662888477@s.ms.uky.edu> randy@ms.uky.edu (Randy Appleton) writes: [in reference to the phrase "household engineer"] >Oh Gawd, what a terrible euphamism! I don't mean to come down on what >my mom would call a housewife, but those duities do *not* fit with >what I think of when I think of an engineer. >"Household engineer" sounds too much like "Sanitation engineer"; a >title designed to add respect to a very common occupation, but one >that ends up degrading it thru sarcasm. Not that I think you mean it >sarcastically, but .... >Perhaps homemaker is already an honorable profession. To each her own but I refer to myself as "wife and mother" when asked my occupation. I feel very valuable when describing myself as this because I feel that for myself raising children is THE most important job in the world! If someone were to say "just" a wife and mother, or underestimate the value of what I do then I just think they are very silly and aren't thinking straight. I am very proud of what I do and I think I do it quite well. My children have no doubt that they are so very loved and valued and important people. For them to feel that way takes continual personal growth and honest self-assessment and authenticity on my part. Most other occupations don't require this to nearly the same degree so no way could I feel that what I do is 'easier' or less valuable. The rewards are pretty incredible too. Today I took a nap and when I got up my nine year old daughter said she had a surprise for me. She had tidied up the living room and dining room and vacuumed them. She said "I did it for you Mum because I love you so much and you're the best Mum in the whole world" and gave me a big hug. My children are always doing nice things for me because they want to show their love for me. I just can't begin to describe how loved and blessed I feel. Of course the best reward of all is seeing them growing up as happy, secure, joyful little people. God they are adorable! And smart, kids are so smart and so sharp. I think they deserve a lot more respect as people than society generally gives them. So what I hear when someone says that staying home to raise children is not as valuable as whatever is that they are really saying that children are not as valuable as whatever. Unfortunately our society at present seems to hold the attitude that property, money, wealth, power, material things are infinitely more important and valuable than children are. What a total load of sad and dangerous crap! I personally do not feel the need to describe or label what I do as anything but the incredibly valuable and honorable job that it is -- wife and mother. Or husband and father in the case of a man who stays home raising children. Anne Wilson
kelly@Solbourne.COM (kelly rise) (01/16/91)
Sorry, I don't have the original so can't credit this to the author. >There are other goals of feminism: the safeguarding of the dignity of >all women, be they workers or be they household engineers, and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Seems to me that changing the terminology here hasn't increased the status of the position. Is worker defined and/or commonly accepted to mean 'wage earners empolyed in the public or private sector'? I don't think so. I took this statement as unconsciously demeaning to homemakers. I'm not trying to flame the author, just pointing out that language is subtle. -kelly kelly@solbourne.com -- Kelly Rise kelly@Solbourne.COM ...!{boulder,sun}!stan!kelly The beatings will stop as soon as company morale improves.