Apparently, the “Mommy Wars” aren’t really winding down, at least not for some. In her book, Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World, Linda Hirshman berates everyone from “watered down” feminists to the “mommy bunch.” Her hardcore approach to feminism (or feminazism) declares that feminism didn’t fail because it was too radical but because it wasn’t radical enough.
Hirshman denounces those who call themselves feminists yet still agree that women should make whichever choices they feel are best for their own lives. Staying home and taking care of home, husband, and kids, is in her opinion, not a real choice.
She claims “the right choice,” was recognized by old school feminist Betty Friedan who described housework as the work of animals and did not want feminism to include the stay home mom cause or any other similar cause within it.
What is choice feminism? It is a term coined by Hirshman to describe all the wrong choices she feels women are making. You can read excerpts from her book on ABC News. Conservative wives and moms will find the first few paragraphs here interesting: Hirshman on Shafly and ERA.
Ms. Hirshman’s rabid approach to feminism isn’t about making women equal or respecting their choices; it’s about controlling women and telling them which choices are acceptable. While claiming that men seek to oppress and control women, she has apparently determined that attempting to control women’s lives is less oppressive if other women are the ones deciding which choices are suitable and valuable. Apparently, only those who agree with her are valuable and the rest are inferior.
The notion of value isn’t so much about women either. It’s about society. In her opinion, women shouldn’t be wasting their intellect and talents on children and family, when they could be benefiting the greater good. Socialism combined with radical feminism attack the family, and both neglect the fact that bringing up children in a loving and nurturing environment is indeed a benefit to society.
Of all the lies regarding “choice,” radical feminism is one of the biggest lies of all.