Was just leaving a comment on feminique's last post, and realized I couldn't contain all of the implications within a single comment. This man-tilla thing is a big deal.
First, it drives a dagger deep into my womanheart to see our fellow women thwarting their own movement. We fight for an end to oppression, and they hide under their lacy little patriarch-helmets. It's hard enough fighting against stupid men. And then other women play the "indifferent" card -- "I sure wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those, but if others want to, that's up to them ..." These people just don't see the problems inherent in the man-tilla:
1) The Distinction. Women wear them; men don't. At its most basic level, then, the man-tilla perpetuates the old perception that to some degree, women are different than men. Not good.
2) The Anti-Self Complex. Those who sport the man-tilla still buy in to the old "We're not as good as God" myth. We supposedly should cover ourselves out of "reverence" when we're in God's presence. Nice, sugar-coated word, "reverence." "Repression" is more like it. We have to teach these people. We cannot, and should not, tremble around in fear and deference; we are church. We should have no one to answer to except ourselves. The danger to self-esteem is astronomical.
3) The Antiquarianism. These people are the same hopeless worms who base everything they do on what they call Tradition, instead of embracing the future and recreating herstory, as we should continually be doing. No room for feeling with these women -- just fact. Women were still predominantly wearing skirts when man-tillas were in vogue; this era, therefore, was intrinsically harmful. A vote for the man-tilla is a vote for patriarchy and a vote for evil.
I actually have to go right now, so unfortunately I can't address problems 4-11, but I would be happy to discuss the man-tilla problem with anyone in either public or private correspondence. Happy holidays and oodles of fem love,
Darlene
First, it drives a dagger deep into my womanheart to see our fellow women thwarting their own movement. We fight for an end to oppression, and they hide under their lacy little patriarch-helmets. It's hard enough fighting against stupid men. And then other women play the "indifferent" card -- "I sure wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those, but if others want to, that's up to them ..." These people just don't see the problems inherent in the man-tilla:
1) The Distinction. Women wear them; men don't. At its most basic level, then, the man-tilla perpetuates the old perception that to some degree, women are different than men. Not good.
2) The Anti-Self Complex. Those who sport the man-tilla still buy in to the old "We're not as good as God" myth. We supposedly should cover ourselves out of "reverence" when we're in God's presence. Nice, sugar-coated word, "reverence." "Repression" is more like it. We have to teach these people. We cannot, and should not, tremble around in fear and deference; we are church. We should have no one to answer to except ourselves. The danger to self-esteem is astronomical.
3) The Antiquarianism. These people are the same hopeless worms who base everything they do on what they call Tradition, instead of embracing the future and recreating herstory, as we should continually be doing. No room for feeling with these women -- just fact. Women were still predominantly wearing skirts when man-tillas were in vogue; this era, therefore, was intrinsically harmful. A vote for the man-tilla is a vote for patriarchy and a vote for evil.
I actually have to go right now, so unfortunately I can't address problems 4-11, but I would be happy to discuss the man-tilla problem with anyone in either public or private correspondence. Happy holidays and oodles of fem love,
Darlene
1 comment:
Systers,
One of the reasons I like to wear a womantilla because in fact, it signifies that I am a sacred temple.
The temple at Jerusalem was veiled (you'll recall the veil was torn in two when Christ died), the Tabernacle is veiled - Christ is inside - and WOMEN wear veils because we are so intimately touched by God to create life. Not myn, systers, just us womyn are glorious enough creatures to veil ourselves.
Oppression? Nay, systers!
This is my symbol that I am GLORIOUS and POWERFUL!
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