I am a feminist . . . You can disagree. It's ok. Since I am a feminist I make my own labels instead of letting others label me.

Here is a crazy thought for you . . . 

I am a Mormon, stay-at-home-mom who considers herself a feminist.  Let that blow your mind for a minute and then let me clarify.

I'm a stay-at-home mom 90% of the time.  When I do work I wear combat boots.

I am conservative not a modern feminist or an extreme feminist.  Let me tell you what I believe: 

1.)  Women should be able to do whatever a man does if she can do it and vice versa.  

Women should be able to climb the corporate ladder, be in government, with the same opportunities, pay and benefits as a man.  Women are smart, talented, capable, wonderful attributes to the workplace.  

If she wants to stay home fantastic.  If she wants to work go for it.  If he wants to stay home sure.  If he wants to work of course.  Have at it. Whatever you want to do and works for you and your situation thats up to you.   

But a women shouldn't be given a pass just because she is a women.  For example firefighters have to pass stringent physical tests.  Why?  Because they have to be able to carry a stranger or coworker out of a burning dilapidated building if needed.  So I don't think that a female trainee's test should be ANY different than a man's (let me stop you right there - I don't know if they are any different but I know that in some career fields, like mine in the Air Force there is a different fitness standard.  I'm just using it as an example).  If she can't pass the SAME physical test as a man then she shouldn't get the job.  Why?  Because I don't think that 4'11 115 lb me could carry a 6'1 200 lb man with all of his gear on out of a burning building.  *Just a little trivia here: do you think there are more men my size or more women?  Just think about that until I get to my next point. 

Equality is equal expectations.  If you can do the job you can do the job. PERIOD.  Sex, race, whatever, none of that should matter. 

This blogger got it right when she said as a society we have gone past the point of "Women are equal" to "Women are better"  which just is not true.  We need both men and women for society to continue.  

2.) MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT!!!!!!  

Seriously people.  Why are we pushing being the same?  We can be equal and still be different.  

MOST, not all, but most men and women have different physical and emotional strengths and weaknesses.  That is just the way that it is.  

We need to be different.  Thats what makes everything work so well.  Why do you think employers were so shocked and impressed by the work that women were doing when they started to flood the workpace?  Because they were DIFFERENT and brought a unique perspective and way of doing things.  

Society is to the point that we are all trying to force each to be the same by covering up our gender.  Why?  Whats wrong with being a women or a man?  

The feminist movement was started to gain rights and respect from men for women.  Now the women are taking respect away from other women by looking down on them.  I don't think some of these ladies want to be women at all. 

I have actually received condensation and smugness for working women for being a stay-at-home-mom in a dress.  They look at me say I am old fashioned or ignorant.  The fact that I have an education and serve in the military or am raising the next generation apparently don't apply here.  They fought to give me rights and choices so I darn well better choose the right to work and wear pants.  

I like dresses.  They are comfortable and hide my huge thighs better than pants.  (I like to bake cookies and take them to the neighbors too.  If you message me I'll give you my address so you can protest my house.  If you give me a heads up I'll make cookies for you.)

Femininity is powerful.  Motherhood is powerful.  Mothers have been changing the world from the beginning of time after all thats were all the the people came from and the vast majority learned their work ethic, hygiene, manners, and moral code from mom.  If good old mom hadn't raised strong fighting girls there would be no feminist movement to do their part in changing the world.  

Check out part 2 to find out how I feel about all of this as a member of the LDS church.