International Women’s Day…

Well, last week was apparently International Women’s Day.

I hope you can hear the dripping sarcasm in that last sentence.

Does anyone else throw up a little bit in their mouth when, come March 8, social media turns into an estrogen fest of caustic female pride?

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I mean, double standard much?

Honestly, I walk around on days like today, and I feel like I have to apologize to men for the bombastic demonstration of my fellow females. I mean, I feel like I should be wearing a t-shirt that says, “We’re not all raging feminists!”

It’s just a really weird time right now. And, I know this post is going to get a lot of heat…I know that going into it, but frankly, someone had to say it:

Women’s Day…is dumb.

There, I said it.

Can you imagine if men tried to pull something like this? There would be castrated male genitalia littering the streets!

But since we’re females, we get a pass to devote an entire day to pissing on guys and making a mockery of the male person.

It’s a double standard that just feels icky.

Here’s the thing. And this is an unpopular opinion.

I don’t understand when it became looked-down-upon to be “traditionally” feminine. You know what I mean…the Scarlet O’Hara/Audrey Hepburn version of a woman: delicate, gentle, loving and supportive to a man, building him up, and being a compliment to his masculinity.

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When did that become anti-woman?!

I’m sorry. But when I have a daughter one day, I’m not going to encourage her to play tackle football. I’m going to put her in dance class.

And I’m going to dress her in pink. And teach her about the importance of etiquette, and chivalry. And yes, I’ll encourage her to follow her heart, and play outside and get her clothes dirty, and do the things that make her feel alive – but she will know that she is a lady.

And I am not a monster for wanting that.

There’s a desperation when we try to dominate men. We’re striving to beat men out at the top jobs, and demanding this and that, and cut-throating our way to the top, no matter the price — all in the name of Girl Power, and Time’s Up, and Me Too – or whatever the feminist “Phrase of the Week” is. And it’s time someone step back and beg the question: What is the price?

I’ll tell you what it is:

The decline of the family unit.

We are reeling as a country when it comes to home and family life. Divorce, separation, cheating. Parents not knowing what kids are doing. And kids, fending for themselves, without the guidance of a supervising parent.

I mean, the family dinner has become nonexistent.

Our society desperately needs families.

Strong, familial bonds that teach how to treat one another with respect. Integrity. Honesty. Discipline. Communication skills. Cooperation. The difference between right and wrong. How to share and work together.

The family is what a great society is built upon. — Or at least it used to be — Back when that was seen as the most important career a woman could have: that as a mother and wife.

Her career as a homemaker.

But sadly, we’ve lost that, and instead, have outsourced those vitally important tasks that truly shape our children, to nannies. To after school programs. To what they watch on TV. Or even worse — to social media.

And let me tell ya, Snapchat won’t raise our children with integrity and honor.

It takes a parent.

I want to just pause to say two things:

First: I know that dual incomes can be necessary in this world, with tuition, and bills, and expenses etc. And just because a woman works outside the home in no way, shape, or form, makes her a bad mother. Hear me when I say that.

Work/life balance can be a real thing — Devoting quality time to family and spouse, and making it a priority. Working with progressive companies who have family-friendly practices and schedule flexibility for both women and men. (Which frankly, all companies should!)

And on that note, there is still a lot of progress needed to gain equal pay and equal advancement, to remove glass ceilings, and stop harassment. If a woman wants to work, then she should have every opportunity available guaranteed in a safe, inclusive, and pro-family environment.

And I celebrate the women (and men) who have figured out how to attend to both work and family. And I celebrate the companies that have made it possible to do so.

Secondly: I know that fathers are also an equally key component in raising children. And on that note, it is also fully acceptable for fathers to stay/work from home with the children too. But this article is about Women — on Women’s Day.

Let’s get one thing straight: women do deserve to be celebrated and honored. Fully. 100%.

We are life bearers. We are problem solvers. We are strong, brave, funny, smart, organized, beautiful, creative, nurturing human beings.

That is something to honor today, and everyday.

And we’re capable of doing everything a man can do…and technically more, when you get down to the biological nuts and bolts. (No pun intended!)

But in this time that is so hyper focused on the advancement of women, I wish we could place more importance on the invaluable role a woman plays in the home. In her child’s life, as mother. In her husband’s life, as wife. Those are not “four letter words” to be crapped on in the name of feminism.

I’m tired of feeling like a traitor to womankind, simply because I value those things.

God made us to share in partnership with men: equal and complimentary.

Putting down men – even in the name of feminism – is never a good look.

My mother taught me that.

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375 responses to “International Women’s Day…”

    • Thank you so much!! So glad this resonated with you! I appreciate the support 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  3. GREAT post! I hope to meet you someday. God bless you. Ps. I think I’m going to touch on this subject on my podcast this week. It’s been brewing in my spirit and your post is confirmation!

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    • Hi friend! Thank you so much! And oh my gosh wouldn’t that be so fun?!! Nice! I can’t wait to listen 🙂 I’m a podcast fanatic hahahah #earbudlife Hugs and love xox

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    • Thanks John, yeah I definitely feel ya there! Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and love xox

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  6. Mmmhm!
    I literally asked my supervisor “national women’s day? Isnt that the opposite of equality?”
    Women’s day by definition is a separation from men and can not therefor be considered “equal” without there being a “Men’s Day.”

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  7. I just see so much hate and negativity around days like this. Women hating men who then hate women in return. The awards ceremony season this year has been toe curling in its ‘right on sister’ approach. Thank you for honesty & love & truth as ever 🙂❤️🙏🏻

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  8. Lovely post, I personally love Women’s day, simply because it celebrates everything we’ve accomplished. I find it inspiring personally, as a Christian woman because I know there is still a lot of women in other countries especially, but here too, who suffer so much abuse. But you’ve also made great points about these new problems the family unit is now facing here, very true I too have noticed. Guess there’s positives & negatives. Great post! You are not afraid to speak your opinion! 👏❤

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    • Thank you so much. Yeah, there definitely are a lot of accomplishments to celebrate. That’s a great point – we have so much to be greatful for. Thank you for this powerful perspective!! Hugs and love xox

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      • Yes, I think womens day is just looking at women as a minority group, & celebrating the accomplishments. Just the other day I read an article about the first woman marathon runner, Katherine Switzer. She was attacked by a man, the owner of the race, just for being a woman. Back then woman weren’t allowed in races, this wasn’t that long ago if you think about it. So its stories like these that make me appreciate womens day because we have good lives, but this day in other countries is used to shed light on abuse of women, which unfortunately is more prevalent in other places. God bless & I appreciate your pov ❤❤❤

      • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Oh my gosh, that’s awful for that woman. that makes me so sad. Yeah – you’re right, we have come a long long way, and that is certainly worth celebrating. big hugs xo

      • Oh no problem! Thank you too! Well that woman’s story is great, she went on to do great things, that day she finished the race, thanks to the support of her boyfriend & trainer who pushed the man off her & told her to keep going! 5 years later women were allowed to run marathons! 😃👏❤ Thank you Xoxo 💖💖💖

  9. Oh my stars and garters, someone actually said men can be nurturing and are important to parenting children out loud (well, on a blog). Thank you.

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    • Thank you so much James. Oh gosh men are 100% important to parenting and can be nurturing! amen! Hugs and love xox

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  10. This captures my (another woman) thoughts exactly! While I am gainfully employed and enjoy my career the majority of the time, I’d like to go back to a simpler time when women were the feminine counterparts to the male. I fully believe that women weren’t built to handle all of the roles of a man. I also believe 2 incomes wouldn’t be necessary if we hadn’t pushed into the workforce increasing supply and demand.
    You’re brave for putting it out there…you’re not alone, most of us are just too chicken!

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your heart on this topic. I’m so glad this resonated with you. Oh how I long for simpler times too — if only to unplug from this dang smart phone!! Haha Hugs and love xox

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  11. Wow! I feel your pain. However, we are not oblivious of the under laying agent beneath the kaios. History always repeats itself, remember the bra burning party that began this entire mess? We than began aborting babies, and latch key kids came into existence. Now we’re headed fir the next chapter. Starting again by pulling down so called powerful hollywood mogals. The white house is a reck. Well, I guess if men can’t work well together, perhaps Women will have to make american great again. Hmmmmm…. 🙃

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    • Thank you so much Jeanie. I appreciate your thoughts on this. Lots of hope in your words!! 🙂 hopefully this next chapter is a good one! Hugs and love xox

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  12. Love this and agree on so many points. I am a stay at home dad to our fosters. My wife not only worked hard for her degree, but also enjoys her work while I’d MUCH rather spend time working with our kids. Plus I really like the castration line… made me laugh out loud.

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    • Thanks friend. So glad this resonated with you!! And I’m so glad you and your wife have found a system that works for your family! That’s awesome. Hahaha thanks — I had another word in that sentence but was advised against it hahah Hugs and love xox

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  13. I don’t think it’s fair to group International Women’s Day with the Me Too and Times Up movement. A woman sexually assaulted and then silenced because of the abuser’s power or prestige is not the same as shouting ‘girl power” on one day in March. A pro-women female isn’t necessarily a feminist, either. But I give you credit for having the balls to hit publish, gave me another perspective which is always great!

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    • Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. Yeah, the efforts to end the despicable sexual assault/harassment against women is in a group all its own. Thanks for joining the dialogue and taking the time to read! I always love hearing everyone’s thoughts! big hugs xoxo

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  14. I’m really glad that men and woman have the opportunity to voice their opinion, whatever that opinion is! I think you are totally entitled to feel this way (a lot of people do)! Personally, I do think there is value in international women’s day… because it’s INTERnational women’s day, and women across the world don’t have the same rights as women in America. I think it’s a great way to call attention to that fact, and a great opportunity to show gratitude to the men and women who have helped women gain the rights we do have in America! I know everyone views it differently, and that’s totally okay. I just thought I would throw in my two cents.

    P.S. there is a national Men’s Day. It’s November 19th!

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    • Thanks so much for this thoughtful response! So there IS a men’s day! thanks for the heads up on that. And thank you for this powerful perspective – you’re right we have so much to be grateful for in Western society. Hugs and love xox

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    • I think USA is the only democratic country yet to elect a female to the highest post in the country. Even Pakistan and Bangladesh had and has female Prime Minister. That tells a lot.

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  15. Love this blog. Screw the feminine movement. I do have a part time nurse gig to keep me sane and from murdering the family but I’m proud of my husband and my kids need a mom more than a corporate boss. Maybe I’m jaded from the first season of House of Cards but I would want no part of that kind of life. You will find the guy that appreciates your values, I just know it.

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    • Aw, thank you Rachel! So glad you enjoyed the article. That’s so awesome that you’ve found such a great balance that works for you and your family. Never seen House of Cards…perhaps I need to remedy that! haha Hugs and love xox

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  17. Everything is super extreme now days, great post I too feel I need to wear such a shirt, I have a strong determination to try do a lot of what a man does but I know my limits and I’m not a raving lunatic demanding I be bowed too, I just don’t like nagging or being told I’m nagging by my man so I’ll ask him once and if it’s not done in a month or so I’ll do it myself haha.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. You’re right – everything is either one extreme or the other. hahaha love it! So glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox

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    • hahaha love it. yeah – puppies are a total safe zone!!! 🙂 hehehe Hugs and love xox

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  19. I know that I have told you that YOU are beyond amazing, but I need to say it again. This is a message that needs to be said. The world needs more women like you. Thank you.

