[tantalizingfemme]

I wanted to be like:

Catwoman
The Bionic Woman
Daisy Duke
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Lucy
Mary Tyler Moore
Claire Huxtable
Mrs Walton
Eva Gabor on Green Acres
And June Cleaver

Why?

Catwoman - I loved her outfit and she kicked ass....
The Bionic Woman - She was strong and The Bionic Man liked her (Plus there was cool music when she did stuff)
Daisy Duke - All the boys liked her
Lucy - She was funny and when she cried, she made a funny face and was loud.
Mary Tyler Moore - I wanted to twirl and throw my hat just like her, and I loved her apartment
Claire Huxtable - She was beautiful, smart, she loved her family, her husband adored her and I loved how she dressed.
Mrs. Walton - She was kind and understanding, she was patient and loving
Eva Gabor (Lisa) - I loved her accent, clothes and craziness. And, her husband adored her.

And June Cleaver - She had it all together. She made sure her family had breakfast in the morning, she always looked nice, her focus was on her family and making sure everyone was taken care of.

And me: I am a culmination of all and more. I never saw June as the ideal Femme, I saw her as the ideal Mom and wife when I was young.

I grew up in a two parent household - my father worked and my mother stayed home with us; the neighborhood I grew up in, this was the the norm. My mother had dinner on the table every night for my Dad and did all of the house chores and laundry and such. My dad mowed the lawn, cleaned the pool and barbecued.

I love the idea that cooking, cleaning and doing laundry can make everyone so happy. I mean, isn't that what the idea was? I really am drawn to this. As a kid I saw this as being part of a happy household and as an adult, I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that all of the basic needs for those I love are met. Is this the only way I get satisfied in life? Not by a long shot, but it is quick and easy the the results are fast.

I would have, and still would LOVE to be a stay at home partner; I really would. Do I believe that it would totally satisfy me, no. But I do know that I would find enjoyment in it. I also am going to be honest and say that this most likely has to do with the fact that I have been working since I was 15 and a single parent for 18+ years and have not had anything close to the June Cleaver life. Maybe it is just the case of "the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank"... (I do so love Erma Bombeck)

So anyway.....for me, if someone chooses to be June... enjoy, I support you. Someone saying they love that or hate that doesn't affect me personally... that is their ideal, and their ideal isn't my ideal, even if it is similar. I am a third wave feminist... your choice makes me happy, as long as you don't impose your choices on me.


TF


PS:
I want to change gearsfor a second and address something brought up that I absolutely abhor (which has been mentioned in numerous other posts) is the "ideal femme" represented by a straight woman. (This is not about behaviors because I don't see behaviors as straight or femme or queer or alien, I see it is a person's behavior)... I am talking about the ideal femme's appearance being represented by pictures of straight women. WTF!!!! I find this so insultingthat it makes me have that little gaggy feeling in my throat. The thread on the site (I can't remember the name) is chock full of pictures of mostly straight women and it feels like a slap in the face...and to add insult to injury is the ooohing and aaaahing and she is so hot..... blech. I couldn't imagine a thread for femmes to celebrate butches/Ftm's, etc....filled with pictures of shirtless straight male models and actors and then femmes coming in and talking how hot their chests are and the rock hard abs blah blah blah.

ok rant over....