Does anatomy still mean destiny in U.S.?
"Women, like men. nre both
born and made One is not
horn, hut rather becomes, a
woman It is civilization as a
whole that produces this crea
ture. “
— Simone <lw Beauvoir
In Eugene there is a daily
radio program that includes a
competition called "The Hat
ties of the Sexes." The partici
pants are a man and a woman
who each receive questions that
they ("according to the Ameri
can gender system") should
have a hard time to answer The
man answers questions about
products in the house and chil
dren, and the woman has to
answer questions concerning
math, cars and sports.
Most Americans grow up to
feel that men and women play
very distinct parts in society,
where the women and their
work is to serve primarily fami
ly needs — her husband and
children.
The breadwinning husband
lias the benefit of coming home
to a clean house with dinner
served in the kitchen, while the
housewife can enjoy the luxury
of being "financially supported"
by tier husband
From outside, this picture can
he regarded as ideal and valu
able, but from inside it is clear
that both men and women are
suffering from tins traditional
system, perhaps without even
being aware of it. I lie American
women have become too depen
dent upon the breadwinning
husband, which means that they
are neglecting themselves
opportunities like an education
and a career. Even if the role of a
housewife is important, it's time
to see beyond the traditional
system and realize that anatomy
still means destiny in the United
States
DUCKS RENT FT
m
MOVIE RENTALS*OPEN24HOURS
13th & Patterson •- 342-1727
If you are horn a woman, you
can never be regarded as equal
and reai h goals in life because
your desliny is to please the
man and n eg lei t your own feel
ings and opinions. Studies in a
number of countries have shown
that women who are employed,
and espei tally those who i on
tinue to be employed in the mid
dle years of life, ant more liable
to take an interest in community
activities, to display more inde
pendence in political judgment,
to play activv rather than pas
sive roles.
Coming from Norway, a lead
ing country in the field of equal
rights, l was raised by a father
who changed my diapers and a
mother who was out all day
working Ms father had moved
his office home for the while, so
that mv mother could continue
in her position as a medical dix
tor. It was a wonderful way to
get to know my parents who had
adapted into their new roles in
the 1960s.
In Norway the principle of
equality Ire I ween the sexes was
fully sane tioned during this
time, which meant that funda
mental attitude held by people
was rapidly changing both indi
viduals and families were pre
pared to alter their lifestyles in
keeping with the newly
espoused principle of equality,
which meant that mv father took
on his shure of work in the
house, while mv mother was an
emancipated working mother I
grew up ai knowledging that
both my mum and dad had
something valuable to give me.
and that mv personality would
have ln>eii split in half if I would
just have had my mum by my
side during my upbringing.
Coming to the United States
then was not at all easy, facing
a totally different gender system.
1 still remember arriving in Seat
tle and meeting Americans for
the first time.
1 called my parents and told
them that 1 was regarded as an
egocentric person who placed
personal gratifii ation above (the
traditional American) family
duty, by claiming that women
$AQQ
2 HRS HK
! 4 HRS. O
ALL DAY *1<H
IMilacluMDStinnUII
199 W. 8th Eugene • 484-7344
wjTi'i&irawS ” r £* nt <tvJCH ™ .3
■ASTONISHINCr
^DAZZLINC!
Tl> tcmm» ililum wl*
—ntr" ■"•■ ■-•
MUCH |
ADO I
i ' ABOU I
NOTHING ,
E2J
VTMTiniMT. Mi «
mi fmi f nj» i
KlVIRlUH |
BicBiamv vc««sb 1
1 DAVE
After 10 months in the United States, I
am still regarded by American male
traditionalists in terms of my sex.
should be able to seek fulfill
ment both m the public and the
private world. They laughed,
and wished me good luck. and
from that stage on I knew I was
in for a battle in defending im
position and sex ill ft new soci
ety.
Although 1 was fighting a dif
ferent battle than the Amaru an
feminists, I believed I could
i hangu the traditional men's
picture of women and women s
picture of themselves by odm at -
ing them about the gender sys
tern m Norway, using mv home
as the perfet t example of how it
is possible to reach tnjnality. and
to show it values and benefits If
1 could make the American
women comprehend that they
are treated in every i ircum
stane.e by their sex. and tii.it the
life outside of the house is more
than |us( a trap of monotonous
low-paving jobs. I knot* they
yvill yvm more than just person
al gratification
And maybe most important,
where men are ac customed to
women working, and to the
broader interrelation of the sex
es that follows from this, they
are more likely to be tolerant of
women seeking roles beyond
those that are traditionally
accepted.
Today. more than 70 percent
of Norwegian women have paid
employment outside of the
home, and the country has an
in< leasing number of women in
parliament The prime minister
is a woman, as am nine out of 19
cabinet ministers and the lead
ers of two of the political par
ties
After 10 months in the United
States. I am still regarded by
American male traditionalists in
terms of my sex. even if I have
tried to disc uss. and show them
otherwise I believe that most
American man recognize that
they have lawn < omfortahle with
the benefits of the status quo,
not allowing themselves to
change in the same wav as the
Norwegian men and women
The attitude is clearly nun h
the same as it was even before
the feminist movement started,
and it is this attitude that has to
change if the United States
wants to real h a gender-neutral
system If the American women
i an realize that it w ill he more
tienefii ml to plat e personal grab
ideation above family duty. and
the Amerit an men will rei og
nize that the role of playing
breadw inner anil macho are no
longer net essary, both sexes can
work together for equality which
will provide them with new
knowledge about eat h other
I he restrii ted boundaries to
both men anti women will open
so that exchange of roles i an
begin, and so we i an find toler
ance for the roles seeked beyond
those that are traditionally
accepted
I realize that to dose the gap
between prim iple and legisla
tion on the one hand, and reali
tv and individual attitudes on
the other hand will be extreme
ly diffit nil in a society where
Inequality is a part of the Amer
ican culture Maybe it s about
time that the Americans can see
ifiul something is sincerely
wrong with the places of the
sexes and recognize that anato
my does not have to mean des
tiny.
Being a woman in 1993
should mean equal opportuni
ties, not onlv a contra* t into
marriage The dreams and goals
that many American women
carry inside should he brought
into light and recognized both
by the opposite sex and the gov
ernment
Stisanne Steffens will be an
Kmerald reporter fall term
WtM July 2*) $3
ptuA ytu \L\
\iii\ m» >f $4
Warfaca
R.D.
Dog
July 31 $4
3 Day Stabbla
Flowarz
30-.06
\\0S Uuy-t $3
Joyrida
Raft
pl*L\ yiU\\t.\
lluy 'J $2
The Poor) Divan
ptuA
tiuif- 3 $3
llw HoiMaoli
IhtUqrttOMR
Dimlhnd
liny. 4 $3 j
Th« (Inanosod
Faca Valac
Dig Fag
131 Lilli
342 3351
team*
iRtfki iRkt
Presenting: Who
The OoW^s Pizza
neliversl* y
' 730 E. Broadway
Eugene. OR 97401
484-2919
LI/VH
PIZZA DELI VERY
Limited Delivery Area/Minimum Oder Required, visa a Mastercard Accepted
pwmm ■§ m ■■ ■■ i
$2 OFF
ANY
MEDIUM PIZZA
LIMOUSINE
Pizza delivery
$3 OFF |
ANY
LARGE PIZZA l
I
Valid only at 730 E Broadway Location Not valid with any other otter. |
Expires August 31. 1993 Deliveries subject to $8 minimum purchas^ j