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    • thank you so much JB, you’re too kind. thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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      • You are very graciously welcome. I get dished by many women particularly those in church. It is nice to hear from one who is a very shining light. Many
        hugs and love to you.

  20. Time to hunker down…I imagine you’ll get a lot of guff on tonight’s article, so take a deep breath, pray, and know you have a lot of support from many of us!! Meanwhile, I have some notes waiting for you over on Patreon. By coincidence, I’m watching a series on YouTube which plays right into tonight’s topic.

    FYI: Julie and I made the decision for her to stay home with the girls till they started school. Our typical dinner was boiled potatoes with melted Velveeta, spending money on decent food for the girls! But they turned out pretty well, so no complaints!

    Spot on, Caralyn! Well done!!

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    • Thank you so much Jeff! haha – yeah, I’m sure there will be a *lot* of push back. You and Julie are amazing parents, you know it? wow. so beautiful. looking forward to reading your thoughts! hugs to you and julie! xox

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      • Caralyn, I know that when your time comes you are going to be every bit the wife and mom Julie has been!! You know what it takes to make a family, and you have the back bone to do it. Many blessings, hugs, prayers, and love to you on what may be a loooong night!! 🙂

  21. Without a spiritual compass, societies swing from one extreme to the other. It is absolutely true that in many cultures today and throughout history, men have undervalued, underestimated, and mistreated women. That does not mean, however, that the other extreme is good: that in which women become competitors with men, haters of men, and replacements of men. We really need to acknowledge the differences, honor the differences, and celebrate the differences.

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    • celebrate and honor the differences. i love that so much. thanks for this thoughtful response, Marcelo. Hugs and love xox

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  22. “me too” and “times up” were not feminist phrases, but a catalyst for conversation and action on an act that should not be tolerated. Everything else in this post, I do understand as everyone experiences life differently, and so then they have different opinions, likes, etc. So I appreciate that March 8th is just another day for you.

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    • Hi Amanda, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. I definitely appreciate the conversation that Me Too and Times Up sparked. Harassment and sexual assault is absolutely unacceptable, and I am grateful that the perpetrators are being brought to light and served justice. so glad you stopped by and joined the conversation! Hugs and love xox

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  23. We as people need to fight for all of us to be treated with respect. There are bad men (and bad women) in this country. We need to focus on making sure we do what we can to keep those people from having power, and raise our children to respect each other. I have a strong, amazing mom, but I also have a strong, amazing dad. I am the “breadwinner” in my family, but my husband helps me balance my work with my life. We can’t do any of this alone, so while I understand these women’s movements, it becomes hypocritical when we start generalizing and saying “all men” are part of the problem. Thank you for stating your honest opinion. That takes courage.

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    • thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. You’re right – generalizations are nothing but harmful. I’m so glad that you’ve found such an awesome situation that works with your family! And that’s so so so true – we need to raise our children to respect one another! Hugs and love xox

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  24. I’m not overly expressive, but here goes, “Thank you!!!”
    OMGosh, I just wrote an article called Broken Boys – Missing Men and touched on much of this. It’s not a coincidence because these are biblical truths that we share. We were created different and equal. Woman is not Robin to man’s Batman – God calls Eve in the original Hebrew for “helper” which is ezer – helper, doer of wonderful things, miraculous rescuer – That’s what my wife is for me and I love it.

    You nailed this with all of the grace, strength, intelligence and humility of yep, you guessed it, a Woman.

    Here’s my sincere and traditional HI-5 in place of hugs,
    Scott

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    • Thank you so much Scott! I’m so glad this resonated with you:) ezer – love that so much. Thanks for sharing that! Hugs and love xox

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  25. Preach it, girl! I was on your side from the first sentence. Why did National Women’s Day last ALL WEEK LONG?

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  26. Oh, my goodness, YES! Thank you! I strongly believe a big part of the mental health crisis in our teens right now is the fact the we have “liberated” women right out of the family in favor of careers. I have the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom and feel it is the most important thing I can do as a woman. I feel judged by a lot of women for my choice, but it is my choice nonetheless. Thank you for this post!

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    • Thank you so much Amanda! I’m so glad this hit home with you. What a powerful perspective. I personally think it is a beautiful choice:) one that I hope to be able to make one day! 💛 big hugs to you xox

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  27. The goal of feminism for me is to get us to a place where we can all make choices to live how we want. I don’t see anything wrong with a woman who wants to stay at home with kids or have a more traditional role if that’s what she wants.

    But a few decades ago that’s all we were allowed to do. We couldn’t even be authors of blogs like this, we had to publish under male pseudonyms.

    Ultimately feminism is a greater range of life choices. At least for me and a lot of people I know.

    I’d be curious to know where you get the definition of it as putting men down or mocking women who don’t want to be CEOs.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this, Liz. What a powerful perspective. You’re right – we have come a long way and a lot to celebrate and be grateful for. That’s definitely important to remember. To answer your question, that is not my definition of feminism. I consider feminism to be a broad spectrum – one that i am also on. – One that includes everything from Pope JP2’s writings on the “feminine genius” – which is the camp I get behind. To the opposite end of the spectrum with people who are more militant or combative with their words and actions. I was referring to that later camp in that one particular sentence. I should have made that more clear. Because you’re right – it is a broad spectrum and not everyone adheres to that one extreme. Hope that clears things up. So glad you stopped by. Hugs and love xox

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      • That is not a definition of feminism however. The definition is about men and women having equal opportunity and to put it in historical context, it’s what women fought in order for you to have the freedom to vote, to write, to wear and be what you want to be and to have control of your body. It saddens me that so many women lose site of what it means to be a feminist. You mention in one of your responses about the generalization of men, isn’t this a generalization of feminists. I prefer Gloria Steinem’s definition, quite simply a complete social and economic equality between men and women. Not the man-hating, angry female often described.

      • thank you for sharing your thoughts and perspective on this. I like her definition as well. Hugs and love xox

  28. I absolutely love you for saying this, I support women’s rights fully, I believe they should be treated equally but some take it too far and try to be the dominant of society. Having an international women’s day isn’t the issue, I’m all for supporting inspirational women (especially yourself ❤️) I’m all for having a female doctor who, despite all the feministic reaction, but to take it as far as some extreme feminists, basically it Sexist Discrimination against men!

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  30. There is a great deal of truth in what you say here, and I suspect there are more women who, albeit silently, feel the same way. I encourage you to keep being vocal on the subject. Very well done. Thank you.

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  31. I agree! All of these outcomes have caused such a strain on the fundamental relationships between men and women. It’s like superiority at war, honestly I am exactly as you mentioned, a lady first and foremost. I will never apologize for that. We draw strength not by throwing other gender beneath us. I would not like to say this, but it almost feel like a sort of “bullying” tactic. No gender is better then the other. Isn’t there enough division happening already. This is a time to march for equality, for everyone, all humans.

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    • Thank you so much Tiffany. I’m so glad this resonated with you. I agree – bullying is bullying – even in the name of feminism. Hugs and love xox

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  32. I think this is a really really important post! And it’s terrible feel like a we might be shamed for thinking this way by our own gender!

    I remember back in college, I studied literature and we had been put into this workshop class where each week, we got together in our groups and each person had a turn sharing their writing. In my group, I happened to have these two girls who were as you called it ‘hyper feminist’ and it kinda pressured me at the time. I’d written this scene where a girl is getting read to talk to her ex again and her best friend (a guy) was giving her clothing advice. When she picked up a tight black dress, I’d had the guy friend say something like ‘now that does not say you just want to talk.’. You WILL NOT believe how hard the girls jumped on me, as if I’d just condoned the notion that what a girl wears can make it acceptable for a guy to assault her. Obviously, that is NOT what I was trying to say at all. And while other people, including girls, backed me up, it made me feel really guilty.

    I think while women’s day and stopping sexual violence and having equal pay are all incredibly important things, havig an international day for our gender is kinda…unfair? Why not have a mens day if we have a day for both mothers and fathers? Or just not have one at all? Women should be celebrated everyday!

    Also, is attacking each other really going to advance any of our goals when really we all want the same thing?

    Sorry for the rant but I really loved this post and thought what you wrote was very well said 🙂

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    • Thank you so much for your encouragement and support, Melissa. Wow what an experience! Yikes. Yeah I would have agreed with you in that class. I’m so with you – it is unfair. And yes! We need to find a way to work together! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  33. Hey Caralyn:
    Another great piece where you are willing to stick your neck out, and face any tomatoes that are thrown.
    Not thrown by me at all, I may throw a dozen roses your way though.
    I agree with what I think is the purpose of International Women’s Day, which is equal opportunity, equal pay, etc.
    But in some cases it goes way too far in my opinion. Our Prime Minister, for example, is a complete unashamed, admitted feminist, and goes out if his way to prove it.
    One major example. Our system of government is different than yours. We have 338 elected members of parliament, with 183 in the governing party, and 155 members total in the various opposition parties at the current time.
    The Prime Minister then appointed a number of cabinet ministers of his choosing, who each have special portfolios they handle, e.g. finance, foreign affairs, trade, National Defence. (We do have a male P.M. this time, although we have had one female P.M. in the past.)
    This time we have a cabinet of 31, comprising 16 male and 15 females. Our Prime Minister purposefully attempted to even out his cabinet, male and female, for the reason, according to his own words, “Because it is 2015”.

    The Liberals, the governing party, had 50 women and 133 men elected, with the women holding 27 percent of the seats in the governing party.
    I am not saying the ladies are not intelligent, and don’t belong in parliament. I am saying, I don’t believe he checked all the people available, and selected the best for each portfolio. His mind was set on “equality” and nothing would change him.
    Of course, looking from the other side, one might say that he does not think too much of the men who were left as backbenchers, being “yes sir” people.

    Our country may not have the best people available in the various positions making the important decisions for each of us citizens, the people who pay their salaries.

    Thank you Caralyn. As always, you are awesome, awesome
    I still love women, they are needed, valuable, and should be treated equally, and not forced into acts, jobs, positions they do not want.

    Luv and big hugs Caralyn
    ❤️🌹😀

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    • Thank you so much George 🙂 yeah I’m with you. The goals are admirable, but the execution is just too far. And what an interesting example you shared. Yeah – great points. Thanks for stopping by and sharing this powerful insight, George! Hugs and love xox

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    • Thank you so much John. Haha yeah – bracing myself for sure! Lol Hugs and love xox

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  36. I hope you haven’t gotten too many negative comments, but I LOVE your opinions! You’ve said exactly what I’ve thought about the whole… everything. I hope you have a daughter (or a few) because those women will help our future go where it needs to.

