It is alway heartening to come across women fighting back against the suffocating correctthink that mainstream feminism has become. There are many of them....and because of the ubiquity of a diluted version of the 'toxic masculinity' narrative, it kind of has to come from women. As I wrote in this piece: https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/p/shall-we-dance
Recently in a certain kind of feminist journalism I keep coming across warm-hearted acknowledgements that Masculinity and Femininity are complementary polarities in any sane conception of The Good Life. And that when things go wrong, they are often better understood as resulting from a kind of Faustian tango between the sexes than as a simple case of one sex always doing wrong by the other. All just timeless truths and plain common sense you might say - and Yes perhaps these timeless truths have ever obtained in the kitchens and bedrooms of our Western society. But they are ones that have been conspicuous by their absence in the groves of academe and in the fourth estate in recent decades.... As journalist Kathleen Stock remarked recently “Men are pretty much banned from making any generalisations about women good or bad” so it has perhaps been inevitable in our time that any defence of the male of the species has had to come from women.
Thank you both for this conversation. The nuanced thoughts on abortion law, Germany and decriminalization and the need for the honest recognition of the state of the sanctity of life through laws that uphold it in an aspirational way while also being realistic was especially interesting.
Being pregnant with my fourth currently and taking part of my own somewhat Herculean efforts (as SPD/pelvic pain has descended upon me and is particularly unenjoyable during my 12 hour nursing shifts), I found Erika’s description of pregnancy and how having children is essentially building a community of friends, especially as they get older and bring even more incredible people into your lives very touching and also a very needed reminder.
I love her, thanks so much for this. I say most of these things she says all the time! But the German laws for abortion is totally new information to me, and will definitely enrich my conversations on the new feminism I'm CRAVING. And it is called feminism. Thanks again
Why do we need to know how many children she has? Would you have included the number if it were, say, "only" 3? No, you wouldn't have. So, we need to know that she is a member of the motherhood elite who can have 7 children and also a career? Great. Thanks for that. Those of you with less than 4 children, just know that you didn't make it and are mid. God must not love you that much. You must have been selfish or lazy, otherwise you'd have more than those worldly people have.
I don't think less of myself because Erika is a fertility goddess and also successful. I do think it's a noteworthy achievement. There are things about being a woman that aren't easily understood until you have children. Having so many children propels you and your husband into pressures and sacrifices that just aren't there for many of us. It adds to the weight of her experience on the topic.
I know a few women who have seven children and am happy to give them utmost respect and mention. I am envious for sure! But I'm grateful for my two. God doesn't love me more or less, but I can relate to the sadness of infertility and the sadness of making bad choices that required God's forgiveness. I guess if God does love her more because she gave him seven new souls, I'm ok with it 😂 She seems like a wonderful mother and I'm glad to know she made seven people.
It is alway heartening to come across women fighting back against the suffocating correctthink that mainstream feminism has become. There are many of them....and because of the ubiquity of a diluted version of the 'toxic masculinity' narrative, it kind of has to come from women. As I wrote in this piece: https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/p/shall-we-dance
Recently in a certain kind of feminist journalism I keep coming across warm-hearted acknowledgements that Masculinity and Femininity are complementary polarities in any sane conception of The Good Life. And that when things go wrong, they are often better understood as resulting from a kind of Faustian tango between the sexes than as a simple case of one sex always doing wrong by the other. All just timeless truths and plain common sense you might say - and Yes perhaps these timeless truths have ever obtained in the kitchens and bedrooms of our Western society. But they are ones that have been conspicuous by their absence in the groves of academe and in the fourth estate in recent decades.... As journalist Kathleen Stock remarked recently “Men are pretty much banned from making any generalisations about women good or bad” so it has perhaps been inevitable in our time that any defence of the male of the species has had to come from women.
This is the conclusion I've come to as well: that we can't let them have the word! Loved this conversation; thank you!!
Thank you both for this conversation. The nuanced thoughts on abortion law, Germany and decriminalization and the need for the honest recognition of the state of the sanctity of life through laws that uphold it in an aspirational way while also being realistic was especially interesting.
Being pregnant with my fourth currently and taking part of my own somewhat Herculean efforts (as SPD/pelvic pain has descended upon me and is particularly unenjoyable during my 12 hour nursing shifts), I found Erika’s description of pregnancy and how having children is essentially building a community of friends, especially as they get older and bring even more incredible people into your lives very touching and also a very needed reminder.
I love her, thanks so much for this. I say most of these things she says all the time! But the German laws for abortion is totally new information to me, and will definitely enrich my conversations on the new feminism I'm CRAVING. And it is called feminism. Thanks again
Why do we need to know how many children she has? Would you have included the number if it were, say, "only" 3? No, you wouldn't have. So, we need to know that she is a member of the motherhood elite who can have 7 children and also a career? Great. Thanks for that. Those of you with less than 4 children, just know that you didn't make it and are mid. God must not love you that much. You must have been selfish or lazy, otherwise you'd have more than those worldly people have.
I don't think less of myself because Erika is a fertility goddess and also successful. I do think it's a noteworthy achievement. There are things about being a woman that aren't easily understood until you have children. Having so many children propels you and your husband into pressures and sacrifices that just aren't there for many of us. It adds to the weight of her experience on the topic.
I know a few women who have seven children and am happy to give them utmost respect and mention. I am envious for sure! But I'm grateful for my two. God doesn't love me more or less, but I can relate to the sadness of infertility and the sadness of making bad choices that required God's forgiveness. I guess if God does love her more because she gave him seven new souls, I'm ok with it 😂 She seems like a wonderful mother and I'm glad to know she made seven people.