2008 Woodie Awards
Women not biologically predetermined to be trophy wives
International perceptions predispose women to limit themselves
Darwyyn Deyo
Issue date: 9/11/07 Section: Opinion
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Historically most men (and young women) can't see that women are anything but sweet, productive members of society who work for the good of all in category X. If that view were accurate, there would be no Susan B. Anthony or Harriet Beecher Stowe, Marie Curie, or Gertrude Bell. None of these women were known for their sweetness and they probably did not have the good of mankind as their priority.
Most women who did manage to make themselves known throughout history did so by not playing by the rules; they didn't marry for love, they didn't sacrifice themselves for someone else's vision, and they didn't take "you're a woman" for an answer.
In contrast to this view, women in most of the world are expected to be sweet or slutty, and sometimes the roles coincide. The former serves the purpose of protecting a stable society, while the latter serves the purpose of satisfying the unstable members of society. These roles are not so strictly defined or commonly identified in the United States, but if one explores the backdoor into Asia, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, or Latin America, women are expected to be anything but their own purpose; instead they exist to serve the purpose of another. Don't forget that these countries make up the majority of the world population and that the roles for women in them are more dominant than our own.
As for American perceptions, the most common images we have of women today are those on the silver screen or those promoting some social justice. Name the last challenging woman you saw onscreen who didn't fall in love by the end of the movie without compromising another woman's strength and you'll have an oddity in Hollywood.
According to an investigative report on LateNightShots, an online site for college graduates to record their night-time adventures, men who are looking for potential mates think the most desirable occupations for women are working in development and international aid. Correspondingly, this is one of the most commonly listed occupations. Women who choose something other than pleasing another as their life goal are often labeled as untouchable or as domineering, as though women in positions of power should not exercise it. There are some jobs that shouldn't exist and there are some women who are unqualified for a job, but that doesn't mean they are biologically inferior or better suited for housework and baby-making.