conflicts between instincts and societal expectations
one of the reasons i chose "slave girl" for the first in the reading series on monday nights [shameles plug] was being able to relate to her inner conflicts as they played out. she fights with her inner nature, her instinctive nature that draws her toward her slave self. she reminds herself of her societal conditioning and mourns it as she sees the evidence of it crumbling away.
i fought tooth and nail in the very beginning the idea of being a [gasp] "slave." my societal conditioning ran very deep. many of you know of my history as a militant feminist (no, i am not nor have i ever been a "feminazi," thank You very much. it was just a different world back in the early 80's.) and the long road back from that to the simple feminism i embrace as an act of civil rights today. i do not see this as conflicting with slavery in any way. rather, i see myself today as finding my way each day afresh despite societal pressures -- pressures from any societal quarter -- to serve to the best of my ability.
what are your challenges in these areas?
in service, and wishing you the best,
jesszabelle