Why Do We?

When Cindy Crawford told her Dad that she wanted to become a model, he protested, saying that modeling was just a nice word for prostitution. I wonder what he was saying after witnessing her successful movie career?

His reaction is no different from the millions of males throughout the ages who sought control over females by threatening their “honor.” It is still how most males and cultures operate, even in many sectors of this “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave!”

Therefore, the question becomes: what is a good career future for women, and in pursuing that is Anything and Everything OK?

Not quite, since it is hard for me to believe, as an example, that many women were celebrating the fact that our military has recently decided to have females serving in all branches of combat anywhere, everywhere! Is this an achievement, a milestone that we should be getting excited about, or a very sad depiction of how women, rather than being the torch-bearers for negotiations and peace, are being manipulated into that same violent, belligerent combative role; that we have been thrown into the arena of that same ferocious behavior that many of us have been ranting and raving against?

Are those celebrating not aware that promoting violence as a method of domineering has a surreptitious way of creeping in from the warring battle zones and mindsets into all aspects of society, including our homes and bedrooms? Don’t we have enough proof of that yet? So, Why do we?

I could not believe it, either, when this country crowned a Military Woman as Miss USA 2016! Uniting Beauty and Violence? What message is this sending to our impressionable young men and women? It is paradoxical, to say the least! It is also sinister, for we are only glorifying war and violence! Why do we?

Recently, and amongst all our misrepresentations of the Middle East and Iraq War, the corrupt and sensationalist journalists of our mainstream media were getting erections as they were reporting about the Yazidi Warrior Women; picturing them with their guns and ammunition, smiles, cigarettes, covered heads and flowing robes! How in hell can it be exciting to witness a woman on a violent battlefield Killing anyone??? What does it prove about humanity? What does it contribute to women’s liberation and equality, or, to the war on ISIS, for that matter!? It’s just pathetic that these are portrayed as values that we, women, should celebrate!

This is misguided feminism. It is feminism gone awry! It is not Equality. It is not Freedom of Choice. In fact, it is further proof of how women, under the guise of becoming equal, are being herded into upholding, supporting and being part of a male legacy of war-mongering and aggression that has devastated humanity, and is still doing so.

There are 200+ sovereign states on this planet. There are only about 22 of them that are headed by women, and only about 6 or 7 of those which belong to nations that hold sway at world forums. This is dismal! Moreover, in looking back over the female political leaders our world has experienced, I find that most of them immediately assumed all the male attributes of war-mongering, obstinacy, greed, manipulation and, very quickly, became as corrupt as most male world political leaders throughout time. None were Peace Makers! How do we continue to accept this?

On the one hand we are luring women – and young girls – into putting on ultra-high stiletto heels that make them look ridiculous and walk funny; selling them clothes that make them look more like sluts instead of elegant; sending them the message that diamonds, glitz and landing a rich man are what they should be aiming for; and, on the other hand, telling them that by being violent combatants they would have attained equality. How does any of this make sense? Why? Why do we?

Yes, we women in this century do have choices, but our choices require reason and good judgment, mainly because our gender roles in this era are as confused as our world, a world that is going through a tremendously turbulent time. The Information Age that began about forty years ago is still in its embryonic stage, and none of our world politicians, leaders, or ordinary humans are yet fully aware of how to cope with and manage it. It will take decades yet! In the meantime, anywhere you look you are bound to find humongous dysfunction. This dysfunction spans every establishment and institution and ranges from our bedrooms to our corporate board rooms.

Truth, Honesty, Integrity, Transparency, Choice, Equality, Freedom and so many other attributes and values have been manipulated so often and so well; we have turned everything upside down and muddied the waters so much that people don’t know anymore what is the Truth and what are blatant Lies parading as Truth; what exactly does it mean to have Equality and Choice; what are the female attributes than can balance and enhance the male attributes; and, whether in order to become Equal we should assume those same aggressive behaviors of dominance, combat and violence.

During this instability, we women should rather actively and avidly resume our age-old role of being the nurturers, the peace-makers, the negotiators, the compromisers and refuse to give in to the lure and allure of being militarized and corrupted by a political, economic and social System that has failed us, and failed humanity in a miserable way. Our “gentle touch” is more needed than ever in a world that seems to be heading towards the abyss!

Whereas we should not allow threats to our “honor” to be a reason for manipulating us and preventing us from following our aspirations, we should not, by that same token, sacrifice our wisdom and femininity by acquiring macho behaviors and making career choices that we have been chastising males for.

And again I say: the rot is at the top, and it seeps down from there to engulf everyone and everything. Unless that is rooted out, nothing will change and the turmoil in our world will continue with more polarization, extremism, fanaticism and fascism until, perhaps, we annihilate ourselves and this planet. Why? Why do we?

And no, I am not exaggerating!