“.ilet‘tersior Ms; ”

Dear Ms.7 »

I am pleased to see that questions about women's roles and identities are being raised in the Cadre. It is time to seriously ex- amine our stereotypes: men are breadwinners and women are homemakers, men are agressive and women are sub- missive, men are intellec- tual and women are emotion— al. People who do not fit these pre-conceptions are generally viewed with sus- picion or hostility. Occ- asionally we make heros or heroines out of them. In either case they are ex—

_ceptional.

Perhaps each of us should be encouraged to develop our individual interests & abilities fully. The sex role distinctions in our society discourage this for everyone, but especially for women. We have been part— icularly handicapped socia- lly and economically. The recently released report of the Provincial AdVisory Committee on the status of women, documents the disad— vantages of being a woman — in the eyes of the law, in education, in the work for- ce and in the social att— itudes that prevail. The changes Suggested in this report could_make P.E.I. a place where our human reso— urces are fully developed and basic human rights are extended to us all. But the attitudes of a large number of people will have to cha—' nge before this’is possible.

Donna Greenwood

Dear Ms.7

I find your philosophy of Women's Liberation concur— ,rant with the fanatical bra— burners of our generation but I am relieved that you do not blame men for the whole thing.

Although I am a moderate women's Vlibber" myself, I might not be classed as one by some of the extremists since I do not condemn make— up or hair rollers. I don't believe that someone who wants to 100k attractive and well groomed is being phony and make—up in moderate am— ounts is not a way of kneel— ing down on one's knees to the opposite sex to have

" one's body stepped upon-

Indeed, many girls go to extremes in make-up appllca‘ tion and stylish dress but

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THE CADRE. TUES., FEB. 19, 1974 Page 5.

are they victims of society and a trend or are they merely victims of their own psychological egotism? In other words, are they any different than the girls th— at wear overalls with pat- ches so they can be noticed and classed as hippies?

Are women oppressed because they conform to their mates wishes? After all, men con- form too. How would people get along if they were to- tally independent of one an— other? I fear they'd become childish and irresponsible. And what would happen to the family structure? I have a feeling it would be destroy- ed. No other type would take its place and people would become anti—social introverts.

I agree that boy—girl re— lationships are very tightly knitted but it's unusual to find someone who completely disregards his or her own interests for the sake of\ their mates. No man expects his wife to go to a stag party. No woman expects her husband to join the CWL. Ne- ither expects the other to stay home.

As for the common courtesy of opening doors for females,

I think that this is a very

minor example. Men naturally open doors for females be- cause they are physically more able —— I fight with the heavy glass door at the Barn every morning, which consists of throwing all 89 pounds of me against it to _ get out. WOmen open doors for people t002! Have you ever seen a mother herding her six kids through the doors of the K — Mart? Of course she opens the door for them. She probably has an armful of groceries too and will probably end up embarassedly picking up cans of tomato soup rolling down the parking lot!

The theory that girls go to university to find a man, * in my opinion is atrociously outdated. Just about every— body on this campus (exclud— ing the few who are here for academic knowledge or a

new experience in living) are here because they can't hack the working world. Why should they when they can live off somebody else for four years?

Sure, the female graduate will go out and get married as soon as she finishes. She's at an age where marr— iage interests her — and that wouldn’t change whether she was a spud—picker, a $10,000. per year secretary, nurse or university graduate! And all girls looking for financial security should know that a male university graduate is the LEAST depen— dable, financial or otherwise. He's still a kid that never worked a day in his life.

Yes! WCmen are out to catd1 men but I wouldn't say they are not using their heads, on the contrary they only use their bodies as imple— ments to attain their goal - marriage and security. And since sexual attraction is the first thing that two people have, it is not a society "norm" it is a psychophysiological natural— ity —— and who is going to argue with the way we're built.

Shirlene O'Brien (a natural woman)

Dear Natural Wbman:

Thank you for your letter' expressing your views on "lib". It is good to hear you are not a fanatical bra—burner because there is more to woman's (and man's) liberation than that.

However, I disagree on your argument of make—up. You say only the extremists are cau- ght up in society because of their need to be noticed but aren't you yourself cau- ght up in society? If there were no standards of beauty put out by society why sho— uld you need to wear make— up? By the use of make-up and rollers you are saying that your body is unattrac— tive in the real form. This

cont. pg. ’6

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