From Times Online comes this interesting article by Adam Sage where he interviews French feminist Elisabeth Badinter on her new book Le Conflit, La Femme et La Mère (The Conflict, The Woman and The Mother). From the interview, we get the overall message that Badinter believes that the"Green Movement" (you know, the movement that wants moms to breastfeed, used cloth diapers, make their own baby food, etc.) is at odds with women's liberation:
"Between the protection of trees and the liberty of women, my choice is clear,” she says. “It may seem derisory but powdered milk, jars of baby food and disposable nappies were all stages in the liberation of women.”
She's right! Is it really possible for a woman to breastfeed, make her own baby food, and wash all the diapers while maintaining her pre-child social- and work-life? Possible maybe, but it would be very hard.
The interesting thing here, of course, is watching two non-traditional movements fight. Whose side do I take? In the Greens vs. Feminists fight, I will ALWAYS side with Green (not just because I'm a die-hard Spartan fan). Why? Well, on this specific point, it's the Green mother who sacrifices more for her child. Does she sacrifice for love of her child or for love of Mother Earth? That's where the story gets gray, but the mother who sacrifices for the duties of motherhood has her priorities straighter than the mother who doesn't.
Plus, I'm much greener than I am feminist in practice. On the one hand, I just finished reading and agreeing with "Casti Canubii" by Pius XI; on the other hand, I'm considering making the switch to cloth diapers (or "nappies," for all the British readers out there!).
So I can take a side on the Green vs. Feminist duke-out not because I'm green or feminist, but because I'm Catholic.
(HT to Cloth Diaper Blog)
No comments:
Post a Comment