why do we fear strong women?
October 31st 2006 10:03
Recently acquired by the Art Gallery of NSW is a series of sculptures by Anslem Kiefer, entitled Women of Antiquity: Myrtis, Hypatia, Candidia. The body of work depicts three women who were brilliant thinkers of classical mythology, who transgressed the boundaries of their times, and who were executed or stoned to death. Strong women with independent minds have always existed but have been burdened by their exceptionality. The figures suffer a lack of identity as the heavy objects on their shoulders leave them faceless. Like the Eve, Lilith, Pandora, and countless other female artists, political figures and thinkers, Kiefer’s women of antiquity instigated change and were subsequently alienated and demonised by male dominated history.
Even after all the radical ideas and action of the 1920s, and then 60s/70s, we are still afraid of women who transgress the boundaries of womanhood. We have come a long way in some areas but pretending women have the same possibilities as men is pointless.
On the business/financial news website Forbes.com, Michael Noer wrote an article entitled Don’t Marry Career Women. In it, he cites experts who say professional women are more likely to get divorced, more likely to cheat and less likely to have children: “they will be unhappy if they make more money than you do … you will be unhappy if they make more money than you do … you will be more likely to fall ill … even your house will be dirtier.”
He suggests that when both spouses have careers, labour specialisation in the marriage decreases and the overall value of the marriage is lower for both partners because there is work that doesn’t get done. One can only assume that by this he means domestic duties are neglected and spouses don’t have specialised roles that are defined well enough.
The implication here is that women should stick to doing the housework. He certainly doesn’t suggest that in two-career couples there is a possibility that the man could ease the tension by doing more of the domestic duties, and he completely overlooks the fact that with two incomes it is more likely that a clearner could be afforded.
What he does say is “marrying these women is asking for trouble.”
He frets that higher-educated people are more likely to cheat, as are higher-income-earners, and “when your spouse works outside the home, chances increase that he or she will meet someone more likable than you.” He concludes from this that ‘career’ women are to be avoided, but is blind to the fact that ‘career’ men are included in the statistics and many women also don’t like being cheated on. It’s an attitude that exemplifies how the patriarchy remains threatened by independent or successful women, because those women shake the stability of male power and identity.
To read Michael Noer's article in full, and a counterpoint piece from his college Elizabeth Corcoran, see Forbes.com. Kiefer’s sculptural work is currently on display at AGNSW.
"Marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she's a householder."
Thornton Wilder (1897 - 1975)
Image: AGNSW
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Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
You on the other hand AG, certainly know a lot. You are an absolute pleasure to read. I've just 'discovered' you and can't stop reading your posts.
Why is a strong woman feared?
Firstly define strong woman.
Without comparisons, without judgement, without making rules on what constitutes strength, without platitudes and without prejudice...define Strong Woman.
It's hard to do.
Who makes the rules on what makes a woman strong anyway?
Perhaps a Strong Woman is feared because she cannot be defined...
And what cannot be defined is to be feared.
Instead of being revered in all her forms (be it CEO or housewife, scientist or model or whatever) a Strong Woman is still considered such a novelty that we still need to pose such questions.
What is more of a mystery, for me, is why women need to circumcise the Sisterhood.
This is not a gender specific issue.
But now is not the time....
Men like Noer and his Archaic point of view are to be expected. And valued.
Without men like him, humanity would not feel the need to evolve and grow!
They hide their misogyny behind pseudo intelluctual analyses in the name of social science
Thankfully...in my opinion...men like this are few and far in between...maybe not few and far enough.
Real men love want, need and love their women strong.
Now we could give Noer the benefit of the doubt, after all he is 'reporting' the 'facts' as decreed by 'experts', this article is not just his opinion...(You can practically taste the disbelief in his colleague Elizabeth Corcoran's article)...but he seems to have written his article with such relish and subtle malice that I firmly believe he believes in what he writes.
Which also leads me to believe he got his ass whooped by a Strong Woman. Who left Noer for a Strong Man.
Sheesh. He and his ilk...such a cliche...
Comment by ag
Eat French Bread
Because "strong" is associated with the social construct of "masculine", a woman who shows strength is labelled accordingly, as something unusual. That's why we don't hear "strong man" in the same contexts.
I enjoyed reading your views on attitudes like Noer's and how they should be valued as something to inspire growth by showing what is wrong with current popular thought...
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I just love this post and wanted to let you know that. Michael Noer sounds a bit insecure to me...double standards even perhaps...? who knows... and quite frankly, who cares... women have had enough.. a classic example came yesterday when I was talking to an old grandmother of a drumming circle run by a prominant North American Indian who visits here often.
I said that I thought that drumming was a male thing and women weren't allowed to partake thereof. She said no, not true... why wasn't I surprised. She went on to tell me that in Native north American tribal practices the woman were the original drummers and they gave it to the men to do in order for them to be protected and the men abused it...and so they are taking it back... as women are doing with many things... of course there is an irony here because one could say tht the women shouldn't have gotten lazy in the first place.... maybe that's why they live longer...?
But right here one has to ask if women ran the world as men have done... would we have war?
I don't know, I just know I like men... I'm not a man hater or anything, well unless he's trying to dominate my mind and actions...but I am independant, pay my own way and enjoy raising my children and doing my own housework. I guess that makes me an enigma these days...*lol*
too much role calling Mr Noer, if you ask me...
I enjoyed this post, great work,
thanks,
Lilla...
Comment by ag
Eat French Bread
And it must be hard for women, since (as proven by the Kazakhstan government) they have smaller brains than men.
Sorry, I saw the Borat film last night..
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Yes, but it's also been proven that men only use about 10% of theirs... perhaps proving that bigger isn't always better...and dissproving nothing in the power stakes at all, unless we also assume that knowlege is power and a bigger brain holds more knowledge...?
I do want to see Borat for many reasons...
thanks for the heads up ...*lol*
Lilla...