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    • Oh gosh thank you Chelsea! I’m so glad this struck a chord with you. Aww that’s sweet of you to say. I hope I am blessed with daughters one day too!! Hugs and love xox

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  37. I am kind of on the fence with this, because the world sees this day to celebrate feminism, but my friend and sister in christ sent us a sweet msg of how she praised God for us being in her life and the women we became, it was truly heart warming. I wouldn’t be surprised at all the stuff going on around us…. because the world is lost in darkness and until they come to christ their ideas, philosophies, actions will never change. Hence we should pray for 1. their salvation 2. live a life worthy of the calling of God, because that is really all that matters.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Yeah – there were definitely some sweet moments in my own life as well – with my friends too. We shared beautiful texts back and forth and were also able to talk about how grateful we all were for our friendship – so I think it’s a really a wonderful opportunity for that. But the combative extreme just rubs me the wrong way. Yes! I will join you in those prayers! Hugs and love xox

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  38. Love your post! I agree, I feel like a traitor to women-kind just because I want to be a feminine, baby making, husband-supporting woman. It’s definitely a head-scratching time for us females. I feel like girls are so confused about WHO they are–and the feminist movement is the culprit for stirring the pot! It’s hard when you want to be be both, a traditional woman and a career girl.
    It’s possible to have both. But we are led to believe that we have to give up our femininity to survive in the mans world, or we have to give up our dreams and stay at home. It just isn’t so, and nothing–NOTHING–in life is worth giving up your femininity over. It’s the source of our power. I think we need to focus on teaching girls how to be a traditional woman, and the rest will fall into place.
    Thanks for the post!

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    • Thank you so much for your kind words! Head-scratching for sure. You’re right – it is definitely possible to have both , and that gives me great hope. Thanks for sharing your heart! Hugs and love xox

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  40. It certainly is a view not as talked about and I hear you. Thanks for having the courage to talk about it. 🙂 I think there’s a balance and then there are extremes. Women should totally bond together. We need each other’s support. But not at the expense at others either 🙂 that’s my take on it. We can gain forward without negative emotions towards others who haven’t hurt us. Just because we get taken advantage of and not always heard, doesn’t mean we need that bitterness in our life. And maybe the positivity and gentleness we carry will get others to look at us because we reflect something that needs to be shown. <3

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    • thank you so much TR, for your encouraging words. I think you’re right about that – there is definitely a balance to be found. Thanks for the powerful perspective! big hugs to you xo

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  41. My question that day was…are we also celebrating men who identify as women? Or just biological women?
    But well said and I totally agree. Women and men both have things to bring to the table…if men had a day (besides fathers day) there would be uproar.

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    • That is a very good question. I agree – we all bring wonderful things to the table! big hugs xox

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  42. Amen!!! I didn’t read one article, watch one video, or click on a Facebook post.

    God did not create me to prance around declaring myself better than. There’s a difference in balance and ego.

    This day to me was no different than the day women thought it was ok to wear vagina costumes and parade down the street.

    Thanks for sharing! Great points!

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  43. I had mixed feelings about this post, but maybe it’s because I’ve been pressured by my environment to be a “raging” feminist. (Did you know that 83% of women in America believe in equal rights between men and women, but only 15% identify as feminists?) Then if you’re not a feminist, everything around you is like, “Aaah! Don’t you believe in equal rights?!” Well . . . yeah, but third wave feminism has kind of ruined equality for me (just my unpopular opinion). I had this urge to defend things like little girls playing in dirt and not wearing pink, or women becoming CEOs of major companies, etc. etc., but as soon as the topic of family was brought up, well . . . everything kind of shifted into place. Even though I doubt I’ll ever get married and I don’t want to have children, family is important to me, and to see the shift in family “values,” if you can even call them that today, is devastating. I feel very lucky to have two happily married parental figures in my life, and I love my mother and father with all my heart. (If you’ve made it this far in the comment, thank you for reading, and have a good rest of your day.)

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, MT, for sharing your thoughts and perspective on this! yeah, it really is a complicated issue with a broad spectrum of stances. Yeah, the family is the big thing for me too. I’m glad you’ve grown up with a wonderful home life. you’re right – that is a rare and beautiful statistic to behold. so glad you stopped by. Hugs and love xox

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  44. Thank you so much for having the courage to post this! It’s not easy these days, and you are right when you say it’s the unpopular opinion. However, this needs to be said! I can’t tell you how comforting it was to read this post and know I am not alone in my thinking, views, and beliefs. International Women’s Day was all over social media, and to be honest, I was just kind of over it. Well said. Keep writing and staying true to who you are! 🙂♥️

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    • Hi friend, thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement! it really means a lot. glad it hit home with you 🙂 big hugs to you xox

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  46. I think you have a flawed view of feminism, which is easy to understand. The extremists in a movement are always the loudest, so it makes sense that you and a lot of others would think all feminists are man-haters who believe being a “traditional” woman (ie, a homemaket, feminie, etc) is demeaning.

    While there are people like that, I don’t think that’s the majority of the feminist movement. Most of us (the rational ones) don’t hate men at all, and society’s traditional view — that feminine traits are less-than — doesn’t just hurt women. Women are usually the ones most affected, because men have traditionally been in power in western societies. But you can’t deny that treating feminine traits as demeaning affects everyone. Think about how men are socialized not to show emotion, because reacting to your emotions is seen as feminine. We all have emotions and we all have to act on them. But a lot of men don’t because they feel like they’ll be ridiculed. That’s part of the reason men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide (https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/).

    I could go on and on, but I just want to gently remind you to look at all sides of a debate before you throw something out. Reading interviews with Emma Watson and Malala Yousafzai would be a good place to start. 🙂

    Thanks for bringing attention to this! International Women’s Day is an important thing to discuss.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this, and joining the conversation. This is such a powerful perspective. You’re right – there are a lot of different positions on the spectrum of feminism, and i appreciate you sharing your heart on this emotional issue. I love learning and hearing from everyone. Because that’s how we grow and come together, when there’s mutual understanding and respect 🙂 will def check those interviews out! Hugs and love xox

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  47. I very respectfully, but very strongly disagree with much of what you posted here. I was once a very young woman with similar values and a great deal of naïveté, but I have grown and learned so much, as will you. I will just focus on a few opinions:

    1. Pink is only light red. Wearing it neither makes one masculine nor feminine.
    2. Yes, women must be gentle and supportive of their spouses. But so must men.
    3. Boys dance, too. And many girls enjoy sports, which is healthy and natural, and good.
    4. Women who support women and find fulfillment in their careers and believe that women (as well as men) deserve respect are not “raging” feminists out to dominate men and steal “their” jobs.
    5. Marriages with rigid, traditional roles often fail, too.
    6. The best thing that we can do is to honor, respect, and value both genders, and offer people the freedoms to pursue that which offers the the best chance to share their talents with the world.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional issue. I really appreciate you joining the conversation and offering this powerful perspective. I am nodding my head in agreement with you. (And just for the record, i am fully supportive of girls playing sports! I played varsity soccer and basketball in high school!) I just specifically meant tackle football, that’s all 🙂 but you’re right on the money – love, respect and value for all people, no matter race, gender, religion, sexual orientation — amen amen amen! Hugs and love xox

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  48. Hope you always keep those values. We have to decide what we are going to sacrifice…our children or stuff. It’s a shame that two incomes are almost a necessity anymore. But again maybe most of it boils down to our choices.

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    • thank you so much. That’s a very powerful perspective. And true – there is definitely a balance that can be achieved, which gives me hope 🙂 and you’re right about that choice. Hugs and love xox

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  49. I feel like your assumption is that if someone disagrees with you, they’ll be hating on you. That’s sad because it’s exactly the kind of mindset that has people thinking that downing men is the only way to empower women. Hopefully you will not view my disagreement as contempt or hatred.

    You have been kind enough to give your honest thoughts. Here are mine, in no real order:

    My name is Genny. When I was a child, everyone supported me liking pink. Everyone supported me being pretty and dainty. Everyone supported me being pretty. I am not a girl, but I tried to force myself to behave that way, because it was treated as more appealing – and almost as a moral good. When i was seventeen I sank into suicidal depression that didn’t subside until God healed me nearly a decade later. The social pressure to be feminine, demure, likable, sweet, passive, and everything else that we have deemed good qualities in a woman almost cost me my life. I nearly died from trying to be what was asked of me. You have every right to raise your kids how you want, and to live your life as you choose, but your way of presenting in the world isn’t right for everybody just because they’re born physically female.

    Secondly, my sister is extremely feminine, and is treated as though she’s weird for being so girlish and for wearing dresses all the time. I always have and always will support her and she always has and always will support me. We look out for each other at times when no one else will. I understand how frustrating it can be to be treated like you’re not empowering women just because your dreams are very feminine and old fashioned. No one else’s opinion or way of living can invalidate yours, and your natural femininity doesn’t invalidate the people who arent like you.

    And thirdly, as far as family units, I was homeschooled, and when I was ready to leave home after getting my associate’s degree I felt called to stay with my family so that my sister and I could take care of my mother while she underwent a few surgeries. I value family so much, and I want families to be a cherished and protected thing. I don’t always ascribe to the 1950s ideal that sprang up out of a need for security after the greatest generation fought their way through two wars and the depression, because I don’t think it’s healthy, and more of a pendulum swing result of a country feeling threatened, exhausted, and unsafe. I want to protect my family, and in my experience glorifying that kind of family model just causes hurtful expectations to be put on the very family members that we had hoped to protect.

    While I’m rambling…

    I feel a little sad looking at this post because I have showed your blog to multiple female friends – including my female baptist pastor who is striving to make a difference in a role that most consider reserved for a man. The idea that the same blog that I’ve been showing her would be posting about national women’s day in terms that make it sound like they are about to hurl… It’s actually physically painful to me.

    You’ve said that this was an unpopular opinion… but the majority of responses I’ve seen have been congratulatory and supportive… and I’m glad you have that. I’m very happy you have so many people backing you up (I have no idea if I will). I also really respect where you’re coming from… but I feel like you have represented only one side of a really messy and potentially painful topic.

    I think we either know different feminists, or view feminism in a different way. You talk about respect and not crapping on anybody. You talk about following your heart, and being a healthy role model.
    But you literally just began a post by saying you gag in your mouth when you hear your opponents viewpoints, and ended it by saying that devaluing your opponents isn’t “a good look”. A) most feminists aren’t here to make you think they “look good”. That’s kind of the entire point. B) didn’t you just do what you hate other people doing?
    Every word of your post sounds to me – either rightly or wrongly – like someone who has suffered wrongful accusations of character in the name of feminism and women’s rights, been bullied about it, and had their voice run over by louder, ruder people. Thats true then im very sorry. Real feminism should be about building other women up, not stamping out what they have to say. That may well go broth ways, but it’s still so sad that that happens (whether that was an accurate description of what has happened in your life or not).

    I consider myself a feminist, and to me part of that is fighting for your right to be heard when you disagree with me. Part of being a feminist to me is sticking up for rape victims… women, *and* men. Male and female victims of domestic violence. It means sticking up for women who operate in a more masculine way, and men who operate in a more feminine way. It means trying accept those who function in hyper feminine and hyper masculine ways, while helping to fight for equality for people who just don’t.

    Please understand: one of the reasons I am a feminist is that I support men. I’m sure that sounds counterintuitive, but you have to understand that femininity counters masculinity. In some ways that’s good… in some ways that can be harmful. The hyper femininity that we build up is seen as off-limits to guys. Boys are mocked, men degraded, just for expressing themselves in ways that we consider “too feminine”. There’s an article (I think it’s called the boys are not all right, or something like that!) which considers a link between the hyper masculine stereotype that bots get forced into, and mass shootings (almost always by men). The article was written by a man, and as soon as he posted it, he was harassed, and called soyboy, and basically told to stop being… wait for it… such a girl. For as long as marginalized groups are used as an insult (gay, girl, retarded, etc.) not only will we be mistreated, but others will be mistreated for their resemblance to us. I’m not a feminist because I think there’s something wrong with men. I’m a feminist because I support women (whether they have any of the same views as me or not) *and* men. I am not fighting against humanity on behalf of women… I am fighting for us all to be considered humans of the same value, so that I will not be told I am mistreating one half by trying to build up the other. (It often comes out that way. In this post, for instance, you seemed to feel attacked by feminists, whereas reading it I felt attacked by you. I’ve read your work before and you’ve never seemed really unkind or condescending, so it might be an incorrect feeling. Sometimes sticking up for yourself comes across as downing ones someone else.)

