The June 19, 2006 issue of Newsweek had a periscope called “Managing Mommies” in which Linda Hirshman discussed her book Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World. Hirshman informs stay at home mom’s that they “should have work that brings influence, honor, compensation, a way of being political, and a hand in shaping the world around you.” It was incredible that Newsweek could be so foolish as to promote such an overt expression of feminism — and one that, ironically, demeans millions of women who are shaping the next generation and society in many significant ways. Not surprisingly, college-educated, intelligent, capable homemakers among Newsweek’s readership overwhelmed the Editor with nastygrams displaying (justifiable!) shock and fury.
As I alluded to when I reviewed Danielle Crittenden’s book, if women of a bygone era were discouraged from influencing the world through the pursuit of a career outside a home and thus restricted to their uniquely womanly callings (bearing and raising children, managing a home), society today has flipped to the other end of the spectrum: Intelligent, successful women are routinely discouraged from leaving the workforce for the sake of family because society considers this a “waste of potential.” Such sentiments are antagonistic and condescending towards women, who innately care deeply for their children. These expressions of feminism are anti-women; they invariably elevate maleness and push women into trying to be like men, denying aspects of their God-given orientation. It is not an issue of whether women are capable of having careers but of whether they must have them in order to receive the respect of society. In this regard, see Harvey Mansfield’s plea for a new feminism.