Current mood:

contemplative

me - domestic?
When does a woman become domesticated? Why does it sound like we're being equated to animals? Apart from the fact that all humans ARE animals … I mean when I hear the word 'domesticated', house cats pop into my head, or ferrets, dogs, etc. etc. Why are women 'domesticated'?

Are men domesticated? I've never heard a man ask another man; "When did you become so domesticated?" Maybe it's because I don't hang out with a lot of guys, or maybe it's because all of the men I do hang out with are married, and hence, domesticated (gulp). There are exceptions ... my brother being one, but I'm pretty sure he's an anomaly ... and my friend Manuel, but he's gay and I don't think it counts among gay men. I mean, they are all a bunch of girls anyway right? (Sarcasm ladies and gentlemen, please, lighten up)

Collective sigh

I've been told - recently and in the past - that I've "become domesticated" and I don’t know how I feel about that.

Yesterday I baked carrot bread, from scratch. I admitted this dirty little secret to a friend who was over at the apartment and she shook her head and stated with certainty that I had become "domestic". Should I take it as a compliment? Initially, and briefly, I was resentful. The very definition has positive and negative connotations.

do•mes•tic –adjective
1. of or pertaining to the home, the household, household affairs, or the family

2. tame; domesticated

and, when used as a noun, it means

3. a hired household servant.

Of course I naturally assume that when people refer to me as "domestic" they mean to say that as a woman I am settling into my role as wife. I struggle with this a little. I love being a wife and I'm proud of the woman I've become. I love taking care of our home, my husband and some day, our family. However, I have a hard time with it because I consider myself to be an independent, progressive thinker who doesn't settle into traditional roles easily ... and can put up quite a fight for equality (especially around the household chores - ahem).

At the end of the day, I guess "being domesticated" isn't necessarily a bad thing, depending of course, on the context of the comment. I think it’s ok to be both the wife and the independent feminist. After all I can have my cake and eat it too, right? I embrace my role as homemaker and I stand behind my role as a free independent thinking woman.

Scratches head
Because I'm certainly not tame (ask Leigh, bless him) and if anyone takes me for a hired household servant they can fu*k off.

By the way, the carrot bread was tasty ... not as sweet as some would have liked it … but the point wasn't to make CAKE it was to make BREAD which is typically not a sweet, but a somewhat-savory-with-a-touch-of-sweet food item.