THE EQUALITY OF MEN AND WOMEN
BY DR. ORROL HARPER
IN this day of universal awakening the sediment of old ideas is brought to the surface, and revealed in ungarnished nudity. It is as if a clarifying prod had stirred to its depths the ocean of life and brought into view all the debris that human ignorance and misconception have collected for ages.
Placed in bold relief by the sunlight of analysis and reason the crude barrenness of ancient ideas unfolds. Opinion takes on perspective and vision, understanding becomes more vital, reality more clear.
Humanity, being roused from its sleep of stagnation, is gradually awakening to the consciousness of a limitless self. It sees in potential possibility manifestations of all life. It makes the discovery that all phenomena are produced by a varied combination and balance of negative and positive charges of electronic energy.
Humanity ranges its study from the smallest simple element to the largest and most complicated bodies and planets, and through such investigation it becomes known that
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the same law that governs the smallest particle of matter applies also to the largest bodies in creation.
The principle of opposites is the law by which all manifestations of life on this earth plane exist and become known. Contrast is the means used to make us appreciate the true worth of all things.
Would we appreciate sunshine if it never rained? If hatred and animosity did not exist would we understand love and kindness? If there were no ignorance would we be conscious of knowledge? If poverty did not exist would we be able to enjoy wealth? If woman had not suffered from the cave-man would she be able to appreciate the co-operative man? If woman did not exist would man be in existence? No!
Man and woman are the two component parts of humanity. With either element lacking the human race could not exist, and with either element undeveloped the race as a whole stagnates.
In centuries past woman has been the helpless, uneducated, unhonored part of mankind. As far back as historical records go woman’s chief sphere of activity has been the home. Her time has been so completely taken up with household duties and the rearing of children that her intellectual growth has suffered.
Formerly in the Orient women were not even considered as human beings. Certain Arab tribes counted them in with their livestock. In their language, the noun for “woman” also meant “donkey”; that is, the same name applied to both, and a man’s wealth was accounted by the number of these beasts of burden he possessed. The worst insult one could hurl at a man was to call out, “Thou woman!”
The American Indian in an uncivilized state allowed his squaw to rear a family and at the same time do all the hard labor of the day, while he sat around and smoked or fought in battle.
What a difference exists today! Civilization has advanced. Woman is awake to her identity. She is becoming conscious that she is the equal and complement of the masculine element of humanity.
Education is freeing her from the bondage of ignorance. The untrained, uneducated, inexperienced, suppressed half of the body of man has shaken off its paralysis. As woman receives the intellectual stimulus that can only come by contact with other minds, she is developing strength and learning how to fulfill her purpose in life, that of being the equal and complement of man, in fact the mother of all men.
Lack of development of either half of the human race delays progress. If either wing of the bird of humanity is weak or broken the bird cannot soar to its greatest heights.
But the fact that woman has not always been conscious of her powers, has not always been the life and inspiration that she is today, has not always contributed her intellectual gifts to the intelligence of the race, makes her even more appreciated, now that she is learning how to strengthen that weakened wing of the human bird.
A sweeping survey of woman’s activity in the world proves it to be extensive. A large group of progressive mothers are to be seen, who are educating themselves so that they in turn can adequately train their children.
A second class of women is described by an author in The Living Age, who writes, “Although home duties may be the appropriate function for the majority of women, there is in the social life of today a very large class of young women who are perfectly capable of doing what was[Page 150]
once supposed to be man’s exclusive work—and doing it well.”
Some specific examples of this class are:
Margaret Kelly, Assistant Director of the United States Mint.
Mrs. J. C. McRee, a business woman of Atlanta, Ga., who in 1918 bought the fixtures of a tea room going out of business for $200. Two years later she refused $150,000 for it.
Dr. Alice Hamilton, one of America’s most distinguished physicians, for six years traveled over the country for the United States Department of Labor, and later spent one half of each year at Harvard University where she was one of the faculty.
