War on Women

by J.R. Holmsted

Heh. They call it the "War on Women"

Yup. It's in quotations on purpose.

Because it's hogwash.

I could argue that Hillary Clinton created this war with her vendetta against the women who accused Bill of indiscretions, if not outright assault. But that is not the point of this particular post.

The mainstream media would have you believe that establishment Republicans, far-right evangelicals, and so-called right wing extremists want to send every woman back to the kitchen where they belong. Allow them to speak only when spoken to and forbid them to do anything they don't dutifully run by their much wiser and more politically astute husbands. DUH. Ain't that how it works?

Oh wait. NO. This is 2016. Women are business owners, CEOs, Secretaries of State! We have progressed. WE EVEN BLOG. ;)

Wait...but I'm seeing tweets, hearing radio advertisements, reading news stories, and watching MSNBC. Apparently I was wrong. There is an "obvious" WAR ON WOMEN. Holy cow, how did I miss this?!?

I must have been too busy getting a college degree, managing a business, and having a family. Ha! Silly me.

The #StandWithWomen Twitter/social media campaign aims to gain votes for Democrats based on a stance that is supposedly pro-woman. Depends on the woman, I guess. If you are all for funding infanticide and having hard earned tax dollars thrown at incompetent bureaucrats who fail to eliminate gender inequality, then by all means #StandWithWomen.

The truth is that none of these people mean what they say. If they truly stood with women, they wouldn't only stand with those that are pro-choice. Or pro-union. Or pro-minimum wage increase. I have hashtagged StandWithWomen in many tweets that were in contrast to the liberal agenda and I have either been bashed or completely ignored. Do I not count because I don't fall in line with their feminist motives?

THE UGLY TRUTH:

You are not a real woman if you do not see the importance of the Wendy Davis types and their passion for liberal women's rights.

I have been called a traitor to my gender. Misinformed. Ignorant. Brainwashed. Redneck.

Obviously my moral compass is governed not by MY ability to come to an independent, educated conclusion, but by the patriarchal society that has forced it's antiquated opinions on me.

How insulting, degrading, and condescending.

I simply could NOT be a progressive, free thinking woman and still defend my stance against abortion. Or disagree that men are consistently rewarded while women are held captive in the workplace. ALL women deserve equal pay and ALL women are being deprived of "reproductive health services." Right?!?

Tolerance at its finest. I am a conservative, pro-life woman that does not give in to the race or gender baiting tactics, so therefore, I don't count. I married for love and had a child that is an extent of that love. The horror!

In a sense, is the War on Women also not the War on Men? On all of us? We give preference to the female gender on so many issues and basically nothing to the other. Those that seek to uphold any semblance of the traditional family? Anti-feminist. Men that don’t agree with abortion? Bigots. But what about how they feel? What about the impact they wish to make alongside their female counterparts? Meh. Who cares? Because CHOICE.

Well, here’s what I choose. I choose for people to not dictate what it means for me to be a woman. How I should feel, think, or act. Hillary Clinton is not the end all be all of that which  is “the modern woman.”

My good friend encouraged me to proclaim what is so true. I am a feminist. I believe that women can make their own choices. Come to their own conclusions. I fully support the progression, aptitude, and above all, opinions of those that wish to actually help women. We are NOT tied down. Our lives are what we make them. I have my own prerogative to think differently than Hillary and the rest of the far left, but also of the men in my life. THAT is true feminism. Do not tell me what to think. I can decide that all on my own.

Let's get real. #StandWithWomen really means #StandWithDemocrats.

I will vote with my conscience, not with a stupid hashtag or my vagina.The so-called "War on Women" is just that. A war on women who think independently. 

I refuse to apologize for doing so. 

h/t @cdpayne and @damongiles Friends (and men! *GASP*) that let me bounce ideas off of them and guide me to the best realization of truth. Follow them. NOW.