Feminist Father?

Having a child certainly changes a person. It changes your sleep cycle... I don't think I'll ever "sleep in" again, it changes your routines, the amount of time it takes to do everything, your hobbies and interests... you get the picture. It is life-altering.

It seems that many parents want a boy. I don't know if this is really true or it just happens that a few of the people I speak with infer this so now I believe it to be more universal than it really is. A quick, less thoughtful look at preference for gender in one's child might say that a girl is easier to raise until... can you fill in the blank? Until they are a teenager, supposedly. I don't necessarily agree or disagree, probably because it doesn't really matter. I am the father of a girl and I am very satisfied with this fact.

Several things concern me about raising a girl in my society however. Not whether raising a girl is difficult or easy, but concern for Elsa's growth as a healthy child, girl, and woman. It is disconcerting to me that a "glass ceiling" exists. I thought about it before I became a father, but, I'll be honest, it wasn't a matter that would cause me ulcers or to lose sleep at night. Now I am concerned. The opportunities for women have grown immensely and I am glad, but I believe there is not equal opportunity in America and it is disappointing. This is one thing that will be added to my task as parent - to encourage Elsa to explore any opportunity she wishes and some she has never considered. Women's wages are now around 81% of men's.

Aside from the barriers to opportunity for women, there are other concerns we must work against. The objectification of women in society is disheartening for a parent. We will not lock our daughter in the basement (remind me that I said this) but we will talk with Elsa about the media and messages we are bombarded with as Americans. I don't believe this is a dialogue we should have to constantly have, but is a necessary part of parenting today. I'm going to get back to these thoughts, but here are a few lyrics from Switchfoot to end:

Sex is currency
She sells cars,
She sells magazines
Addictive bittersweet, clap your hands,
with the hopeless nicotines
...
Sex is industry,
The CEO of corporate policy
Skin-deep ministry,
Suburban youth, hail your so-called liberty

By the way, have you seen the cologne ad where bikini-clad women are swarming a man who uses this product... the end caption: "spray more, get more" as in spray more cologne, get more women... a sick example of how we view women.