A Confession

There are certain things a woman is told not to readily reveal - her age and weight for example. And so what I am about to reveal may destroy the work of decades of bra-burning women, it is a secret kept closer to the (unsupported) chests of many women as they prepare for careers and power suits than anything you might imagine. Of course, this secret does not apply to all women, many would disagree with what I am about to reveal. But it also doesn't only apply to crazy religious people* or hopeless dreamers. Women who understand how the world works, who know the financial pressures of the modern world, who are intelligent, educated and well-grounded share this dream. There are probably age limits, perhaps early- to mid-20s, when life is not yet settled, when enormous decisions are to be made, but that's not to say it isn't shared in just a small part of a far larger group of women than expected.

And what is this secret? It's one I've discussed on multiple occasions over the past few weeks, with many different women in many different situations. And it's this: many women dream simply of being a housewife. Not a Domestic Goddess with it's connotations of sparkly shiny houses and perfect lives. Simply to care for a family, to have time to look after a house, to be permitted to spend days building relationships with family and friends, to bake, cook, wash, play the days away.

You may say it's idealistic, that in reality a housewife's day is full of poo and isolation, but I'm not saying it's the only dream of every woman, simply has a place in the hearts of many.

I know it would drive me bonkers, but that doesn't stop me sometimes just thinking 'wouldn't it be nice.' So, after all those years of feminism, this generation of young women is left wondering 'Was it worth it? Is that really what we want?' but not allowed to ask out loud. To say this publicly is to declare oneself old-fashioned, backward and foolish. But surely it has to mean something when it comes from the mouths of thinking women?



* I occasionally classify myself as a 'crazy religious person', and here I only mean the attitude that a woman who allows her 'crazy' religious views to influence her life decisions is stupid. Which is completely untrue, foolish, ignorant and offensive, so please stop thinking it. Anyway, I could write an entire blip on this, but I'll just leave it at that.