Independent Women

I am writing this from inside a bag of Thai Sweet Chilli flavoured crisps.

The year is 2010 and all women are taking over the world with their high heels, domesticity, prevalance in the work place and man-like capacity for one-night stands. We no longer have to turn to men for anything except to put sperm into our wombs.... or so people would like us to believe.

There is often a cry for women to seek independence from men or to 'have it all ' or some over feminist slogan (which to my mind often equates to man-bashing rather than female rights) but do we really want 'it all' and do we really want it a part from men?

Personally... no. I have no desire to have it all and certainly no desire to be a sexually free female predator who uses men in the same ways that they might use women. I have no desire to suceed both domestically and in the workplace. I have no desire to put off marriage and children until I am heading towards being middle-aged to reach the top of my career. What is this obsession with women wanting everything? Now, I know I am a woman, but that sounds like far too much multi-tasking, even with our natual talents. I would rather make a choice in one direction and put my all into that than juggle a hundred things at once.

A feminist friend of mine was horrified when I suggested that I would happily be a 1950s housewife. Sometimes it feels like feminism is no longer about choice but about conforming to the ideal of the modern woman. Even friends who lack any feminist ideals are surprised at my lack of drive when it comes to my future career but, at the end of the day, if I enjoy the job and earn enough money to live by then surely that isn't a problem?

So, independent women... ? At the end of the day I would rather have a nice cuddle from a special chap than have a promotion. Is that so wrong? Maybe I don't have it all but I have enough.