All *Men* are not the enemy. In fact, out of the men that are alive right now, I'd say very few of them are my enemies. It is this system of oppression which has been growing, changing, shifting, and exploiting ever since humans began settling down and owning property and controlling others that is the real enemy. It is true that this system has been predominantly governed by men, but again, I hesitate to make this generalization, for it is only a small percentage of these men who have the power to perpetuate the system. We are ALL (both men and women) a part of this system. We are all at "fault" for continuing to accept and allow this system to put restrictions on what is acceptable behavior or lifestyles for people to live. However, how much control do we have over our own behavior? Are we merely doing what we have been taught to do? Now, I think that's just an excuse, don't get me wrong. People must unlearn what they have been trained to believe, they must stop blaming others for all the problems in this world, they must learn to control their individual actions before they run around pointing fingers at the "enemy." But I think it is important to realize that not all humans are aware of thier roles within the system, of the "blood on their own hands." We don't need to accept or commend people who continue to oppress and violate others (or the environment, etc). But I feel that is important to at least try and see what forces went into creating all of us. I identify myself first as a human being, second as a woman. No, not a womyn, or a wimyn, or as a person with a vagina (true though that may be). I see nothing wrong with identifying with one's sex. Some traditional "male" qualities are wonderful qualities to have just as some traditioal "female" qualities are wonderful to have. I feel that a person should identify him/herself as s/he chooses to - if that means a man wants to wear dresses, fine. If he wants to lift weights and spit tobacco, fine too. If a woman wants to drive a truck, fine. if she wants to be a homemaker, fine. To each his/her own. I don't believe that our aim should be androgyny - I believe it should be self-defined awareness that does not impinge on others rights and identities. I am proud of being a woman, the woman that I am, and the woman that I will become. I am also proud of the men in my life - my father is the most wonderful man in the world and I proudly have taken his name as my mother has; I have wonderful feminist male friends who I can truly depend on, often more than many of my female friends. If society develops to androgyny, I suppose there is nothing I can do about it, I suppose it is not "wrong." But, is there something wrong with the acceptance and embracement of the positive qualities of the feminine and the masculine? What is wrong with being proud of who we are? Tj.
