Betty Dodson with Carlin Ross

Better Orgasms. Better World.

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YES!!!

As of 2009, 441 members of Congress are male (83%) and 92 are female (17%).[3] The global average for female representation at the parliamentary level in 2009 is 18.6%.[4]

(Source: Wikipedia)

It struck me that “the family” was absence from the list of decision-making bodies (i.e. power structures) that need a little more equality. We have all experienced true power structures in our families, where important day to day, social and economic decisions are made. Since children are obviously molded by the interaction of the adults around them, how they experience their family power structure will influence the role they choose in the larger society. We handicap a girl’s ability to imagine herself as a leader when we don’t surround her at home with women that have a place of power in the family. We handicap a boy’s ability to work with, and advocate for, powerful women when all they see are females taking secondary roles in their family. Duh, right?

So how come, out here in family land, too many of my female friends willingly take on secondary roles at home? Their mantra is “I don’t know honey, what should we do?” This group includes mostly college educated women brought up after the sexual revolution. Do we have an excuse anymore for not insisting on a more powerful role in our families?

And I know that some percentage of women really don’t want any part of decision making, it’s not in their make-up. There will never be a shortage of men who want to make all the decisions for them. I have come to believe that these women do not feel repressed in any way. They are very happy in their situation. Good for them.

But I lament the larger group of women that don’t seem to understand the consequences of their willing abdication, and won’t insist on some amount of power sharing. Everyone’s power arrangement would be unique. I’m not saying that what works in my family is the way they have to do it, but enough of crying wolf. Like when I say: “Did you tell him that you were not at all comfortable with that decision?” Then she says, “No…but he should know!” or “No, it’s not worth the argument”……Huh??

I’m glad that my friends don’t know I wrote this because I don’t want to hear them bitch and tell me that I just don’t understand.

By making a conscious effort to take some decision making power in our families, I believe women fulfill a responsibility to our larger community by laying a better foundation of attitudes/behaviors that will motivate a greater number of girls to choose to participate in the more visible, macro level power structures mentioned in the quote above.