"Girls must make a lifetime commitment (call it a "life plan" if that dirty word career has too many celibate connotations) to a field of thought, to work of serious importance to society...As boys go on from the liberal arts core to study architecture, law, the arts, science, girls must be encouraged to go on, to make a life plan. It has been shown that girls with this kind of a commitment are less eager to rush into marriage, less panicky about finding a man, more responsible for their sexual behavior. Most of them marry, of course, but on a much more mature basis. Their marriages then are not an escape but a commitment shared by two people that becomes part of their commitment to themselves and society. If, in fact, girls are educated to make such commitments, the question of sex and when they will marry will lose its overwhelming importance. It is the fact that women have no identity of their own that makes sex, love, marriage, and children seem the only and essential facts of women's lives."
--Betty Friedan
1963 and again in 2001
4 comments:
I can't help but feel that this post is a bit of a non sequitur, but I am intrigued, insofar as I have no idea why you picked this particular quote. At first I wanted to respond, but, as I am unable to appreciate the context of the passage, eventually decided against it. Which is just as well, because I would probably end up boring the both of us. In any event, the groom to be has asked me to buy an expensive pair of boat shoes for his wedding and, to top it off, has requested that each of his groomsmen read a passage of some sort. The theme is "love", which poses a bit of a problem, since most of the literature in my possession is intended to reinforce my own dim view of humanity. At the risk of asking a favor that you might deem inappropriate, could you suggest a selection for the big show? I ask because you know the guy, you know literature, and, most importantly, you know "love." I understand you may not wish to contribute, but should you change your mind, I would be eternally in your debt. Right now my choices appear to be excerpts from Naked Lunch or the Bob Seeger classic "Night Moves." Please prevent me from humiliating myself. I will be wearing size 17 boat shoes at great personal expense, and cannot sing Seeger without a falsetto.
SAK
You crack me up. I can brainstorm about a passage...though the first thing that popped into my head was Pablo Neruda's Sonnet 17. How do you feel about reading poetry?
I feel detached from the reality of this...people getting older.
Also, please see the recent "tanka" post. It could inspire you to write something.
Can you give me your email address or something to make communication easier?
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