Men Fear Me, Society Shames Me, and I Love My Life
Gift link from NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/25/opinion/women-aging-main-character.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk0.y2w8.Jg-z_OnMbc99&smid=em-share
I was once told that the challenge of making successful feminist porn is that the thing women desire most is freedom.
If thats the case, one might consider my life over the past few years to be extremely pornographic even without all the actual sex that occurred. It definitely has the makings of a fantasy, if we allowed for fantasies starring single, childless women on the brink of turning 50.
Its not just in enjoying my age that Im defying expectations. Its that Ive exempted myself from the central things were told gives a womans life meaning partnership and parenting. Ive discovered that despite all the warnings, I regret none of those choices.
Indeed, I am enjoying them immensely. Instead of my prospects diminishing, as nearly every message that gets sent my way promises they will fewer relationships, less excitement, less sex, less visibility I find them widening. The world is more available to me than its ever been.
Saying so should not be radical in 2024, and yet, somehow it feels that way. We live in a world whose power structures continue to benefit from women staying in place. In fact, were currently experiencing the latest backlash against the meager feminist gains of the past half-century. My story and those of the other women in similar shoes shows that there are other, fulfilling ways to live.
Continued at link