Zatera Ul

Some things that are floating through my head after wandering around the blogs:

I get the impression from some feminist blogs that they really hold both these beliefs, at the same time: 1) Abstinence does not prevent either pregnancy or STDs, and 2) Condoms are super-magical, perfectly reliable protection against both pregnancy and STDs–most of the time, anyway. I realize that it’s partly because they don’t believe people are actually capable of abstinence (God seems to think differently, and you’d think He would know, if anyone does). Still, I’d much rather put my faith in Jesus than in condoms.

Abstinence was hard (not “unrealistic”, just hard), but so worth all the trouble I saved myself. It’s been great to never, ever, ever have to worry that I might be pregnant. Also, pregnancy is a lot easier when you don’t have any STDs–some of them are really, really bad for babies. (Another thing that makes pregnancy much, much easier is having a loving husband who will go and fetch you the foods you’re craving.)

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I’ve seen a couple of feminist semi-defenses of Linda Hirshman, in a “She’s putting it too bluntly, but she’s right that we should think about how our personal decisions help or hurt the cause of Equality” sort of way. Here’s the great advantage of not being a feminist: not having to worry about Equality. So I’m free to do most of the housework if I want (which I do want, because I like it to get done), wearing a dress if I happen to feel like it, and I’m also free to do somewhat less traditionally feminine things, like study physics and computer science, play with power tools, and lug heavy boxes up the stairs (well, maybe not so much when I’m pregnant). Note that all these things are things I can (and do) do at home, so feminism really has nothing to do with it.

About another Hirshman thing–her “have one child, if you must, but only one” concession: Surely you’re joking, Ms. (Dr.?) Hirshman! I love being pregnant, I feel great, and if you think I’m only going to do this once….!

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Part of my dislike of feminism is the constant push for “reproductive rights.” I take this issue very personally, having been conceived not very long after Roe v. Wade, and certainly without being “planned” or having a well-established family. Why should I be a feminist, when according to feminism I shouldn’t have even been born?

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More about abstinence/fidelity: feminists don’t want abstinence-based sex education in the schools, partly because they think it’s based on religion. Christianity does have a very different philosophy of sex than feminism does. But as a Christian, I have to say that I see God’s laws as being even more binding than the laws of physics. So when they say that you can sleep with whomever you want, as long as you use condoms and contraceptives, without seriously risking your life, health, and general well-being, well, that sounds about as plausible to me as a perpetual-motion machine.

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I’ve said before that I think feminism’s constant state of outrage is one of it’s greatest weaknesses, and that learning to forgive is the only solution, and being forgiven through Christ is the only way to really learn to forgive.