By Phyllis Chesler
Dear People:
Why is this concept so very difficult to comprehend? Aren’t we all children of God—no matter by what means God accomplished this? Might interpretations of the Gospels not necessarily be taken literally so much as metaphorically, meaningful in another way? In Judaism, we are created “b’zalmo,” in God’s image. From a literal point of view, how is that possible—we do not all look alike. Or, does God have an endless number of “faces,” appearances?
In response to my piece on Handel’s “Messiah,” a reader challenged me by first demanding to know whether I was Jewish or not—and by demanding to know whether or not I believed in Jesus’s virgin birth. His tone was aggressive. I took umbrage.
Sir: Despite exceptions, for millennia, at least on earth, most infants, toddlers, and children only knew that women, (their biological and adoptive mothers, as well as their female helpers), were the sole sex that took care of them. Thereafter, the best of sperm-donors were probably away for long hours and were rarely primary care-givers when they were at home. Mothering was considered ”women’s work.” Our fathers, might very well have been in heaven, were longed-for absent presences; they were even God-like in their absence. So unfair. And thus, male womb-envy led to so many Creation myths in which God-the-Father gave birth to practically everyone.
The story of Mary actually puts women in the picture.
There’s much more to say but I’ve run out of time for now. What do you think?
Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice (which alas, has passed), and a better Next Year.
First published in Phyllis’ Newsletter
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9 Responses
Giving birth is a woman’s superpower. We shouldn’t give it up unthinkingly and pretend that it can be shared with males. Why do males sometimes feel a need to say that “we” are pregnant. Nonsense!
“we”, indeed. Any male using first person plural pronoun as relates to pregnancy should be required to defecate an eight pound watermelon at moment his wife gives birth.
You’re right, Barb.
Pregnancy is a female matter with no contribution at all from rotten males. Males are horrible horrible creatures. They should all go away so that we womyn can have children without them!!! We don’t need men!!!! I can buy sperm!!
I disagree with this obvious fraudulent “feminist.”
We true feminists don’t hate males. We appreciate them for protecting us, nurturing us, supporting us, and raising our children all while selflessly toiling at their jobs.
We dislike that they don’t appreciate us, minimize our contributions, and pretend that they are superior to us though we know that we’re superior to them.
It’s very unflattering and wrong when people criticize us and say that we hate men when in truth we don’t – we simply understand their limitations and expect proper subservience from them.
When they refuse to cooperate this is when all the misunderstandings happen.
-Mary D
Men, on average, are average. They need women to not woe men, but to fib that ALL men are somewhat above average and thus miraculous in that way.
Remember, as well, that men are phonically ‘illiterate’ believing the correct way too pronounce ‘diaper’ is ‘dia-er’ because of the silent ‘Pee’ in diaper.
Well, that was a custom induced by pop-feminist pop-culture, embraced by “beta males” or lesser with moderate enthusiasm at best. It was certainly not a patriarchal pushback, nor did any genuinely self-respecting male ever use the phrase unless instructed by his female partner.
More like the kind of soft-leftism easily embraced by upper middle class late yuppies than anything else.
“And thus, male womb-envy led to so many Creation myths in which God-the-Father gave birth to practically everyone.”
Womb envy?
Seriously?
Oh, this is that feminism, fake psychological analysis, man-hating thing again.
Never mind.
We guys appreciate how Adam’s rib has been adapted to make ladies rather than more laddies.
I remember being introduced to the idea that men envy women for the ability to get pregnant by third-wave feminist writings mandatory in some university political science classes over 30 years ago. Subsequently, many times I noticed this idea had slipped into everyday discourse, and no longer from any obviously academic Critical Theory perspective, though perhaps still influenced by that origin.
It made into one of the great science fiction novels I read in youth, In Conquest Born by Celia Friedman.
It’s not true. Just thought I’d let any female readers know. The best of us respect that women are the mothers of children, and are even willing to provide support operations for them, beginning and throughout. We don’t envy them. Not even a little. The occasional neo male who might say it is having you on.