LISAMARIE
I think its important to respond to you directly. Thanx for raising those issues. I totally agree that there will be a significant number of women who are in the categories u stated, and if they are comfortable like that, its cool. Motherhood and family is not for everyone for sure.
But let me say, that for each woman who forgoes child bearing, it does place a degree of added need on others to make up for lost 'incoming' to our population. I mean, realistically speaking unless we actually do replace ourselves, we are not just dying individually, but also as a nation and a people.

So, with that in mind, I would seriously advocate a re-capturing of a values framework which a) does not prevent women from persueing the lifestyle you mentioned, but b) Tries to encourage them into the motherhood/child rearing roles with appriate gender role re-inforcement in education. I don't think we will ever have a perfect world where each category will never ever have some longing for the domestic bliss, or glorious independance or the other.

We should avoid a 'one size fits all' approach for sure, yet I am of the firm and convinced view that our main emphasis should be on the main task at hand, which is our replacement and growth as a people.
The women you mentioned should never be made to feel 'marginalized' by any means.
The bible speaks of 'one body, many parts' Not all can be a nose, and if they were, how would the body function ?

Anyway, u have a lovely weekend too ok :) and hope to see more of your heartfelt posts in the new week.

Ditto for you Spendo and others.

Well that's very gracious of you BD. "Women shouldn't be made to feel marginalised" for not wanting to, or not being able to, have children. And yet funnily enough if we listened to you, we'd all think these childless women were "placing a degree of added need onto others".

Gender role re-inforcement eh? well I'm orf to the pub mate. Cheers.

Hi Rebecca: check out "Damascus Journal" on Fulla, at http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/international/middleeast/22doll.html?ex=1128139200&en=3b1e1e9efe3ee28d&ei=5070. best wishes, Helen Pringle

Interesting that in the “happiness” chart for women developed by Princeton University at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness it lists 16 Activities rated according to happiness levels.

It found “working” at no. 15 (ie. slightly below “housework”, and slightly above “commuting”.)

In terms of Interaction Partners, there are 8 catagories, with “being alone” at no. 8, working with “co-workers” is no 6, slightly above “the boss” at no 7.

Similar has been found in numerous other studies, and the situation becomes quite serious in some ways, as the number of single person household’s is expected to double in the next 20 yrs, from 2 million at present (or 30% of households) to 4 million by 2026.

Go to work, and then come home to an empty house will become the way of life for many women (or Barbies), and of course for many men (or Kens)

lisa....
in terms of sustainable population.. yes, childless women DO place an additional need on those who decide to have a family. Its not a 'bad' thing, its just a factual thing. The more females who opt out of 'family and kids' the more pressure (from a purely population angle) is on the rest to make up the difference. You could even put it like this 'Make up the diff or die' (out) Have fun at the pub.

Regarding Gender reinforcement and appropriate socialisation.. that is EXACTLY where I'm coming from. You might say 'your life depends' on it :)
I had a great chat in the sauna at my local gym this afternoon. It was kinda surreal. After my workout and shower, and into the sauna, just one other person there, a 30 something lady, reading a book.
Being the gentleman that I am, I bugged her :) "Mind if I chat" ?
The book was on 'The Brain' so we had a chat about that, then onto feminazi vs domestic female as a spectrum, and where did she place herself. A great chat.. better than here, uget the answers straight away :)

TIMKINS that Princeton research is valuable and supports my contentions. The value placed on interaction with 'co-workers' was 6th out of 8 with only being with the 'boss' and 'alone' less valued.
So, my suggestions of greater fulfillment in a work from home environment seem validated.

Looking at all the other happiness factors, 'socializing' was only beaten by sexual activity, and socializing is exactly what you get when you are self employed (which is why I love it so much)

"Working" was less valued than 'housework' ohhh shock horror.
I think in the interests of the feminist program we better censor that one :)

And this is what President Barbie looked like...kinda Hilary Clintonish..?
http://www.mydollscollectibles.com/26288.jpg

mmm..What would our own Barbie for Primeminister look like?