    I won’t touch too much on the pain it caused me to see you lump a movement to bring awareness and dignity to rape victims into bundle of movements that you seemed to find not only silly but almost insulting. Just know that it was scary for me, and the only thing I could think of to say was “please stop touching me, it tickles”, because I couldn’t think of any other sweet, demure, feminine way of demanding that a man who was my father’s age take his hand out of my skirt.

    If there comes a time when we need/get a white history month, a national men’s day, or support groups for teens trying to convince their families to accept them as heterosexual, I will be backing those one hundred percent. Everyone has a right to be who they are, and express their beliefs. I support that. My hope is that we can learn to do it without mockery or vomiting.

    Reading this post made me remember your description of seeing an emaciated model being glamorized. It feels a little that way to me: seeing something that feels unhealthy to you being treated as though it is the only healthy, moral way to be; as though if you don’t look, or act that way, you are disgusting, and laughable.

    We follow the same God, if not yhe same hashtags. My hope is that if were supposed to open oyr eyes to each other’s opinions, and see then in a new light we will do so. I’m not asking you to change. Just to please, please pray about it, and I will do the same.

    God bless, take care, and follow your dreams, girl: no matter how different they may be from mine.

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  52. Another breath of fresh air.
    Another fully satisfying insight to what is good and proper and right and accurate.
    In MLB the Best ever was Babe Ruth. He had a nearly perfect all time batting average of about 500. Means be struck out half the time. If your blog was measured similarly you’d have a 1,000 batting average.
    That is, you knock it over the wall every single time!!!
    Great great POST. I wish to God they’d your post on The View or Oprah or some other inane twisted television program.
    AWESOME POST!!!

    xoxo

    Roland

    Reply

    • Hi Roland, thank you so much for your kind words! Babe Ruth! More than just a candy bar 🙂 heheh But in all seriousness, what an incredibly kind thing too say. thank you!! Hugs and love xox

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  53. I am quite confused as to why you so intensely insist that International Women’s Day is foremost intended as a way to bash men? The history of the day is primarily steeped in the suffrage movement, meaning, women long ago who thought it right that women be allowed to vote. I certainly wouldn’t want to give that up. From there, the focus has been on things like humane workplace conditions, decreasing instances of rape and brutality that overwhelmingly victimize women, providing more support to women whose husbands and fathers are lost to wars, equal pay for equal qualifications, and so forth. Frankly, it has nothing to do with being anti-male. The point is to support positive efforts intended to improve the quality of life for women in areas that are demonstratively harming women, and by extension support the children and family units that you mention as being at risk. You have a large following, and it dismays me to read what seems a needless stoking of petty culture wars. Your love for an intact family unit truly does not require a disavowal of feminism, just an expanded understanding of what it really means. I have had the privilege of staying home with all 3 of my children in their early childhood. My husband earns enough for me to do so. I read to them, garden, cook, and basically lead the life your post seems to be pining for, the lifestyle that somehow is threatened by positive recognition of women’s importance in the arena of politics and world events? My two eldest are daughters, and I think my most important task is to make certain they know the value of their minds, souls, and voices in a culture so lookist and objectifying. The best way to do that is for them to learn and experience the interconnection between justice and compassion. Girls and women striving to feel whole in themselves is good for everyone, men included. Appreciation of the hard work and struggles of women that March 8 commemorates does not mean I am against men. It means I’m grateful. Why not accentuate the positive?

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    • Hi Nichole, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional issue. I appreciate you joining the dialogue and offering this heartfelt perspective. Justice and compassion – i love that. because you’re right – it is a balance, and there is a broad spectrum when it comes to feminism. One that I am on! I definitely am grateful for the progress that women have made for our rights to vote, and work, and have all the freedoms and protections that we are blessed with today. that should be celebrated and acknowledged each and every day! I just don’t think we need to put men down or make make the “bad guy” in the process. That’s all. And i’m so glad that you have such an awesome family. It sounds like you’re raising your daughters to be amazing young women 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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      • It would be WONDERFUL were you to more clearly and openly claim your place on the feminist spectrum, and from there explore how any broad stroke disavowal of men is counterproductive. I fear that your post seems to directly link International Women’s Day to man-hating and the undermining of family values in a way that further encourages the divisive misapprehension of feminism. And thank you, I am very happy to have my sweet family to love. They strengthen my resolve to speak out for a just and equitable world where more people can feel safe to love what is dearest. There are plenty of men who equally and vehemently object to the profits of war and displacement and environmental degradation, and understand feminism as another way to be courageous in the struggle for justice and peace. ❤️

      • I will definitely keep that in mind for future posts. 🙂 Thank you again for stopping by and joining the dialogue! Hugs and love xox

  54. I totally agree with most of your post and it annoys me that the day is on my birthday. One comment I would make is that it’s for a women to enjoy contact sports and still be feminine. I play men’s league ice hockey, but you’d never guess it if you saw me at work or on the street. I love being a feminine women, but that doesn’t mean I love sports any less. I’ve got my cake and I’m eating not too.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. And happy belated birthday! And I totally agree – I played varsity soccer and basketball in high school! And I will definitely be putting my girls in sports – I just meant *specifically* TACKLE football. Like little league. And frankly, with everything coming out about concussions, I don’t know if I would encourage my boys to play football either! But yeah, girls can defffffinitely play sports. Being a female athlete was my identity in high school and I wouldn’t change that for the world! 🙂 I’m with ya there! Hugs and love xox

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      • My boys play hockey, so know all to well about concussions. My son is concussed now and for a brief moment they thought he had a brain bleed. It’s been scary. Football is way too much head to head contact, scares me even for my boys!

      • oh my gosh, i’m so sorry to hear that! how frightening! I will definitely keep him in my preyers. Yeah, both my older brothers played football, and I am just so grateful that they escaped unharmed. (I’ll thank their positions as QB and receiver for that!) But yeah – it’s scary. No one in my family wants to/has seen the Will Smith movie about the concussions, because it just hits a little too close to home. Scary. thanks again for stopping by! have a great night oxoxox

  55. Well said. Once again, you’ve hit the nail on the head. You’ve written what clearly many are thinking. (I hope you don’t mind if I vent a little here, but this has been on my mind for a long time now. You are right that, as a guy, it is not an easy thing to voice an opinion right now).

    It seems to me there is a frenzy of female chauvinism right now which is EQUALLY as negative as male chauvinism, and it should be called out, just as you have done. I am consistently staggered how some people claim they are trying to encourage and foster gender equality and then in the very same breath they immediately draw attention to a cause that promotes one gender over the other. One of the highest profile cases of sexual misconduct in the recent showbiz scandals involved a male victim and a male perpetrator. Yet the # campaigns are all focusing on women who were victims of men. Not vulnerable people who were victims of malicious people.

    Oprah Winfrey recently likened the current feminist uprising to the civil rights movement but if I remember Rev Dr King’s speech correctly, he did not dream that black people would rise up and defeat white people, but that black and white people would be treated equally – AS PEOPLE. Likewise, gender equality means men and women should be treated equally – AS PEOPLE.

    Feminism, by its very nature, is ANTI-equality.

    Woman’s Day used to be a “mothers-day-esque” celebration of the precious and valuable role a woman plays in a healthy society, just as you described, but it has in recent years been hijacked as a rallying call for women to rise up and beat men at “their own game”.

    Connected to that, I can’t help feeling that the recent explosion of before-and-after fitness selfies some women are posting on sites like Instagram is doing enormous damage to girls’ self worth and core values. It seems like a woman without six-pack abs is being framed as somehow less of a woman when, to some people, there is nothing LESS ‘womanly’ than six-pack abs.

    It’s heartening to know that someone, even your one solitary voice, is prepared to remind us that, when it comes to militant feminism, not all women are equal.

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    • Be treated equally *as people* Yes! i love that so uch. Thank you so much, Ally for sharing this heartfelt response. it really means a lot that you would share your heart on such an emotional issue. so glad this resonated with you! Hugs and love xox

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  56. This was amazing!! I think people are losing the value and importance in family relationships that ultimately it’s sabotaging romantic relationships.

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    • thank you so much Gabe! Amen to that – the family is so important. amen! Hugs and love xox

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  57. No, no, no, no, no. 1. Saying that women’s day is dumb is like saying that black history month is dumb. It’s ignorant. It’s ignoring the facts these things exist because they do not get the recognition on a day to day basis they deserve. We shouldn’t have a national men’s day because men are already the primary focus/ celebrated in every day life. 2. To be pro feminism is not to be anti traditional female roles. It’s to see those roles and say they should be encouraged, respected, and cared for in the same ways as men’s roles. 3. The times up and me too movements were not “feminist” movements… they were anti sexual harassment movements and to simply dismiss them as a feminist fad is so incredibly disrespectful to the thousands of women and men who have been sexual harassed, abused, mistreated. 4. You can’t say that women should have the option to work from home or to stay at home and that more/all companies should make that option realistic/available for moms/wives while in the same article saying women need to stop with the feminist agenda. That is is LITERALLY THE AGENDA! Women do not have the option to take time off from work and properly care for the children, they do not have the proper support to be a housewife, or to be both because they are not valued as both women and worker. It is a complete contradiction to demand the one and not support the other. 5. Women can be dainty and feminine and just like Audrey Hepburn and STILL BE FEMINIST!!!!! And you can be a Christian and honor traditional Christian man women roles and STILL BE A FEMINIST. Do you not think that Jesus would have been seen as a feminist equivalent in His time. He stopped a women who had committed adultry from being stoned! He was born to a mother that was seen as having him out of wedloc. Jesus was so radically pro female in his day. And taking a stand against feminism as a women doesn’t make you look better or superior or more attractive it makes you look like someone who is afraid to call out bs and just accepts whatever they are told.

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    • Hi Cameron, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and perspectives on this emotional issue. I definitely appreciate you joining the conversation. I agree – Jesus was definitely pro-woman. He is the example for us all! And I’m sorry if you feel that that was my agenda for writing this post, because I can assure you, it was most certainly not. We should celebrate all the sacrifices and struggles that the women (and men) before us made so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have now. And I appreciate that those Me Too and TU movements were to stop the sexual assault and harassment that have NO PLACE in 2018. I’m so glad that those perps are coming to light and being served justice. The courage that it took for those victims to come forward is truly inspiring, and I am in no way diminishing that, or the movement to end sexual assault/harassment. Women are strong and should be celebrated and championed, but not at the expense of bashing men or making women who don’t believe in abortion feel like they aren’t welcome in the female race. That’s all. Net net, I hear you, and I appreciate your positions, and respect them! That’s why I wanted to start a dialogue, is so that we could all come together, and seek understanding and mutual respect. Thanks for stopping by, Cameron. Hugs and love xox

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  59. Well written post .. valid points and huge numbers will agree with you.
    I’m no feminist either … yet I feel strong and empowered and am proud of my 19-yr old daughter for being the same. She has an amazing boyfriend who respects her and loves her. What more can you ask?

