REAL NATURE

A Woman's Choice.

My mother-in-law, who has held some pretty high-profile jobs (including Assistant Attorney General under Carter), used to say that the women's movement was inaptly named. It wasn't really feminism; it was careerism. It wasn't a recognition and celebration of the uniquely female contributions to society; it was a glorification of the job market.

Although Betty Friedan spoke of women's right to choose, a careful reading of her work suggests that only one choice is acceptable -- a career. Motherhood was demeaned and diminished. Clearly only women with no brains or ambition would stay home to raise their family.
Bright, well-educated young women are choosing to stay home with their children because they see the importance and want to.

So when I read Lisa Belkin's article, "The Opt-Out Revolution" in a recent edition of Sunday's New York Times Magazine, I applauded. Not because I thought every word she said was true, but because finally it was all out in the open. Bright, well-educated young women are choosing to stay home with their children. Not because they have no other options [Belkin's article focused on the fortunate mothers who do]. But because they see the importance and want to. Because finally, almost 40 years after the inception of the women's liberation movement, women are truly free to choose. And they're exercising that choice in droves.

About 18 years ago, we had a young man over for Shabbat