I don't have the answers yet, but I have learned enough to be dangerous, and ask better questions..

Less it be misunderstood that I am a feminist, radical or otherwise, seeking to further level the playing field between men and women, let me please clarify.

I feel that early feminism, first wave and second wave, did a marvelous job smashing down walls and rectifying all sorts of things. Unfortunately, victory in that effort took the form of *access to* and *success on* the existing field of endeavors.

That field was, and largely continues to be, defined by men. Therefore our victory can be regarded as we have now learned to play the man's game in a man's world.

We have still yet to incorporate the feminine within ourselves, or within our society, although some of the younger men I am encountering, and some of the older ones sufficiently battered by life, are starting to get the hang of it.

This is the problem I am seeking to rectify.

What I am after is not equality with men. Legally, of course equality is required - there should no longer be distinctions because they are largely fatuous at this point. It is in relationship, in thinking, in action, and in all other areas, that I am seeking recognition of the feminine as a power unto its own. This does not diminish the masculine in any way. Rather, it seeks to hold neither of these dominant, but functioning together in a dynamic equillibrium where each contributes its gifts to the field.

That sounds abstract, so perhaps more concrete examples would render the concept more real.
In Corporate America, current thinking is largely dominated by a paternalistic attitude, and masculine aggressiveness. Everything is aggressive - get big fast, cut costs, work people harder to increase productivity, reduce benefits to cut costs, etc.

This is how it is, but this isn't how it has to be.

Feminine thinking would take a more matriarchal tone, and concern, while still on the bottom line, would incorporate the effects of emotions and family on an employee's work. Businesses would hire employees not for just this moment, but for the really long term, and treat them less as cogs and more as family members. Increasing morale through retention policies, creative working schedules, and acknowledgement of employee needs for recognition would be seen as a way to increase productivity, rather than just forcing the working of longer hours. Child care would be established on site and remote work encouraged so that families and marriages wouldn't be torn apart under the pressures of a job.

Do you see the difference?

It's not "man bad, woman good". We need, as a society, for the masculine to push, be aggressive, move forward, fight, and assert itself in the world. But we also need the feminine to nurture, to encourage the practice of wisdom (which is NOT the same thing as knowledge - that's the masculine version - you have to push outwards to acquire knowledge. Wisdom is received,  not acquired), and develop the ties that bind us all together as humans. Some men have strong masculine and feminine sides, as do some women. I have already stated before that I oppose women shedding their femininity (traditionally seen as weakness in the boardroom) to become "equal" to men, and that I oppose men wallowing in emotions and sensitivity and abandoning their masculinity to better relate to females.

Both sexes can hold on to their unique power in themselves, while also integrating some qualities from the other sex. It is an equillibrium of masculinity and femininity within the self, and the larger society that I seek, and it is oft misunderstood as man-bashing, feminist ranting, or other non-productive nonsense.

But then again, that's a patriarchal viewpoint that is dominating the internet currently as well - heard it (or something like it), can't digest it in 3 lines or less, and it's not contributing to my need for entertainment right now, so not gonna' bother to investigate further.

The receipt of wisdom looks far different. But that's for another post....