First Thoughts on Tong's "Feminist Thoughts"

Reading the first 100 pages was an up and down adventure for me. I liked the 18th and 19th Century historical aspects of feminism. I think this is mostly because I am so far removed from those time periods that I am able to look at them in a way that doesn't encroach upon my own beliefs about femininity. However, as I moved on and began digging into Radical-liberal, and Radical-cultural feminist views and agendas that were taking shape in the 60s-80s I began to become more invested (and flabbergasted). As a person who defines herself as liberal, as a feminist, and as open minded, I was/am struck by the deep rooted dichotomies reflected in both of these "radical" perspectives.

Radical-liberalists' fight is grounded upon reproductive and sexual power. However, they push for androgyny of the sexes as the path to equality and equity. I had a hard time overcoming the idea that reproduction should be an external practice given over to technology. It was hard not to think of "Mars Needs Moms"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aS5W___Ezk

On the other hand Radical-culturalists believe that women should not give up their reproductive power, because it is the only "power" women have over men, but it is still rooted in the dichotomies of the sexes, and labor areas.

I can see for certain that the women who hold these beliefs are committed to these ideas, however I find them too "radical" for what I feel would be useful for the understanding and openness for equality, equity, and justice. What I see as movement toward equality is this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314283/Licia-Ronzulli-brings-baby-EU-Parliament.html

Even though the British writer acknowledges that it probably wouldn't fly for a woman to bring her infant to parliament in Great Britain, he however does acknowledge that women are gaining positions within the voting groups and that the law allowing children at work (specifically in Italy) has made it possible for some to continue working through what was traditionally a time where the mother had to take leave to stay home. This is much more the type of feminism I subscribe to. I'm still working out how I would define and explain my positionality on feminism, but I feel that I am working toward it through the history that Tong is providing.