Postfeminist Mom’s Rewards

I am writing in response to Chloe Angyal ’09’s essay, “Postfeminist Fantasies: New Characters, Old Plot” (Oct. 23). She wrote, “the postfeminist heroine gets her ‘happy ending’ — marriage and motherhood — which is exactly the same happy ending that prefeminist heroines got.” This seems to imply that marriage and motherhood are not a rewarding profession. 

As a middle-aged, college-educated woman who has dedicated 21 years of her life to child-rearing and domestic responsibilities (by choice!), I honestly can say that I have no regrets. My husband, Scott Fuir ’78, and I have been happily married for more than 25 years and have three wonderful children. I firmly believe that I have made a positive contribution to our world, even though I often wore jeans and a T-shirt instead of a “gender-neutral” power suit.

I was the “postfeminist” mother who faithfully volunteered to assist with classroom activities and field trips. I was the former educator who spent countless hours tutoring children in public schools, free of charge. I also organized several “mom and tot” groups for college-educated women who chose full-time motherhood as a vocation. 

Cormac Burke wrote that radical feminists have convinced women that motherhood is no more than “an unjust burden of nature. For them, it is not only a woman’s right to put professional achievement first in her priorities of fulfillment, it is even her duty.” Tragically, when women reject the mystery of motherhood, they deny their unique feminine identity. Obviously, men are not designed to bring new life into the world — so it is up to brave women to bear and nurture children for the good of our society. 

Remember, ladies, “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world!”