Hello UBC blog world,
Today in tutorial we discussed Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. As I said in my last post, I find it difficult to discuss was a key feminist text seeing that I am a white male and often seen as the oppressor of women and society – heck we white men are the oppressors of everyone (and I am not denying this).
In the last few weeks I have tried to stay as quiet as i could during discussions, because frankly I have nothing to add and when I do add things I get either shot down or blank stares of WTF, but today I spoke up and said that i cannot fathom why so many women IN CANADA state that they are oppressed when comparatively they are so equal (if not perceived as better) I know that this will elicit many comments and frankly I am sure that most people are better read on this subject so I can’t argue my opinion with any solid first hand evidence.
my point is: Sometimes I find that “others’ not just women but any group that had been severely oppress in the past hold on to this as a barttering chip. Now I do not say that women and minorites don’t get underpaid compared to white men but sometimes (not always) i think this chip is played to discredit someone elses accomplishments. I know that it Ariela reads this, she will say that this is a problematic view point and I say: Oh well.
Anywho,
I was on the bus today and i frazzled pregnant woman got on the bus with a stroller. She was lookign quite rough and like any typical young mum with multiple kids. then she opened her mouth. I will admit I was eavesdropping and she began talking about quantum physics, and how by the age of 16 she had completed 2nd year physics and how she fiured out nuclear chemistry by herself yada yada yada and it reminded me of the discussion we had about how women seem to get yack no matter what they do and I thought she was a perfect example of a woman who can have both: be a mum and still be a goddamn phd scientist.
Also,
next year arts one should do Hamlet and the Lion King – remake/remodel the most famous play in the world.
Hi Seamus:
Just getting to this now…I didn’t know you had posted anything after class last week!
I do agree that when compared with women and other groups in other parts of the world especially, women in Canada are significantly more equal, have lives that are significantly better. There’s no denying that! I still think, myself, that saying a group is not as bad off as others in the world doesn’t mean that group can’t still be experiencing problems that need to be fixed. And even though, comparatively, they may seem less drastic problems, they can still affect people in significant ways. I expect you’re right that some people use past and current oppressions to discredit others’ accomplishments. But I also think it’s legitimate to point out the ways in which certain groups still experience inequality, because only that way can we actually do something about it.
Kudos to the physicist mother! From my own perspective, though, I have not found that it’s really possible to have it all. I have a PhD and a career, and I love what I do, but my family life suffers from the amount of time it takes. Working 6-7 days a week and most weeknights means not much time for my family. But this is not just a female problem–it’s something men who have to work a lot experience too. Oh for the days of a 40 hour work week and real weekends!