Bravo! (nfm)
Posted by P. Bingham on February 24, 1998 at 18:35:10:
In response to Rights, written by Marie Bernadette on February 24, 1998 at 14:43:42
] ] However,I believe even though women did not have many (if any) rights at the time, they also could have had a rather good life especially if they married right.
] And what it they didn't "marry right"? There were very few laws to protect women from abusive husbands. Even if they were happy or at least satisfied with their marriages, social roles were very confining. If a women did not fit within the narrow constraints of society her life would be very miserable indeed! I will grant the same for men to a certain degree. If a man did not conform to the narrowness of his society he would be ostracised also, but I think there was even less leeway for women. What if a woman did not want to marry or if no one wanted to marry her. In today's world it does not matter. Many single women have fulfilling lives today whether they chose to remain single or it just occured that way, but the single woman of the 19th century did not fair well.
] Women were shown respect or given 'percs' only if they conformed. Legal rights protect one even when or if one does not submit to the proscribed roles.
] I will never understand why the female of our species would throw away all the percs that once went with being a lady
] I cannot speak for other women, but I myself have not given away any percs. I want to be treated like a lady and respected without being put on a pedastal or restricted. I also want equal rights without losing repectful treatment. I don't think women gave away the 'percs'; I think that there is this terrible dichotomy: if women want to be treated with respect, they have no rights; if women have rights, they aren't given respect. I want both!
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- Bowing and throwing kisses @->-- ;-) (nfm) Marie Bernadette 21:54:38 2/24/98
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