In reply to the opponents of woman’s new activity, Gertrude Atherton in the Yale Review says, “You forget that no woman can hold a man’s job if she is inefficient and that many men are cheerfully permitting their wives to support them.”
Women of a third class have been accused of being industrial usurpers. But this idea has been proved faulty by C. P. Neil, Commissioner of Labor, who listed four of the six great divisions of modern industry as woman’s industry, by right of her priority in them. Look at the range of the four:—
- Textile industries (cotton, woolen, linen manufacturers.)
- Cloth and serving trades (all garment manufacturers.)
- Manufacturers of food and kindred products (including beverages, bakeries, pickle factories, candy kitchens, etc.)
- Domestic service (supervision of hosteleries, apartment houses, restaurants.)
If “usurpation” is the word it is the men carders and weavers, men who come to the house with vacuum cleaners, hotel proprietors, men garment cutters and fitters, apartment house superintendents, men bakers, chefs, pickle makers and brewers, it is they who are the usurpers—not the women, who are but following their traditional pursuits from home to factory.
A fourth class is made up of women who are demonstrating the dynamic ability to have babies and careers both. Lady Astor, a member of the British parliament, and also a mother of five children is an interesting example. Lady Astor says, “The pearl of a great price that I am striving for is to take into public life what every man gets from his mother—unselfishness, vision, courage, cleanness—the real kind which helps them to live up to what is best in them. There is so much good in all men, but only good women can bring it out.”
Henry Norman in the Forum says, “Women are among the truly great artists of the world; some of them are great musicians, many of them great fiction writers.”
Every cause that is of lasting benefit to the race is usually watered with the blood of martyrs. The cause of the awakened woman is no exception. Kurratu’l-Ayn, a beautiful Persian poetess, was the first woman to give her life to help establish freedom for all women. In 1863, in a land where girls received no education, in a country where custom demanded thick protecting veils for all women at all times, among a people who considered it a disgrace to be the parents of a girl baby, Kurratu’l-Ayn arose and throwing aside her veil, fearlessly proclaimed the dawn of a New Age in which superstition, fanatical custom and ignorance would be done away with. For her action Kurratu’l-Ayn was killed, her body was thrown into a well, and stones were heaped upon her. Like a seed that human body was buried, so that the spirit[Page 151]
of progress that animated it might come forth as a new plant to carry freedom, courage, intellectual and spiritual growth to all women.
The most important question of this age is the establishment of Universal Peace. Since 1888 an International Council of Women, representing 42 countries and 36,000,000 women, has been meeting, once every five years to promote unity and mutual understanding between all associations of women, working for the common welfare of humanity. Its watchwords are peace, co-operation and progress.
To him who considers man superior to woman, Professor Burton, late President of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Universities said, “Both male and female elements are to be found in all people—the predominance of one determining the sex. The difference between men and women is not a question of inferiority or superiority, but a difference in kind and function.”
Gertrude Atherton in the Yale Review says, “Man and woman are one being split in two, differently sexed for the benefit of the race. Men and women are made up of the same ingredients. The preponderance of good or bad, weakness or strength, is in the individual not the sex.”
An author in the Living Age says, What women lack in weight and muscular power they make up in assiduity, conscientiousness and keen endeavor.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Center of a world wide movement to establish universal peace, said that this is the age of woman and that there is not a position held at any time by man, that certain women will not occupy.
At this point I see some scholarly gentlemen, who still have their noses buried in the musty emptiness of the past, shake emphatic objection. The monster called Sex-Antagonism has raised his head and must perforce be recognized.
I looked the fellow straight in the eye and am surprised to discover that he has a goodly countenance. He whom I have suspected of being a destroyer smiles benignly, and before I can analyze the thrill of pleasure that permeates my being he begins to speak, “I am that force which awakens in all men and women the consciousness of a better self. It is I who stimulates undeveloped talent into activity. It is I who promotes true happiness, harmony and co-operation. It is I who helps to fulfill the plan of creation. I am called “Sex-Antagonism,” I should be named “Competition in Self-expression.” Sex-Antagonism is the seen and unseen conflict which exists between the sexes for supremacy and self-expression.
