But how do girls and women work out a specifically feminine sense of identity?
On the one hand, as I say, they can become collaborators with extremist males such as the Catholic bishops. As collaborators with the extremist Catholic bishops, Catholic girls and women, for example, can work out a specifically feminine sense of personal identity as non-violent heroic female warriors working in subordination in the Catholic Church to non-violent heroic male warriors. (Not all practicing Catholics are collaborators with the extremist Catholic bishops. For example, many practicing Catholics reject the church's opposition to artificial contraception. Some practicing Catholics even endorse legalized abortion in the first trimester.)
On the other hand, girls and women can work for liberation from subordination to male extremists such as the Catholic bishops. But if girls and women were to work for liberation from subordination to male extremists such as the Catholic bishops, girls and women would need to cultivate their own personal courage to carry out such efforts.
Not surprisingly, Secretary Clinton highlights examples of non-violent courageous women. The women she mentions represent extraordinary examples of non-violent courage. It will undoubtedly require courage to stand up to extremists such as the Catholic bishops and their collaborators. The extremist Catholic bishops can use a vast network of Catholic churches to broadcast their views. In short, the extremist Catholic bishops are far better organized than any organized opposition against their views regarding artificial contraception and legalized abortion in the first trimester.
The extremist Catholic bishops most likely think that they are showing great courage in their efforts to denounce artificial contraception and legalized abortion in the first trimester. Indeed, the extremist Catholic bishops are showing a certain brashness in their efforts. The extremist Catholic bishops and their collaborators, male and female, are religious zealots. In their religious zealotry, they are in effect defending male patriarchy and male dominance. They are not going to go down without a fight.
For this reason, Americans of good will will need to have courage to fight the good fight against the extremist Catholic bishops and their extremist collaborators, male and female, not just brashness and bluster.
As paradoxical as it may sound, the liberation of girls and women from extremist males such as the Catholic bishops is a fundamental step for the liberation of boys and men from outdated cultural models of feminine and masculine behavior.
But how exactly do we go about fighting the good fight against the extremist Catholic bishops? No doubt the good fight against the extremist Catholic bishops and their collaborators, male and female, will have many fronts, as it were.
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