Fergus Hodgson was right on one point, men may not oppress women much these days, but attitudes sure do (“Men do not oppress women,” Sept. 29, p. 7). Take his idea that “The greatest and most beautiful gift possessed solely by women is the power to bear children. Abortion and contraception misconstrue procreativity as a burden and inconvenience, not as a gift.” On the contrary, women who use contraception and want to plan their families are taking extra care and control of this gift. Where is the problem in waiting until we are financially and psychologically ready to have children? That is if we even want to have children (There’s a radical thought!). Wouldn’t the children be better off in the long run? What about men who use condoms? Aren’t they equally as culpable for not embracing their role in procreation? And as for feminists demeaning “naturally feminine attributes, such as motherhood by pressuring women to take up traditionally masculine roles,” what are these masculine attributes he speaks of, getting a college education and having a career? Should we go back to the days when women were all but banned from colleges and universities so that Hodgson can be satisfied that we’re embracing our “feminine attributes?”
Jasmine C. Marrero
CAS ’04
Simmons College ’06