“When man was a barbarian and woman was his slave, the qualities of the better self found very feeble expression.”
This brings to my mind an idea obtained from Vance Thompson in his book, “Woman.” Thompson finds the explanation of the modern feminist movement in the sex-specialization man has imposed upon woman. He says that for ages man has insisted that woman be a “female being” rather than a “human being.”
The voice of Sex-Antagonism interrupts my train of thought, “Today civilization has advanced. The feminist movement has demonstrated that the feminine is the equal and complement of the masculine element of humanity.”
A quotation from W. L. George in “Woman and Tomorrow” is reflected on the mirror of my mind. Mr. George says, “Feminism is broadly the furthering of the interests of women, philosophically the leveling of the sexes, and specifically the social and political emancipation of woman.”
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“I,” Sex-Antagonism continues, “Am the one who ushers in the greatest happiness in life—for I stimulate an expression of the innate talents of a better self. It matters not whether the person be a laborer, a housewife, a politician, a professional or business man or woman,—each is happy in proportion to the innate perfections he or she is expressing.
“The feminist movement is an effort toward expression, where before there has been suppression. Woman wants to be happy along with the rest of the world.
“When modern man recognizes modern woman as an equal, worthy of competition, happiness will be found for both. Sex-Antagonism will then stimulate the better talents of each into activity.
“True harmony and co-operation can only be found through mutual understanding. Competition in self-expression promotes understanding, and prevents the sacrifices of one individuality for another. Modern woman maintains her individuality, understands and is better understood than were her ancestors.
“Between ancient man, who was lord of all he surveyed, and his slave, woman, no constructive conflict existed. It takes two opposing elements to cause a conflict. The man was sufficiently aggressive to find a means of expressing his talents; but undeveloped woman completely submerged her individuality to man. Lack of respect for woman was the effect on man.
“But a tide of sex-antagonism is rising! Latent talents are developing! Co-operation between the sexes is in sight. The modern woman has arrived. She expresses her sentiments in the Delineator: “The modern woman wants a common share in all her husband’s interests, in his failures as well as his successes, his love as well as his money. The modern woman wants a partner not a master.”
After this burst of enthusiasm the voice of Sex-Antagonism grows suddenly deep and serious, “Sex-Antagonism helps to fulfill the plan of creation. One of the objects of creation is production. The antagonistic, the law of opposites is used for creative purposes. The feminine and masculine, the negative and positive are opposing elements; their union produces a new creation.
“The reality of man has two aspects. One aspect attaches him to this world, its thoughts and affairs. The other aspect directs his attention to the ideals of a spiritual existence. Everyone wants to be good—and is inclined to not be good. The fusion of the two opposing elements in man, the material and the spiritual, results in an individuality that is eternal. We say such a man has character. In the same way, the illumination radiating from an incandescent bulb has resulted from the union of the negative and positive poles of electricity. Just so the two opposite poles that represent the human race, when properly united, will produce an illumined understanding that will become universal.”
A silence of thought ensues. . . . . The message of Sex-Antagonism awakens me to a new realization of life. I see all the conflicting forces in the world—negative and positive, male and female, constructive and destructive, material and spiritual constantly contributing their individual energy toward the equalization, the realization of fuller and more perfect life.
A vision appears before my eyes. I see a mysterious valley hidden in the darkness of ignorance and misconception. From its tangled depths there rises at dawn of day a beautiful white bird. Its two well developed[Page 153]
wings glisten in the sunlight, and move with equal strength and rhythm. The bird carries in its mouth a gem of great price—the gem of knowledge. I hear a voice say, “It is the bird of humanity which has been educated, trained and developed in the school of earth experience. Now that its two wings are equally strong, the equality of men and women is realized, and the bird of humanity, with a free spiritual consciousness, can soar from summit to summit of progress.”
