Invisible hats

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I'm wearing my "Feminist cap" at the moment.  Don't be afraid, it is for an English class wherein we examine works of literature using different types of theories.  Special theories.  We've used a Marxist theory and a Deconstructionist theory and now we're being Feminists. 
Don't worry, I haven't burned my bra or anything.
Some of the parts of these theories are complete hogwash.  That's right, hogwash.  In particular, right now I object to the idea that a woman can't be defined by her womanness.  (That's not a word according to the squiggly red line that lets me know I spelled it wrong.) 
There are things that make me a woman.  Physical things that they tell you about in Health class.  Physical things I was born with.  Physical things that often annoy me and get in the way of my life.  Ohhh snap.
There are other things that make me a woman.  My softer side.  (Sometimes dormant, I admit).  My talky side.  My creative side.  Do I think those things are exclusive to womanness?  No, I don't.  But they make me the woman I am.  I am not separate from those qualities anymore than I am exclusive to them. 
I know some women rail against the idea that they have a role to fulfill.  But me, I embrace this idea.  I DO have a role to fulfill, a part to play, a position.  I am a wife because I chose to be a wife.  I am a mother because I chose to be a mother.  I am a daughter, friend, stranger, student, blogger, Mormon, niece, cousin, and much more.  Not one of these labels can sum me up.  I don't feel confined by these descriptions, I feel liberated.  I'm a wife and that means I have a husband.  I expect certain things from him, he expects certain things from me.  None of those expectations are based on being "less than."  We are equals.  We are different. 
My feminist theory cap is interesting, illuminating even.  But I'll be glad to take it off.

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