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she says； sublimely。 〃I do not care what he has done。 I will forgive
him。 I will save him！〃
This state of mind serves to forward the interests of the lover； but is
of no advantage to the children。 We have magnified the duties of the
wife； and minified the duties of the mother； and this is inevitable in a
family relation every law and custom of which is arranged from the
masculine viewpoint。
From this same viewpoint； equally essential to the proprietary family；
comes the requirement that the woman shall serve the man。 Her service
is not that of the associate and equal； as when she joins him in his
business。 It is not that of a beneficial combination； as when she
practices another business and they share the profits； it is not even
that of the specialist； as the service of a tailor or barber； it is
personal servicethe work of a servant。
In large generalization； the women of the world cook and wash； sweep and
dust； sew and mend； for the men。
We are so accustomed to this relation； have held it for so long to be
the 〃natural〃 relation； that it is difficult indeed to show that it is
distinctly unnatural and injurious。 The father expects to be served by
the daughter； a service quite different from what he expects of the son。
This shows at once that such service is no integral part of motherhood；
or even of marriage； but is supposed to be the proper industrial
position of women； as such。
Why is this so？ Why； on the face of it； given a daughter and a son；
should a form of service be expected of the one； which would be
considered ignominious by the other？
The underlying reason is this。 Industry； at its base； is a feminine
function。 The surplus energy of the mother does not manifest itself in
noise； or combat； or display； but in productive industry。 Because of
her mother…power she became the first inventor and laborer； being in
truth the mother of all industry as well as all people。
Man's entrance upon industry is late and reluctant； as will be shown
later in treating his effect on economics。 In this field of family
life； his effect was as follows：
Establishing the proprietary family at an age when the industry was
primitive and domestic； and thereafter confining the woman solely to the
domestic area； he thereby confined her to primitive industry。 The
domestic industries； in the hands of women； constitute a survival of our
remotest past。 Such work was 〃woman's work〃 as was all the work then
known； such work is still considered woman's work because they have been
prevented from doing any other。
The term 〃domestic industry〃 does not define a certain kind of labor；
but a certain grade of labor。 Architecture was a domestic industry
oncewhen every savage mother set up her own tepee。 To be confined to
domestic industry is no proper distinction of womanhood； it is an
historic distinction； an economic distinction； it sets a date and limit
to woman's industrial progress。
In this respect the man…made family has resulted in arresting the
development of half the field。 We have a world wherein men；
industrially； live in the twentieth century； and women； industrially；
live in the firstand back of it。
To the same source we trace the social and educational limitations set
about women。 The dominant male； holding his women as property； and
fiercely jealous of them； considering them always as _his；_ not
belonging to themselves； their children； or the world； has hedged them
in with restrictions of a thousand sorts； physical； as in the crippled
Chinese lady or the imprisoned odalisque； moral； as in the oppressive
doctrines of submission taught by all our androcentric religions；
mental； as in the enforced ignorance from which women are now so swiftly
emerging。
This abnormal restriction of women has necessarily injured motherhood。
The man； free； growing in the world's growth； has mounted with the
centuries； filling an ever wider range of world activities。 The woman；
bound； has not so grown； and the child is born to a progressive
fatherhood and a stationary motherhood。 Thus the man…made family reacts
unfavorably upon the child。 We rob our children of half their social
heredity by keeping the mother in an inferior position； however
legalized； hallowed； or ossified by time； the position of a domestic
servant is inferior。
It is for this reason that child culture is at so low a level； and for
the most part utterly unknown。 Today； when the forces of education are
steadily working nearer to the cradle； a new sense is wakening of the
importance of the period of infancy； and its wiser treatment； yet those
who know of such a movement are few； and of them some are content to
earn easy praiseand payby belittling right progress to gratify the
prejudices of the ignorant。
The whole position is simple and clear； and easily traceable to its
root。 Given a proprietary family； where the man holds the woman
primarily for his satisfaction and servicethen necessarily he shuts
her up and keeps her for these purposes。 Being so kept； she cannot
develop humanly； as he has； through social contact； social service； true
social life。 （We may note in passing； her passionate fondness for the
child…game called 〃society〃 she has been allowed to entertain herself
withal； that poor simiacrum of real social life； in which people
decorate themselves and madly crowd together； chattering； for what is
called 〃entertainment。〃） Thus checked in social development； we have
but a low grade motherhood to offer our children； and the children；
reared in the primitive conditions thus artificially maintained； enter
life with a false perspective； not only toward men and women； but toward
life as a whole。
The child should receive in the family； full preparation for his
relation to the world at large。 His whole life must be spent in the
world； serving it well or ill； and youth is the time to learn how。 But
the androcentric home cannot teach him。 We live to…day in a
democracy…the man…made family is a despotism。 It may be a weak one； the
despot may be dethroned and overmastered by his little harem of one； but
in that case she becomes the despotthat is all。 The male is esteemed
〃the head of the family；〃 it belongs to him； he maintains it； and the
rest of the world is a wide hunting ground and battlefield wherein he
competes with other males as of old。
The girl…child； peering out； sees this forbidden field as belonging
wholly to men…kind； and her relation to it is to secure one for
herselfnot only that she may love； but that she may live。 He will
feed； clothe and adorn hershe will serve him； from the subjection of
the daughter to that of the wife she steps； from one home to the other；
and never enters the world at allman's world。
The boy； on the other hand； considers the home as a place of women； an
inferior place； and longs to grow up and leave itfor the real world。
He is quite right。 The error is that this great social instinct；
calling for full social exercise； exchange； service； is considered
masculine； whereas it is human； and belongs to boy and girl alike。
The child is affected first through the retarded development of his
mother； then through the arrested condition of home industry； and
further through the wrong ideals which have arisen from these
conditions。 A normal home； where there was human equality between
mother and father； would have a better influence。
We must not overlook the effect of the proprietary family on the
proprietor himself。 He； too； has been held back somewhat by this
reactionary force。 In the process of becoming human we must learn to
recognize justice； freedom； human rights； we must learn self…control and
to think of others； have minds that grow and broaden rationally； we must
learn the broad mutual interservice and unbounded joy of social
intercourse and service。 The petty despot of the man…made home is
hindered in his humanness by too much manness。
For each man to have one whole woman to cook for and wait upon him is a
poor education for democracy。 The boy with a servile mother； the man
with a servile wife； cannot reach the sense of equal rights we need
to…day。 Too constant consideration of the master's tastes makes the
master selfish； and the assault upon his heart direct； or through that
proverbial side…avenue； the stomach； which the dependent woman needs
must make when she wants anything； is bad for the man； as well as for
her。
We are slowly forming a nobler type of family； the union of two； based
on love and recognized by law； maintained because of its happiness and
use。 We are even now approaching a tenderness and permanence of love；
high pure enduring love； combined with the broad deep…rooted
friendliness and comradeship of equals； which promises us more happiness
in marriage than we have yet known。 It will be good for all the parties
concernedman； woman and child： and promote our general social progress
admirably。
If it needs 〃a head〃 it will elect a chairman pro tem。 Friendship does
not need 〃a head。〃 Love does dot need 〃a head。〃 Why should a family？
OUR ANDROCENTRIC CULTURE； or； THE MAN…MADE WORLD
III。
HEALTH AND BEAUTY。
NOTEThe word 〃Androce