Yesterday, I was reading a blog. (Shock. Surprise.) The poster had made some excellent points about the benefits working parents get while childfree folks get zip, zilch, nada. I was nodding along and thinking, “Yup, I’m with you, sister.” Then I got to a line where the poster said something about childfree folks working harder than working moms because the CF folks were taking up the moms’ slack so the moms could go to ballet recitals or soccer practice or whatever. Whooooooa, Nelly. Hold up there. Was that really necessary? Really? A little jab at your fellow women didn’t really add much to your point; it just made you look a little bitter.
And that got me to thinking about how, as women, we’re so ready to attack each other. (Not all the time and not all of us, but far more than I care to see.) And it’s not just little shit like someone’s shoes being last season or their purse being a knock-off. Oh, no. We want to hit each other where it’s going to really hurt.
If I breastfeed, I’m going to take potshots about formula being poison or uncaring mothers or wtf-ever the Nursing Nazis say. If I don’t breastfeed, I’m going to make sure the BF’ing mom realizes she’s nothing but a coupla milkbags. If I work outside the home, I’m going to make sure a SAHM knows she’s a pathetic loser relying on her man. If I SAH, I’m going to make sure the WOHM knows she’s a douchebag who’s missing all her kid’s milestones and firsts. If I’m childfree, I’m going to refer to parents as “moos” and “duhs” and make sure everyone knows I don’t want kids. If I have kids, I’m going to assume all CF folks are bitter, infertile asshats with chips on their shoulders about not being able to have kids.
I could go on, but you see what I’m saying here, right? Why? Why do we do this to each other? Why are we teaching our girls to live up to some crazy standards we’ve set about right and wrong ways to do things? Why can we not just live and let live? Why is it so goddamn hard for us to see that sometimes, everyone can be right?
Next post (maybe): “I’m secretly Catholic. No, srsly.” It is, after all, Raiders of the Lost Thoughts week here at TSD…WF!! Maybe you should all hope Missy has a post about baked goods.
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