With this consciousness created, women began to re-think the kitchen and to no longer see it as their appropriate “office”. Lured by gender consciousness, women began to make their voices heard. This began to happen not only in the church and politics but also within their respective families. This was happening as a way of tampering with the long existing male chauvinistic and patriarchic dominance. To accelerate issues in this regard some women started denouncing vehemently men’s views of them. As Shakespeare would say, “frailty is but another name for women”. They began to view themselves as “necessary good” not “necessary evils” and as “effective begotten creatures” not “defective misbegotten” beings. Now, just as always arguments rise and fall but those who had no interest before are declaring their stance on feminine existential issues. This article proposes to generally examine the argument for and against women emancipation and to draw a response.
Women Emancipation: What it Entails:
Women emancipation reflects a change of women status in society from the prevailing status characterized by subservient stereotypes, to one more inclusive, which will avail the equal rights and opportunities with the male counterparts. It is a call, in the proper sense, for the restoration of the fundamental equality of women and men in praxis.
The Pro-Arguments:
Some women and protagonists of women emancipation have sought to establish why women should be regarded and seen as being complementary and peerless pairs to men. As one questions the status quo of male chauvinistic and andocentric tendencies they explain that women need to rise for self-liberation by not allowing themselves to be sexually exploited by men. This goes for sexual exploitation of women expressed in the general toleration of male sexual indulgence by both public opinion and courts, in the physical abuse of women or in the legal system which condemns the prostitute and protects her clients. In the Christian circle it has been argued that it is women who support the church; build by mobilization and monetary contributions, the pastor’s quarters and care for him. They are the people that one readily finds in the church and in ministries within the church. Therefore if the advancement of the church throughout the world fully utilizes their efforts then their dynamic contributions and presence must be recognized even in the churches’ ministerial hierarchy as in the ordination of women as priests.
In many quarters today women emancipation is reached for in order to eliminate what some term as the “burden of motherhood”, “marriage” and “family values”. In the opinion of many core feminists motherhood and the like are not only obsolete but also at least part if not the nexus of the prevailing credence to the male dominance over them.
Furthermore, some argue that this movement gingers women to champion the cause for the defeat of the child-marriage system. There is a change in the mentality where women are being considered as childbearing machines and objects of pleasures. Even issues of forced widowhood, purdah system and self-immolation of the wife upon the death of her husband, which had made women slaves in male dominated society calls for emancipation, some argue.
Women emancipation crowns their arguments with a fact that women are equal with men as far as human personhood is concerned. There is no distinction of high and low or between man and woman. The soul in both is the same. The two lives the same live have the same feelings, as each essentially complements the other.
Commenting in this regard, Theresa Okure maintains: “What has been tagged a woman’s issue is in effect a humanity issue. To the extent that women are treated as inferior to men, to that extent is humanity itself degraded, deprived and oppressed.”
Counter Arguments:
Some people consider the women movement and its arguments with understanding sympathy. A great many others, including both men and women, have viewed the development as ugly and with alarm. They summarize the movement as that which has earned the notoriety of becoming imperialism, a social dogma whose salutary worth is unmistakably taken for granted. According to Alice Von Hildebrand, this movement has pathetically turned contemporary female mentality to detest pregnancy, maternity, matrimony, the kitchen and the head tie as enemies to female progress.
Unfortunately, this move cannot be accepted, say opponents. Given its ubiquitous expression of godlessness that abounds our age to name a few: high rate of suicide, contraception, sterilization, euthanasia, abortion, prostitution, the sentry and the control of the third world bedrooms by western population control mechanism and diplomatic cruelty. The tragedy then becomes an unrestricted anxiety among women to join the bandwagon of patronizing and advancing such perfidies.
Another objection for the rejection of this movement is based on its imperialistic mechanism of compelling women to join the move; from cajoling to ridiculing through psychological manipulation. For Mrs. Chana Rovinsky Flegger “the feminist movement is filled with many angry hurting women who have not known yet God’s plan for women or who were presented with distorted and contorted views of it”, and Dr. J. Kasun says that as a result of such contorted brain-washing “the love for children innate in feminists is transferred to pets as many feminists seems to be especially fond of pets… even referring to cats and dogs as their children…”
Furthermore, the opponents argue by insisting that the sexes are different and that roles assigned are natural. In a sarcastic disclaim of this move Mrs. Alice Von Hildebrand declares that “…males are definitely superior to females… where are the female Shakespeare, Beethoven’s, and Michelangelo’s… a police woman is something that just aches my ears…for goodness sake, let us (women) leave this type of jobs for men…”
Adding insult to injury, Mrs. Betty Steels laments that “even the women who had previously found the greatest satisfaction in their home responsibilities….and had always managed their husband’s cheques….were sooner confused and discontented.” What a tragedy to be lived by women, some concluded.
Responses:
To the arguments claiming that equality of gender is synonymous with identity or uniformity this is no doubt correct. Male and female were created by Him and yes both are God’s gifts. But equality, as equality in all its confines, does not equate identity or uniformity. There are attributes in which men are better endowed than women and vice versa. The point remains that the equality women emancipation movement jealously demands for and transcends the differences of social rank and status. It is equality, which readily prompts the treatment of people, as ends in themselves-persons possessing certain common humanity, be it legal, religious, political or economic!
The point made that this movement should be dropped because sexes are different and the roles God assigned are different is lucid. Such proponents should also recognize that the “fight” for women emancipation is never a war of women against men and their roles. Properly understood, it is a demand for actualization of the fundamental equality of men and women; hence their full humanity.
As for the argument championing the elimination of the burden of motherhood, marriage and family values through ubiquity means that one scarcely finds it satisfying in respect to the sanctity, sacredness and inviolability of human life and authentic family ethos. “Necessity knows no law” is a popular maxim but can hardly serve as a good or right judgment. An attempt to actualize women emancipation goals through mundane means depletes humanity and attracts the sledge- hammer of retributive judgment.
Conclusions:
The methods of women emancipation for ages have been questioned and criticized sharply. Their ideas regarding the equality of both sexes have created much misunderstanding. Their defense against the masculinity aura of superiority has given the impression in some quarters that they are anti- masculinity. But it is truth that the male dominance and age-old customs have made some women slaves.
Women emancipation is not a terrible event that should cause great sadness; it is not a tragedy or abomination. Rather it seeks to prove and show the truth, the justice and value that characterize women’s existence. Whatever denies, diminishes or distorts the full humanity of women is and should be appraised. If there is going to be peace, it calls for both men and women to see themselves to the order established by nature. Both man and woman need to know that equality is not by birth but by virtue that makes all the difference. All things being equal, the truth lies that women rights are equal to human rights!
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