Five Minutes: Roar

Each week Gypsy Mama chooses a word to write about for five minutes. No editing, stream of consciousness. Today's word is: Roar.

Ready. Set. Write.

When the women's liberation movement became popular, there was a phrase and accompanying song that was shouted from the rooftops by women across the nation..."I am woman, hear me roar." I was a young lioness when that battle cry was born, so I wasn't really aligned with any side at the time. Now that I am full-grown woman, I can say that the women's lib movement has messed things up for me.

I don't want to roar. I want to purr. I am an independent career woman who provides for myself, but at the end of the day, I want to be the woman behind the man...not roaring at him, but loving him and following his strong lead. Being single, I have to be independent, but frankly, there are days when it's no fun. For all that the freedom flag-waving women did in the 70s, I'm now hard pressed to find a man who hasn't been maimed by a hardcore woman who roared, devoured him, chewed him up and spit him out. Many would say that a man can't lead so we're not going to follow him. Maybe that's because you haven't allowed him to lead. Or maybe that's because we've emasculated our men so much they aren't willing to take a stand to lead.

I prefer to sing the phrase, "I am woman, get my door." Chivalry, please do not die.