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    • thank you so much Viola! I really appreciate your thoughts on this emotional issue. That’s so awesome. sounds like you’ve got a great young lady there. good job 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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      • I have – she’s amazing. But I’ve had a lot of support from my husband. We’ve both enjoyed bringing up both our kids xx
        May you be blessed with a happy family xx

      • sounds like you guys are an awesome team!!! love it!! thank you 🙂 x

  60. When I first started reading this, I was like “Nooo! Don’t misunderstand feminists! We aren’t all like that!” But then you pretty well said it for me. I think there are a lot more feminists like us out there, who view men and women as equal and complementary, than we get credit for on mainstream media or social media! Love your style 😉

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    • Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond! yeah, it’s a big big spectrum – one that I am on! just, not the extreme ends 🙂 thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  61. Intriguing post. It’s sad that anyone is marginalized, patronized and/or overlooked. Consequently, I get no enjoyment from seeing the constant parade of commercials depicting men as bumbling dupes who can’t tie their shoes without their wives help. I find the trend rather tired and quite stupid.
    That said, one doesn’t have to look very hard to find “vintage” adds and the ridiculous depictions of women in them. The women are almost always dumb and always helpless, unless there’s a man around. Many of these adds are as recent as the 1970s. This was the accepted standard of femininity then. I pray that I am never again subjected to that kind of sexism. I’m fifty-two years old. I was a kid back then and I remember being repulsed by that garbage. In the scheme of things, that wasn’t that long ago.
    I am absolutely convinced there had to be a woman’s movement otherwise we wouldn’t even have the right to vote. Unfortunately, civil rights movements are no more perfect that the people who participate in them. Bra burning and obnoxious behavior does not negate the positive reforms of the women’s movement. Likewise, piling on and being “late to the table” does not diminish the rightful resolve of women to no longer tolerate sexual harassment. I like International Women’s Day.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. i am so with you! the “dumb man/dad” trope is so tired, and frankly I just hate how it belittles men. And that’s also another great point about the women. thanks for offering this powerful perspective! big hugs to you xox

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    • thank you so much Spencer! i appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to read! big hugs x

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  63. I am not a fan of the feminist movement. I work for an international company and they never mentioned International Woman’s although I knew what it was. I would love to go back to the days when women cared for the house, kids, and husband. But sadly I cannot have children so that forces me out in the work force.

    I love this post. You really hit the nail on the head! Great job!!

    Reply

    • Hi friend, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional issue. Gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. I know infertility is such a hard thing to cope with. know that you are in my prayers. sending you such big hugs and lots of love xox

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  64. Another great post 😀👌 National women’s days is litterly the dumbest thing every! It goes against everything a sane person stands for! Now don’t get me wrong I want equal pay for women but does all this hatred have to go around between the genders to get that simple plea?
    Lots of love
    Izzy

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  65. My dear friend,

    I think that most of the things that matters is what kind of viewing point we have at things, what motives are behind with which we express our feelings and reasonings. The same outcome may not necessarily have the same motive behind. For example when I wrote something for this internation women day, my feeling was to express the wish that we, men and women are treated equally, as we are all first of all human beings and there should be indeed no difference. Unfortunately, the male part has often put a thumb on women and in our world there are still unbalanced situations, even terrible situations for women – for those I have my compassion and empathy, for those it is worth-while fighting for, for a better harmonic world. A day fixed like that should not be just a day in remembrance for those woman who suffer under the thumb of the society, tradition, culture or man-rulership (I myself am a man) – it should become a natural thing, not only one day, but every day (the same with xmas – a fixed day calls us to be friendly in family-love – why only one day? – we should celebrate xmas every day in your heart and practise it every day in our life) – however, this one day, can be a start, a bridge for a future improvement, a bridge not to mention this special day for women any more as soon equality between women and men has become a matter of course. But many things need a start and of course this start can be seen from many different point of views. If we consider it in a positive way – the outcome will be positive some day the more people think positively. I remember that in former East-Germany people went on the street, every Monday, in Leipzig, to demonstrate their freedom and annouce that they are the people. This action bore fruit – and nowdays nowone goes on the street anymore after they have reached their goal – it was a bridge man had to across, from the very start til the goal was achieved. So one day it is not necessary anymore to have a day like that – it will turn into a human matter of course.

    Here again the words I have chosen: that we men and women should reach a balance of mutual respect, love and dignity:

    My appreciation to all women in this world.
    May women and men have equal rights likewise
    Earn the same money for the same job
    Are respected with dignity
    And treated with open hearts
    In thankfulness for giving life
    From generation to generation
    Raising children
    Taking care of the family
    Spreading perfume of love and selfless service

    Thank you, dear ladies 🙂

    DidiArtist, 08.03.2018

    Thank you very much, my friend for sharing this important subject.
    Wishing all what is good for your soul
    Didi

    Reply

    • Wow Didi, thank you so much for this incredibly moving response. So many powerful insights and perspectives here. my favorite line was when you said that men and women should reach a balance of respect, love and dignity. AMEN. Those three things are what every single person, no matter their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality – deserve. Amen to that! thank you for stopping by and sharing your heart. Hugs and love xox

      Reply

      • Welcome, my friend – yes and we have to live “respect, love, and dignity” in our daily life. What did Gandhi say: “Be the change if you want to see a change in the world” – in this meaning we are all responsible and each of us has has to change for the better – this is living truth, living love…
        Thank you so much, dear friend.
        Hugs and love
        Didi

  66. I could not agree with this post more! I applaud you for using your platform to share your views. I didn’t even know it was International Women’s Day until someone told me and I just rolled my eyes. I love being treated like a lady. I love having doors opened for me, bags carried for me from the grocery store and my boyfriend even pushes the cart. I cook the meals, do the laundry and clean the house (except the floors because that’s our agreement). He does the lawn, takes out the trash and works his ass off (as do I). We don’t have children yet, but we would put our girls in dance and pink and our boys in blue and football also. It really makes me sad that this feminist movement is where its at. Even the some of the women of the 60’s who burned their bras for women’s rights have spoken out saying they think it’s gotten way out of hand and certainly doesn’t reflect what they were fighting for. I really enjoy your blog! Thank you for your transparency and honesty.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Leigh Ann! I really appreciate your support and kind words. Amen sister!! Yeah, I hear you there! Out of hand I think is definitely the right word. so glad you stopped by! (And ps – so happy for you that you’ve got such an awesome man in your life!! yay! 🙂 ) Hugs and love xox

      Reply

  67. Very well written and incredibly insightful. Your thoughts are probably considered pretty radical by the majority of a society that seems to have bought into the idea that all morality is relative. Thank you for what you contribute. I think it’s brilliant.

    Reply

  68. So I’m also coming from a weird perspective (albeit much different)–a man who loves the existence of International Women’s Day.

    From my experiences, very few of the women I know on International Women’s Day are people who are of the “destroy all men” types. Which seems to be your concern (or one of your concerns).

    Instead, the feminist women I know view International Women’s Day as a day to celebrate women. I have no problem with that because from my perspective, we celebrate men on the other 364/365 days of the year. Think about it…every President of the United States is/was a man, history is dominated by men, most politicians are men, most sports stars are men, most Fortune 500 CEOs are men, etc. So to have a day intentionally focused on celebrating women when all the other days of the year are overwhelmingly celebrating men (intentional or not) is I think a good thing.

    That being said, maybe we have different feelings because we know different people.

    P.S. Things are a little busy so my apologies if I take awhile to respond.

    Reply

    • Hi Brenden, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this! i love hearing everyone’s different perspectives. Those are really great points. so true – different people, different positions on the spectrum of feminism. Thanks for this powerful food for thought! Hugs and love xox

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  69. Caralyn, you are an amazing young lady! You are the standard to which all others should be measured when asking themselves what is important regarding balance.
    As you said, a woman/girl/lady is a very special thing. She is not inferior to her male counterpart, but she is not identical. She should not try to be. My wife, as a young school girl, told her teacher that she wanted to grow up to be a wife and mother. She was told that she could be “so much more than that”. This was confusing to her as this was what she thought would be the most rewarding career of all. She did it magnificently. (She also went on to get a college degree).
    I particularly loved your comment about what would happen if men tried to have the same kind of day to recognize us. Keep up the wonderful work, dear.
    Love and Blessings,
    Jim

    Reply

    • oh my gosh Jim, you are too kind. thank you friend. amen to that – that’s what I told my teachers too!! I was like, “I want to have 10 kids!” haha Yeah – i had a different word in that sentence, but was advised to replace it! hahahah Hugs and love xox

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  70. Caralyn, once again… Thanks for taking a strong stand on these issues. As a man who cherishes my wife, I just applaud your willingness to “tell it like it is” (or, maybe, “like it used to be!”) We are in trouble, as a society, and this is just more more reason why. God made things to be very simple from the very beginning… strong families are the core of decent society, built upon the mutual strength of man AND woman. Thanks for stepping up and saying what needs to be said… in spite of the possible repercussions. You are right! No matter all the voices out there, declaring God’s way as old-fashioned and outdated. Sadly, we are seeing the truth behind the fact that we always reap what we sow. Be blessed. Be that beacon.God is with you!

    Reply

    • thank you so much friend. yeah, we need strong families. Men who support women and women who support men. An equal partnership. Thanks for your support. it seriously means so much. Hugs and love xox

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  72. When the world goes through a paradigm shift the results are a little chaotic. As culture and society have traveled in one direction, part of that society and our Faith went in another direction. Both seem to have the “best interests” of society at heart, however the cultural/societal shift is at odds, loggerheads with the Church. The Second Vatican Council affirmed life from conception to natural death while culture began giving us the easy out. Though part of that easy out has proven itself to be not so easy, and downright painful.
    As someone who had an ill conceived view of the Church, and her teaching on women and our place in faith and role in the Church reading John Paul II’s Mulieris Dignatatem https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html
    changed my understanding completely. At the time I read this I’d been regularly reading the documents on Social teaching in the Church. While the practice of the human Church as oft been misordered the teaching of the Church is such that the person is essential. treating each person with the dignity and respect they deserve as a child of God, and living chastely in the current circumstance of life.
    There is much beauty, grace, and hope. As a woman in the Church I experience a deep love, and appreciation. I am contributing what I can at the moment – a richer prayer life, doing good work when the opportunity happens, and being supportive of the people in my life – building them up and encouraging them when and where I can.
    <3

    Reply

    • YES TERI!!!! The Feminine Genius!!! Yes!!!! oh my gosh that is exactly my position too! What a beautiful doctrine about the beauty of femininity. It’s amazing how much the church honors, celebrates and lifts up women. thank you for sharing this. i hope many people read it! Hugs and love xox

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  73. Well said. There has to be a balance with us being the Queens God created us to be and also embrace the personality that he gave us, rather that reserved and tomboyish like or open and girly

    Reply

    • amen to that! thank you Shay, I fully agree. We all reflect different aspects of the Father’s heart, and so we should embrace and celebrate that! Hugs and love xox

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  74. You must have seen this link regarding the chronology / history of International Women’s Day : http://www.un.org/en/events/womensday/history.shtml.
    Nowhere I saw it being equated to man bashing or feminist movement. I have two women in my house, my wife and my daughter, who are proud supporters of International Women’s Day and all three male members (me and my two sons) are proud of them. Till recently we were a two person working family to meet our needs. Yes, there are stress and strains that are not any different from a stay at home spouse family. As mentioned in your article, it did not put any strain on the family. All three of my kids have turned out to be fine, compassionate human beings, one graduated with a PhD, one in final year of college and the youngest one a sophomore at college. The notion that just because both the spouses work the kids will be neglected is so shortsighted.

