In Does domesticity conflict with feminism?, Diane wants to know if being “Martha Stewart-esque” is inconsistent with being “Doctorly.” I say no.
I say that in a world of too much testosterone, estrogen can and should be a competitive advantage.
The problem here is in the language.
“Womanly,” “girly,” “feminine,” and “female,” need to stop being synonymous with weak and pathetic. They’re not.
Women are strong.
Ask a surgeon who winces more, a woman or a man, and the answer is sure to be a man. Besides, women have to deal with two things that most men never have to deal with: childbirth and whiney husbands.
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But strength and intelligence aren’t the same thing. Perhaps a man may wince more than a woman under the scalpel, but do people think that a woman who can make excellent strawberry shortcake is also capable of engaging in a discussion on Nietzsche?
The majority of people worldwide and in the US cannot engage in a worthwhile discussion on Nietzsche. Of course, in the “Blink” split-decision world, the girly girl with multicolored toes will be take less seriously. But not because you can make shortcake, but because people make quick decisions based on superficial impressions.
The world is all about triage and risk analysis. If you can dismiss a threat, all is the better. If you’re an intellectual, finding the person you have to alpha is your main raison d’etre.
Not being “made” is a strategic and tactical advantage.
Real spies and operatives wear gingham summer dresses.
Does that mean I can’t wear open-toed shoes to my dissertation defense? Yikes.
I think they all know how fearsome you are already.