The Position of Women

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 68, 14 December 1931, Page 13

The Position of Women

Sir, —“I and my wife are one, and I am he.” And the amazing thing is, this male illusion persists even in this, the 20th century. Since Biblical times, man’s head has been filled with the immortal illusion that he was created a being apart —something very special —and woman his quiescent echo. On what authority this male assumption? Man-made! purely and simply. And, but for a few notable exceptions, women’ themselves have accepted this traditional male estimate of them. With what result? Simply that such inf er iorising of women has unquestionably contributed more to the palpable lack of social and moral progress than has yet been computed. And that will be measured only in the true perspective of future retrospection. Let us face this matter squarely. The average man is really, protest he never so eloquently, afraid that female emancipation will supplant him. The self-asser-tive, self-demandful, loudly-vociferating super-feminist has —to use modern grace--ful parlance—undoubtedly put “the wind up” him. So. But why accord this negligible handful the compliment of attention? The true feminist does not aim at the subjection of man. She demands that woman shall be recognised as being the complement of man in mind, as well as in body. A significant, a profound difference. Women claim their right to exercise their intellectual as well as their physical functions. And why not? Nature has equipped woman with intellectual potentialities as well as with the power of productivity. - And above all, economy of material is Nature’s method. Wherefore, why female mind phis female body, if to no purpose? Logical. It was man alone who decreed the subjectivity of the female sex. Well, this is the 20th century, and no longer are women prepared to accept man’s estimate of their raison d’etre. No longer digest man’s interpretation of life and its meaning. Too long has one half of humanity sold out to the other half. And this unlimited male authority has upset the balance of our social life. One thing is very certain—the co-operation of men and women alone can possibly restore this equilibrium. Circumstances over which women have no control have forced them into the industrial arena. And of all circumstances, war, man-made, has been the greatest agency in forcing upon communities the, superfluous woman, and in adding to the economic chaos the unemployed woman. The unemployed woman! How has she been treated? Rather a humiliating affair. Women unemployed, women taxed to support their own sex? Not a bit of it. To support unemployed men while their own sex go begging. What, might I ask, have we to boast of? British fair play in the face of such a prodigious lack of justice? The position is intolerable. On no grounds whatsoever is it excusable, defensible. And now, consider women themselves. The mass of New Zealand women have not yet learned not to deprecate their own sex. There are those who still maintain that to bear a son is a far finer achievement than to bear a daughter. Is it? Why? Such a retrogressive attitude is but a survival of the traditional patriarchal conception of sex values. For such women give assent to the theory of the essential inferiority of the mothersex to the father-sex. A quite erroneous conception of course. However, all in all, it is hardly to be disputed, at least by large, unbiased minds, that our social life can become richer and cleaner only in that degree in which it receives its accent through true women’s influence. To state that the moral regeneration of the world rests with women is trite. So are most truths. And very often unpalatable. Too long, have women patched the muddles, mended the tears, darned the gaps of man’s making. They must now plan, design and weave a glorious pattern for themselves and for the future citizen for whom their bodies are the reservoir. Women must become constructively ar--ticulate in their country’s management; formulate and clarify their ideals, and aims-of translation into public opinion and, where necessary, into legislative.enactment. Learn the value of cohesion, the power of a community of emphasis. "The old order changeth. yielding place to new.” Women recognise the inevitable and prepare. Man protests, kicks against it —there is a disharmony. With laborious step, with what difficulty, he climbs the stairs to find at the top woman waiting with hand outstretched in comradeship. Why in his pigheadedness did he not meet her at the foot and climb together with her? “Thou shalt propagate the race,” man still cries. Modem.woman retorts: “Not propagate only—but elevate as well."—l am, etc.. G. HAMILTON FRASER. Havelock North, December 8.