    Reply

    • Hi friend, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. I’m sorry that you took that away from my post about the dual working families. That was not my position at all. I mentioned that there are ways to balance that, and make it work — which clearly, you and your family are a beautiful example of a work/life balance, and I am cheering for you all! 🙂 Thank you for sending me the article. I will definitely read it, and i appreciate hearing from all sides of the topic. Hugs and love xox

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  76. Caralyn, It’s kind of sad in general we need to have special days for any particular role or gender. To me everyday is a celebration of Father’s day, Mother’s day, Grandparent’s day, Woman’s day.

    It’s not just the family which has deteriorated, it is also the community. We have our neighbors not loving us like they love themselves, but they work to help destroy their own neighbor. They have called the police or other services when their neighbor does something they don’t agree with. Some of the social media/video game parenting has come from the fact parents start being afraid to allow their kids to go outside.

    The combined deterioration of the family roles and our culture have left open the argument to encase anyone who shows love for a significant other thus is and should be able to raise a child. Because they have the argument, look at the traditional family 50% + divorce and other issues.

    I think equality is fine, but at what sacrifice. When roles were clearly defined within the family, there was not competition, there was not the ego. If woman are to unseat men, what will the men do. The challenge as we try and recreate what God created, we throw our entire system in chaos, I believe this is Satan’s favorite word.

    Even the best of us get forced into situations we don’t want to be because we live among those that want to force us to live as they feel we should live. I believe we are way past the point of being able to return to traditional values, morals, principals and culture. Just listen to the news and how angry everyone is at each other – and we all don’t believe in the same God. Even following God, we are divided – denomination split among denomination.

    Our greatest power our greatest weapon is our ability to pray and live a life as we have committed ourselves to and Jesus Christ commanded us NIV Matthew 22:37-29 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]

    God Bless you Caralyn!

    Reply

    • thank you so much for this powerful response. there is so much truth here. i was nodding along with you about the communities. i will join you in prayer for our country – our families – our communities – our law makers and enforcers – our world -and each other. Because you’re right – we need to honor, celebrate and respect all people, all the time. Hugs and love xox

      Reply

  77. Reading your post was a kind of relief for me… I get super irritated with the “Women’s Day” hoopla, and was wondering if it was wrong for me to feel so.

    I basically think that every person regardless of their gender, ethnicity or life preferences deserve an equal chance in society, to live a life of respect and dignity. And that’s that!! Being a man or woman does not matter. Everybody has their unique strengths and noone is lesser than the other.

    And I seriously cringe at the way Women’s Day is celebrated. At my work site, there were special talks on “Easy Recipes”, “Hair Care and Beauty”, “Special Cooking contests”… I mean… come on!! Women themselves think women are focused only on this??

    How about a writing seminar, a discussion on thoughts, ideas above and beyond the body?

    Love your writing… God Bless.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for your wonderful thoughts on this. I’m with yah there! An equal chance in society to live a life of respect and dignity. Amen!!!! Bam – there it is. Hugs and love xox

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  80. Agree with you 100%. I’m all for celebrating women, but the whole social media campaign for International Women’s Day was unbelievably stupid. I didn’t even realize it was an actual day until I saw the hashtags all over Instagram. If we care about gender equality, why not have a Men’s Day while we’re at it? Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    – Katie

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  81. Women still do not have the same rights as men. It’s still a male dominated world. Celebrating women and their achievements is a great thing for young girls especially to see. To show them they can achieve anything. To show them they aren’t second class citizens as is the case still in a lot of countries.
    I find a lot of hate comes from women to women when we should support each other whatever their goals. A stay at home mum should not be mocked by her sisters because of her choice and working women should be supported in their choice too.
    Being a feminist doesn’t mean hating men. That’s not equality, that’s just vindictive and divides society. We need to cherish everyone regardless of sex.
    International women’s Day let’s women all over the world know that they have people who will fight for their rights as they fought for their own and that some day they may have choices to accomplish their dreams. Not be married off at 12 because they don’t matter, to be able to drive a car, to have an education. Sometimes living in a more progressive society you lose sight of what else is happening in the world and don’t question what we take for granted, education, health care, choices.
    The me too is a different argument.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional topic. there is definitely a spectrum of feminism – one that i am definitely on. I love the – cherish everyone regardless of sex. amen. Hugs and love xox

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  82. Great post! Well written. As a “traditional” woman, this really hits home. I didn’t plan to stay home and raise the family. I went to college and planned to be a dual income family. But the fact is, when my daughter was born, it became very apparent where I was needed, and where I would make the most impact. Women should definitely be celebrated, everyday, no matter how they chose to live their lives. Because that fact is every path has the potential to be difficult in it’s own way.

    P.S. My daughter wears pink almost everyday. She is a girl, there is no reason why she shouldn’t dress like one and embrace her femininity.

    Reply

    • thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. I’m so glad this resonated with you! amen to that! Hugs and love xox

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  83. I love your bold courage! I admire your writing and how you connect with your audience. And I live that you aren’t afraid youll offend anyone by speaking your mind. Way to go!

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  85. I think this might be the most refreshing post I have read! No one believes in the value and influence of women than I, but even I don’t understand what “International Women’s Day” actually does?

    Everyone I know (even those who celebrate this day) don’t actually do anything productive with it, in fact it’s just like any other day. So what is the point? Great post, you’re mother taught you well! Excellent content, as usual.

    Reply

    • oh my gosh Tyrone, what a kind thing to say! thank you so much! so glad you stopped by 🙂 big hugs xo

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  86. Love love love!!! I ignored International Women’s Day… It isn’t wrong to support women, women entrepreneurs, etc – it is wrong to do it at the expense of men like we’re “better”.

    Men aren’t better. Women aren’t better. We’re different. Complimentary. ❤️

    Reply

  87. Lovely and fun post, while gives again enough to think about. I love your writings!
    I placed a short post on my personal site on 8th of March, and every year I send out a nice, friendly, publicly posted message on social media sites, congratulating on Women’s Day. Out of respect. And of course, on first place, never would forget about my wife and mother, nieces….and my Bengal kiddo, Roxy.

    Reply

    • thank you so much Robert! So glad you enjoyed the piece. Aww, I love the name Roxy 🙂 hugs xox

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  90. Oh how I LOVE this post! It is the only one about International Women’s Day that I liked. I do not post about this day, nor do I even acknowledge it. What a refreshing post! Thank you so much for no doubt putting yourself in the line of fire to write such an intelligent post. <3

    Reply

    • oh thank you so much Cherilyn! what a beautiful name, by the way. appreciate your kind words so much 🙂 hugs xo

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  91. Great post! My husband and I see so many couples competing instead of working together as a team. Society is so messed up right now by so many screaming loudly what I believe only a few truly believe. My husband is a wonderful person, friend, companion, lover, and spiritual leader of our home. Life is very, very good! I know how blessed I am. I have begun praying that God will send you the right person. I sense in your writing that you are seeking this. What I found, in marrying for the first time at age 44, was finally telling God and meaning it, “You are enough!” WIthin two months, a “friend” at church who I hiked & biked with me was sharing his heart and how meeting me was “making friendship hard.” We got married and have been happily married going on 13 years this October. God bless you!

    Reply

    • thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. wow – 13 years! Congratulations, that is so wonderful 🙂 thanks for the encouragement ! hugs xo

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  92. Like many others, I find this post incredibly refreshing. I knew International Women’s Day existed, but it was like any other day for me. I went to the gym, went to work, came home, ate dinner with my husband, and so on. But, your post also got me thinking about family values and such. My parents (and my husband’s, too), were all about eating dinner together, not in front of the TV. Our families are very much alike, probably because our parents are all around the same age – My mom’s the oldest by six years, but all were born in the 1950s. My husband and I are attempting to eat dinner at the table more regularly – Not an easy thing to do these days. I like to think (and granted, everything can change on a dime) that I want to stay home with our future child/children until they’re school-age. As a kid, I loved that time with my mom, and I even got a little extra since she volunteered at the elementary school I attended, and then started teaching ESL there when I was in second grade. My dad worked incredibly long hours, but tried so hard to be home every weeknight for dinner when I was younger. As an adult, I now see immense value in that, and I definitely appreciate it more.

    I started to be a “latch key kid” in middle school, but it was only 1-2 nights per week at most, and it wasn’t more than a few hours (Usually stuff going on at church where Mom and Dad were both involved). Honestly, then, I thought coming home alone occasionally was awesome. I felt a sense of independence, and I felt proud that my parents trusted me enough to be responsible at 11-years-old to take care of myself for a while. Granted, I’m a bit biased, being an only child.

    No family is perfect, but I’d like to think that if Al and I show our child/children these simple values, they will be better off for it.

    THANK YOU for such a wonderful, thought-provoking post! Hugs!!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Laura Beth for sharing your story. It’s sounds like you have incredible parents and that you and your husband have an awesome relationship. So glad you stopped by! Hugs and love xox

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  95. The Bible gives us exactly what we need for a strong, thriving family unit.

    “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Eph 5:22-33)

    “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” (Col 3:20-21) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6:1-4)

    Reply

    • thank you so much for sharing these powerful passages. very true, He spelled it out! hugs x

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  96. I am right there with you girl! I enjoy being feminine and soft spoken. I don’t insult my man or put him down just to lift myself higher. I think we should be rising up together and not repeat the cycle of stepping on somebody else to get a leg up. I’m following your site for sure. <3

    Reply

    • Thank you so much JennyLynn! Rising up together — i love that so much 🙂 so glad you stopped by! have a great afternoon! hugs xox

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  98. This is a great post. I admire the women of the bygone years of Hollywood such as Audrey Hepburn. They were classy and they didn’t put men down. It seems that the latest trend is for women to be feminist, don a hat that has a vulgar name associated with it, and tell men how horrible they are and that they need to become more female.

    Sadly, this is the case. I’m not ashamed to be a guy. And women shouldn’t be ashamed of who they are nor should they feel the need to make themselves feel tough by putting down men.

    As you said, the disappearance of the family unit has something to do with this. Both parental units need to be in place to properly teach their children first about God and then about how to conduct themselves in society.

    Anyway, I think I rambled enough. Great post!

    Reply

    • thank you so much Joe! I’m so glad this you enjoyed the read. yeah, oh to go back in time 🙂 you’re right – we need God in our homes! hugs xo

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  99. No one should put men or women down, that’s something I’ve never understood.
    And the ideas of women in the past supporting men and raising children isn’t bad, and will never be bad.

    History shows us that this only works when women are treated right, when men are kind and good.

    To be honest women have seldom been treated right. When did women get the right to vote? It wasn’t that long ago. Men of my Granfather’s generation would at times stop at the bar on the way home, get drunk, go home and beat their wives, and the wives were powerless to do anything about it. It was unfortunately a cultural issue. Maybe in your life you’ve never seen or experienced anything this, and that’s the way it should be! But your article misses the point I think of celebrating women. Have you ever seen the young lady named Malala? She was shot in the face for standing up for women being educated. You can find her on youtube. Now there’s a hero. And there’s countless other examples of men and women helping women – simply because they needed to.

