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I guess what still sticks out as the most prominent aspect of women in Sweden was something that a politician told me at a bar: “The only reason that the vikings existed was because of the women who sent them out for supplies. Swedish men were traders, not warriors, but living with such bad trade, pillaging was one of the only ways to get what their women desired.” Now I am positive this was a joke at the time, it sill managed to hold its own interesting point of view, that I thought was important in my Sweden travels.

Men were expected to dress certain ways, act formally, and talking outside of this, though never officially stated, there was an aura of negativity around it. Not so much with women; though all dressed formally, there was much more talking informally, and other conversations. I do believe that women were the masters of the city, and I thought it was evident by how fashion plays a role in EVERY aspect of their lives. The fashion there is incredible, but it seems to be the main hobby for anyone and everyone. The example coming to mind right now, were all the ads for kids in Stockholm to receive formal clothing for Christmas. The students I talked with mainly received fashionable clothing, and were all either following or writing their own fashion blogs (note: I was in a social media design program. This might be a bias).

One of the most startling things to me was the fact that most dogs walked without leashes, next to their owners, down the block. There was no emotion in running of kids, or the smiling of a passerby, as I went out for a walk. Emotionless and fashionable, I thought to myself that I was in a world of Austin Power’s FemmeBots (with women and children too). I have had experience with women there, and do think that they are stunningly beautiful, though there is a strong feeling that in Stockholm: Women Rule. If you are a man, prepare for an uphill battle for your rights with women here.

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Anya:
If you have a hot younger sister practiced in the fine art of making pierogi in fishnets and a pushup bustier, I’m all for relaxing the present immigration laws that ban white foreigners from American citizenship.

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I remember a story , back in the 80s of an american golddigger who desired to marry a very wealthy man from India. She didn’t know she was going to have to pay a dowry. The groom’s family demanded all sort of expensive items. When they discovered the woman could not only pay the dowry but, that she was marrying the young man for his money, they dragged her outside and burned her alive. The young man’s female relatives were present.

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This confuses my family in Poland to no end. Not so much the cooking and cleaning. All of my female relatives clean compulsively, and the concept of not cooking simply does not compute in their minds. Rather, they are bewildered by my husband giving me the “luxury” of staying home. They are expected not only to work, but to handle all the household work and childrearing themselves as well. And not the half-assed household work that American women deign to perform perhaps once a month, even if they’re stay-at-home mothers with all the time in the world. My grandmother washes the kitchen floor daily and scours the toilet every morning and afternoon. Otherwise, the entire town would begin to gossip that she’s a “bad wife.” Oh, and this is in addition to being a Slavic philologist at the University of Warsaw. American women have NO idea how easy their lives are. Honestly, I’d probably lean feminist myself if I were still living in Eastern Europe.

This is what happens when communism and a deeply entrenched patriarchal system collide. Not that I have any problem with patriarchy – indeed, I think it’s the basis for civilization – but when you combine all the responsibilies of a good wife and mother under patriarchy with the expectation of providing at least half the family’s income, it’s a recipe for disaster. I continue to be amazed that my grandmother and aunts and cousins simply shrug and accept their fate. True, my grandmother spends half the day bitching about my grandfather (who has aspergers and parkinsons and requires extensive, utterly unrewarding care), but she’d never dream of divorcing him or even cutting off his hot meals and clean sheets. Her only feeble attempt at feminism was trying to convince me never to get married and have children – “it’s pure drudgery.” She apparently was hysterical when I got engaged, though now she thinks my married life is the most awesome thing in the world… and is encouraging all her friends’ granddaughters to marry a “good American man.”

…and this is where you come in.

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Krauser January 25, 2010 at 02:38

Japan is also far more socialist than it appears to the outsider. The divorce courts are anti-male, it is swamped by fembot government hiring…

Socialist governments rule Liberal-leaning cultures.

These governments hire straight out of their propaganda films.

At least we in the US know what’s coming for ourselves and our children.

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