    Bashing people? No. Helping people and standing up for women. Yes!! So I think it’s good to have a women’s day. Don’t most of us have a church day that we honor mothers? Well this is very similar.

    These are just some thoughts I had.

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  100. This was a very interesting post. I definitely think that women should be celebrated every day – as should men. That’s what equality is all about. I also agree that bashing of either gender is not okay and this happens a lot: men bash women, women bash men, and the cycle is never broken. It’s important to admire your own gender as well as the gender of others, and recognize the pivotal role that each plays. I think this viewpoint, again, speaks to the idea of seeing both genders as equal. The problem with having one day devoted to women is that it flies in the face of equality; every day should be women AND men’s day. This is something that society needs to work on making a norm. I think that movements like #MeToo started off as something good; they were about sexual harassment and assault. However, they quickly became labeled as feminist rage because of the way some people used the hashtag. I feel like that is a big problem with a lot of these movements, and it makes it hard for me to support them; I agree with their inherent values and ideas, but I don’t like the way they go about attacking people, specifically men. Not all men are evil. Not all women are good.
    Anyways, sorry for the rant, but just wanted to put my views out there!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional issue. So many powerful perspectives. I relate with a lot of this – the purpose behind #metoo and #timesup is definitely needed – assault and harassment have no place in 2018. I’m with you though – we don’t have to attack men to further that effort to end the violence. thanks for sharing!! big big hugs xox

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  101. The issue with “women’s day”, to me, is how totally hypocritical it is. A day? to “celebrate women”? when sexism and inequality on every level is still so rampant and the current kind of combo snark/witch hunt is doing nothing to shift positively? Family IS critically important, which we see more and more with its dissolution, and a choice should not have to be made between one’s family and economic survival. At the same time, women are not cretins and do not need to be subjugated by ANYONE insofar as making life decisions goes, managing money, managing their own bodies. The vituperation comes, to me, in large part from the level of uselessness men experience now, which grates right up on the dock of all the old inequalities. Everyone feels injured and nobody investigates the source of that feeling. External authority and preordained “days” are no substitute for true human feeling and thinking as the guidance for our lives. Which thinking and feeling I think eventually naturally leads us to a communion with the divine- HOWEVER we may name and characterize that experience- which is, after all, our birthright and destiny on some level. It is an expansive, truthful reality and we suffer in our separation from it. (imho).
    AS always, best wishes to you!!!!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. So many powerful perspectives. THat’s so true — family is definitely vitally important! thanks for the moving food for thought! hugs xox

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  102. A great piece. Thank you for writing it. For standing up and speaking what is in your heart, and not what the majority wants to hear but what they need to hear. Integrity shall always triumph and prevail, it causes prosperity to come knocking on your door.
    And you said it right, its a break down of family. Adding to that I would like to point out, the enemy loves us to forsake our positions and roles and abuse them as he has done. It gives rise to the women wanting to be the man in the relationship and not allowing any man to tell them what to do, men sleeping with men, kids not allowing parents to parent, parents not allowing God to parent them, basically a complete rise in the abuse of whatever your role is and act out against that role, and be opposite of what it should be.
    To reverse normal.

    Another awesome pic, with the blog.

    God Bless.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this! I’m glad it resonated with you. Amen to that – the enemy is on the prowl, and sadly I think he uses this as a foothold for sure. We need to keep our eyes on God and our hearts full of respect and love for one another 🙂 hugs xo

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  103. Bbb, forgive me for that long tirade of negativity, referring to comment before the last one.
    Please delete this one. This one is just to let you know something.

    As your finding out people will smile at you, act like friends, even your own family, yet be our enemies.
    They will buy you gifts, offer you things , and because of our lack of knowledge we accept and warmly embrace them. They even lift us up and we feel thankful. But hold on, ask God continually for his holy spirit of truth to help you in distinguishing between false and truth, between friends and enemies.
    My aim in writing is to help one another, to protect us who love god from wicked people.

    Sloths all though are cute in the teddy bear or stuffed form, are wicked creatures. I do not know if all of them are. However, I do know for a certainty, that I have recently beem through a unbelievable experience regarding a sloth. And I have proof you can see with your own eyes. If I need to I will show u, but I ask that you trust my word, to protect you, but if you must know then so be it.
    I read your comment about someone buying you one.
    I ask that you pray to God to reveal to you peoples intention they carry being the disguise of help and gifts. They aim to give you things that you embrace and bring into your life, but they carry dark desires and dark energy meant to bring ruin, not prosperity.
    And here we are embracing them and say how wonderful. The arrogance of these people is incredulous.
    I am fighting for Gods people. To share with them the knowledge I’ve gained through much suffering of my own, my own victimization, am I innocent? Def not. I got what I deserved. But I shall teach others to help and identify the false liars that walk among us.
    God bless.

    Reply

    • thank you much! hahah i’ll let you know when I find one on Amazon 😉 hehe thanks for taking the time to read! big hugs xo

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  105. Loved everything about this… I too had the opportunity to share on international women’s day… if you have time take a look… I think it’s super important to know who God has called us to be as women… it’s always been about working together in unison… with women and men. All while using wisdom on when to walk away. 😬 thanks for sharing this great read ❣️

    Reply

    • thank you so much Rosie! I’m so glad this resonated with you 🙂 amen – in unison!! Hugs and love xox

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  107. I breathed a sigh of relief when I read this post because I finally don’t feel alone in my feelings towards the feminist attitude we see today. I feel like it’s a tug-of-war, where some women have the “I can open my own door, thanks” attitude, and then other people wonder why chivalry and manners have disappeared from everyday life. I do believe that women should have equal opportunities as men in life, but there are some things that I’ve seen women looked down on for because it’s the “traditional role” women used to play, such as being a stay at home mom. I personally have struggled with a lack of confidence about my career at times because I don’t have any large aspirations of moving up a ladder…I am perfectly happy as an admin, because that’s where my gifts are; but it’s also a stereotypical “female” job. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

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    • thanks Ellen, I’m so glad this resonated with you. a tug of war – that’s a great way to describe it. thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  110. Glad to discover I’m not the only one who feels this way! I was cringing so hard at all of the posts on social media the other day xx

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  111. Let’s be honest here. Every (Inter)National Day is dumb. Some are just more apocalyptically stupid than others. Like Women’s Day, whatever that’s supposed to be. If the government doesn’t take the day off from figuring out how to steal more of our money, is it really worth celebrating?

    So mini rant finished, I really appreciate your comments. I agree with most of them. The decimation of the family unit would definitely be a win to the eyes of the Godless Left, those engaged in the War on Women (and incidentally, the War on Men). I do think, for now, they’re a maniacal, screaming, raving minority… for now. The utter hypocrisy of their policies indicates their sanity is in tatters…

    I appreciate you, Caralyn. The positions you take aren’t the easy or popular ones, but you make your stands regardless. That’s impressive, and I’m glad to ‘know’ you.

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    • thanks for your thoughts on this, Matt. Yeah it seems like every other day we’re celebrating some other day – be it national take a nap day, national peanut butter and jelly day, etc. thanks for your encouragement. Hugs and love xox

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  112. There’s a lot here. Did you know, Audrey Hepburn refused to work with Sidney Poitier because of his appearance. Even after an Oscar he couldn’t get a “pass” in society. Traditionalists never see the big picture and exaggerate the past as nostalgic. In this case, the present as well.

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    • you’re kidding! oh wow, i didn’t know that. thanks for stopping by, Kenzie! Hugs and love xox

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      • Her parents were fascists. Her dad had a newspaper for Nazi sympathizers. We. All kind of skip over that or those parts because, she’s pretty.

        That’s the idea isn’t it? Females to you are supposed to be the most feminine to counter men at their ideal, which is most masculine? This is a social tradition that inhibits both genders.

  113. After reading this blog I promise to never, never mention there should be a Men’s Day. The consequences are too awful to contemplate. lol. Looking at it fairly I’d have to concede that women have received the worst end of the deal over thousands of years so I can understand the anger that has prompted this movement. However as you have observed anything can be taken to extremes. I will always support fair treatment for women, and you have to admit that in much of our world today that is not the case. They should not be beaten, enslaved, raped at will or underpaid just because they are women.

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    • haha that’s funny, Ian 🙂 I completely agree. thanks for stopping by and for sharing your thoughts on this! Hugs and love xox

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    • Thank you so much David! Yeah, I don’t know what happened to my reblog button! I’ll have to contact WordPress to see what’s up. thank you for your kind words and for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  115. I loved your post. However I am of the opinion that women are allowed to celebrate themselves and make as much noise as they do on International Women’s Day. This is especially so for those who have been pushed down by society their entire lives. The numerous posts and social media rave helps encourage some women, allowing them know that they can be whatever they want to be irrespective of wrong societal norms. I am in total agreement though that feminism should not mean that a woman should abandon her role as a wife and mother.

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    • thank you so much Ivy! I really appreciate your thoughts on this. Yeah, that’s a great point. Thanks for this awesome food for thought! Hugs and love xox

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  116. I rejoice that there are a few women out there, that appreciate the Creator’s design concerning feminine women as opposed to feminist women. My mother was a stay-at-home-mom when I was growing up, and it was crucial in my well-being. Almighty God bless you, and I encourage you to continue to be bold to promote the Creator’s design on the family.

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    • thank you so much Mickey, I appreciate your encouraging words. Sounds like you had an awesome mom. What a blessing 🙂 thanks for stopping by! same to you! xox

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  118. Great you put it in to words I agree totally fed-up “woman power”, “women empowerment” “teach your daughter how to be a man” I with you all the way. I believe empowerment should be for both men and women. There needs to be some recognition to the good men of this world. Girls should be taught how to be young ladies and still have fun playing outside. Nothing wrong with a bit of dirt, but having said that nothing better than seeing a little girl dressed like a pretty girl. I feel like vomiting everytime I see “women power” marches, gatherings, courses. Enough! What do they achieve apart from wasting time and making a lot of noise. Bless you take care and keep the controversial thoughts flowing

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    • thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this! So many great points here. So glad you stopped by! hugs xox

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  119. Hmm interesting read. It’s interesting that that’s the vibe you got. When I saw posts, I found the Day was more to celebrate what women have accomplished and to love and uplift each other instead of the traditional competition women often go through with each other. I don’t think the intent is to put down men but more to bring more attention to women in a male dominated society.

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    • Thank you so much Briana for sharing your thoughts on this! yeah – perhaps this was just the tone in New York City. I love the aspect of the day where women build each other up and express gratitude for the friends and wonderful women in their lives – that’s awesome, and we should definitely build each other up. But the “militant feminism” I saw on social media is what sparked this post. thanks for stopping by and joining the dialogue! hope you have a beautiful day!! Hugs and love xox

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  120. I saw good post and the ones you were talking about. It’s a shame we need “a” day to celebrate ourselves. Everyday is international womens day in our home. Everyday my hubby treats me like I am a prized jewel, worth more than anything in the world. Everyday I return the favour. Every day we should build each other up, celebrate each other.

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  121. Miracle Yello said what…about Women’s day?

    Wooo….Preach it Miracle Yello…PREACH IT! When I saw your instagram post “Wolves in sheeps clothing” I turned to my Hispanic friend and was like, “Dang homie…I have to read that post, Ese.” Seriously though, you did good…you said it. Thank you.

    I totally agree with you on family. I have written a manuscript on family to fight this. Looking for folks to give me feedback on it (not easy). Meanwhile, Miracle Yello, when next are you posting to Soundcloud? And what is taking that Youtube video so long? Hahaha…no pressure. Just wishing you good health and prosperity.

    May the weeks blessings which you missed catch up to you as you sit back with some Rose come weekend. And St. Patrick said – Amen while Ish said – thank you Jesus for fighters like Miracle Yello. Yes, thank you. Hoorah to wine, BBQ, and pots of gold (hehehe).

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    • Thank you so much Ish 🙂 I really appreciate your support. There will be a YouTube video tonight!! Woo! 🙂 thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  122. Caralyn, It is so nice to read I am not alone on so many of the things you touch on. My son and I have lots of laughs over making such a fuss over something we should be doing every day (celebrating who we “all” are in Christ). I, too, am often criticized for believing there is value in being a lady, and being lady like. And because I do not agree with the humor or family value that teaches the secret to a good marriage is that a man is always wrong. I think too often we want to be the goddesses the world says we should demand to be, forgetting (or not caring the least) that it means trying to knock God off of His rightful throne, along with walking over a lot of good men that the Lord has blessed us with.
    “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30 KJV

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  123. see, i think this is part of the problem.

    feminism is not about putting down men, it is about equality of genders. and yes, i know you said that, but why should it be the mother’s job to nurture, care for and raise the child? i’m not saying mothers shouldn’t play a role in their children’s lives, but why is it that raising a child is so focused on men?

    and as for women’s day being something we shouldn’t have – when women are raped, when they can’t vote, when they’re told they’re not good enough, things like women’s day help us celebrate us for being us. men don’t need a men’s day because they haven’t been denied the vote, or told they must cover their legs.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Lots of really great points here. I appreciate you stopping by and sharing your heart. Hugs and love xox

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  126. Good balanced thought here, Caralyn. From my more limited perspective, I agree. Good education for me, too. I don’t really know what’s going on with feminism, which I know can be pretty radical and I believe mistaken out there. Yes, there is an equality along with complimentary role we all have in this. Thanks.

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  127. I think we need to be careful how we look at male and female roles. I was labled by the woman at a church I attended as a “Tom Boy” because I do cardio kickboxing at home, simply because it is an awesome workout. At the same church I never felt I lived up to the cookie baking homeschool tea set ladies. My husband felt he did not measure up to their ideals of male leadership. So much so we started to go to a new church. I realized soon after when praying the book of Genesis says “God MADE them male and female” I don’t have to earn my statis as a women cause that’s God’s gift to me. Also, I work in an after school program where girls get manicures at age eight and wear lip gloss and gossip about crushes. (When I grew up in the eighties we where just little girls in play clothes making mud pies and catching tadpoles) Goodness help the girl who doesn’t yet want to do that or the boy who can’t throw or catch a ball! I sometimes wonder in today’s culture if that pressure to be ssssoooo masculine or feminine opens the door for gender confusion for those who don’t live up. I want a girl who plays football to know she doesn’t have to be a lesbian or have to have a sex change. Many preach political correctness but how many times have you heard a well meaning liberal say a sensitive boy “Must be gay and not yet know it” or an athletic girl who likes playing with toy cars “is clrearly a lesbian.” Like if you don’t fit the prototype, you’re in a different class. While I believe men and women are wired different I personally feel it goes deep into who we are rather than (for the most part) what we do.

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    • thank you so much for sharing your heart and your thoughts on this. you offered so many great points here. thank you for sharing this powerful perspective. Hugs and love xox

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  131. I am so proud of you for being so brave! As you know, I am a woman executive with a high profile career. But I am a mother and a wife, first and foremost. And I don’t have to shout my worth out, the men in my life know it and show me everyday how they appreciate my role in their life. xo

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    • Thank you so much CB. Your support and encouragement means the world. Amen to that! I’m cheering for you!! Hugs and love xox

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  132. My grandmother was old enough to remember the suffragettes. She had made sure I knew how hard women had fought for the rights we enjoy today. She had often spoken to me of Emily Davison
    https://familytreeourstory.com/2017/02/25/emmeline-pankhurst/
    She had made me appreciate our right to vote for which women had fought and died. This struggle continues worldwide, with brave people still fighting worldwide for their right to have an education etc. Even today, even in the West, there are those who do not consider the education of women worthwhile. Education gives us choices. I have been both career girl and stay-at-home wife and mother. I am grateful that I have had both opportunities.
    Things do not tend to sit still, in my view. To retain the rights we all enjoy these days we all need to be grateful to those who strive and sometimes still give their lives to maintain.
    I often wonder at what Jesus did, when he stood before a crowd ready to stone a woman.
    Anything we might do, pales in comparison.

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    • thank you so much for sharing this powerful perspective. i look forward to reading that article. i really appreciate this great food for thought. Hugs and love xox.

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  135. I have seen for myself some of the struggles women are experiencing worldwide and the day is international. I have attended an event myself and it was very informative. I think it is good you have started a conversation.

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    • Thank you so much for joining the dialogue and for sharing this powerful perspective. Yeah we have so much to be grateful for. Sending big hugs. Hugs and love xox

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  136. Awesome post! Although I have to say that, as a male, feminism played a minor role in my decision to return to the Catholic faith. Nowadays I am struggling with where I stand on feminism because I find new-wave feminism conflicts with my pro-life values.

    I wrote this article last year. If you happen to have time, I’d love to hear your feedback on the subject.

    https://wp.me/p6aHyw-mH

    I love your writing! Keep it coming!

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    • Thank you so much A, for sharing your thoughts on this. I’m with you on that. I’d love to read it! thanks for sharing. Hugs and love xox

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  137. Why SHOULD there be a day dedicated Women’s Day? I thought it WAS everyday. Yeah, there are women who take the whole feminist thing waaay to seriously. Like for example when women feel it’s wrong for a man to open the door for them. What’s wrong with that? It means he has manners. Then the next thing you know they complain men are pigs when they don’t. I don’t get it. While I do agree women should be paid equally to men and not be treated as objects, that doesn’t mean like you said women forget to conduct themselves as women. After all we are designed to be nurturers by well…nature. Just like God designed us to be different as individuals, he designed us to be different according to our gender because we all have something to bring to the table regardless.

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  138. I hesitate to say I’m glad for many of the things you say, and rather just want to have a cup of tea with you and discuss the weather. It’s so beautiful -the snow- like a snowglobe out there, the snow is soft and swirling about. I don’t even want to say thank you for admonishing caustic feminism, while we share many of the same beliefs about traditional gender roles or at least modern and traditional altogether. Men can behave feminine and women can behave like men, but no one has to go to extremes … alas … we generally go to extremes before we return to the stillpoint and harmony. Thanks for reading my post too. Having a like from you is meaningful to me, from such a thoughtful person.

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    • Thanks friend. I appreciate our support so much. Amen to that! And hey – I’m always down for tea! Haha Hugs and love xox

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  140. Wonderfully written! Your post reminds me that I’m so glad to be married to a girly-girl and the most feminine and beautiful woman I’ve ever met! Her femininity just makes me want to do for her, and be her protector, and open her car door, and slay her dragons, and tell her she’s beautiful, and make sure she is happy, and tell her I love her, and all of that every day! 🙂 Don’t give up on that perspective. It’s rare and it’s valuable, and your Mr. Right will love you deeply for it!

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    • Thank you so much Hutch! That’s so awesome!!! So happy for you and your wife 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  141. Audrey Hepburn is an interesting example to use. Were you aware that she spent WW2 in Holland with her mother, supporting her work for the resistance? Indeed at one stage Audrey Hepburn had been stopped by Nazi soldiers, as she was delivering messages for the resistance on her bike(She had been a teenager at the time.) There is often much more to people than meets the eye.

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    • Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. Wow i did not know that! Thanks for sharing. Hugs and love xox

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  142. As I understand it, the starvation she had suffered at the end of the war had had consequences from which she had never fully recovered. She did indeed have everything courage, beauty and strength.

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  145. A stupendous and courageous post. I hate to critique one very small part, but I feel it is important. You write that a woman can do everything a man can. I take some issue with that simply because it doesn’t recognize the important natural differences between men and women. To be frank, it simply isn’t so that a woman can do everything a man can or vice versa. If it was true than an all female NBA team would be able to compete evenly with an all male NBA team. That would never happen. In just about every area of sports, men perform at a higher caliber simply because God made men generally stronger and faster than women. Conversely, there are many things women can do that men cannot, the most obvious of which is bearing children, as you point out. Those facts do not detract from equality in any way. Equality does not mean having the same abilities in any area. Equality means the recognition that all human beings are equal in worth, especially to God. After all, Jesus died for all people, recognizing that each individual was worth the same sacrifice, His very life.
    As for the virtues of feminism I recommend some not so light reading from a time before you were born. You can find it online here, https://www.firstthings.com/article/1992/01/001-despising-our-mothers-despising-ourselves. It is a scholarly look at the feminist movement from a woman professor. I found it very enlightening and if you get a chance to read it, I think you will too. Continued blessings to you and yours.

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    • Thank you so much DT, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this. great points – And thanks for passing along that article. Hugs and love xox

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  146. I must say this was a very strongly-worded article that drove the point home and very well at that! I just disagreed on a few points, but absolutely agreed with you when you wrote

    “There’s a desperation when we try to dominate men. We’re striving to beat men out at the top jobs, and demanding this and that, and cut-throating our way to the top, no matter the price”

    Some people have twisted feminism out to be this platform or ideology designed for male-bashing, which is extraordinarily stupid, considering feminism is about equality for all, not just women, but men, transgender and everyone else. It is perhaps the only workable egalitarian ideology I know of that has unfortunately been made a mockery of. I loved your blog and think it’s wonderful you chose to speak of pseudo-feminism!

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    • Thank you so much! I’m so glad this resonated with you! And I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Great points! Hugs and love xox

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  147. I am no “mere male” and I feel that I have been a supporter of feminism for many years, but recently the movement appears to have become dominated by aggression and competition – so-called male propensities! It was good to read your blog, therefore, one that is well balanced and appreciative of relational realities – soft yet decisive, pointed but not spiteful, affirming of male tendencies without being detrimental to feminine intuition, emotions and practicalities. With best wishes for the future of your blog.

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    • Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this emotional topic, Robert. So glad this resonated with you! Hugs and love xox

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  148. As the father of 2 sons growing up during the rise of Girl Power, I have seen the discrimination flip the other way. My son, top in his class at the end of Grade 12 was forced to compete for the position with 2 young ladies who had lower marks. Not sure what this teaches or to whom. Then, after graduating Berkeley with very high marks, he waited 18 months for a job he was well qualified to do, but was not considered to equity quotas. We need to promote fairness, respect, equality and equity for all. As long as we continue to label people or groups and enforce quotas, equality will continue to elude us. This is a process that women and men need to work on together.

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    • thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Fairness respect and equality for all. amen! Hugs and love xox

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  149. I think celebrating anything is a good idea but let’s celebrate and not segregate. At a birthday party you don’t get up and slam all the people you didn’t invite, or that couldn’t make it. You play and have fun. I want all the things for my granddaughters that they want, Period, Whether it’s dance, or baseball but I also want the same for my grandsons. That’s equality.

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    • That is such a great point! Thanks for sharing that, friend. big hugs to you xox

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  150. Haha I feel exactly the same way!!! By the way, I just found your blog today, and I love it! Thanks for writing such awesome posts. 🙂

    Reply

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