Feminist analysis of the royal wedding

[DontdoitKatie]

This is one of the times when you realise how very lonely seeing things through a feminist lens can make you.

Patriarchy in all its glory.

Yup was in a prayer (thanks for the link I was hoping I had misheard).

O Lord, save thy servant and thy handmaid;
who put their trust in thee.

I found that offensive and just horrible

I agree youngblowfish, in fact if you find a thread somewhere else on MN talking about anything but the dresses and being spiteful about Andrew's daughters' outfits, I'll be surprised.

Fou - does the groom go down with his parents too though?

I don't think it would make much difference whether bride and groom both went down with parents, or both with a supporter like best man/bridesmaid, or together - the key thing is that if it is not symmetrical it makes a statement about men and women being different.

Well I think marriage is a lovely thing.

The two people involved today said the same words to each other and promised to be faithful unto each other forever more and through whatever life throws at them sharing all their worldy goods. That seems to me to be the complete anithesis of a patriachal institution.

I am hopeful that she will be progressive and will effect some real change from within. She would have had bugger all chance if she'd said "Wills, I don't care what your family think - let's have a small civil ceremony/humanisst wedding".

I obviously don't expect v much but slow progress is better than no progress at all.

I hate the way in a lot of the commentary about Kate they keep saying things like "She played him well" or implying that she must have had some kind of master plan to 'bag her prince' from the day she arrived at university. Or how she plotted specifically, wearing the see-through dress in the fashion show etc, to make him fall in love with her. Because girls are clearly all scheming and have a mystical power over men which they must fear. Oh and probably she only wants him for the money

Don't know whether it's particularly a feminist thing to be annoyed about, but it's bothering me.

Women do have a mystical power over men.... and t'other way round.

Its called falling in love.

Or worse that her mother had some scheme BertieBotts. I think it's totally a feminist thing to be annoyed about.

That and the ridiculous idea he fell in love with her after seeing her in a skimpy see-through dress. I find that insulting to both of them.

I like being married. But I think it helps I married a feminist

I predict about 3.5 weeks grace until the speculation about her being pregnant begins. Because that's all she will be to some - a walking womb

my first post on this thread was about how beautiful it all was; it's interesting to imagine how much of the beauty you could still retain (architecture, music, True Lurve, trumpeters in groovy gold tabards) while making it a bit less regressively patriarchal.

I would have had a woman vicar conducting it, rings for both of them, and them coming up the aisle hand in hand as befits their status as grown-ups in love

Yes, Katie! I think the comment was as her parents arrived "Her mother must be so proud. She has taught her well."

Beta yes in reality love can cloud anyone's judgement, male or female, but it seems to be touted more as a "mysterious feminine charm" etc, I can't articulate this very well, but in situations like if a man cheats he couldn't help it because this beguiling woman was paying him attention, whereas if a woman cheats she's just a slut. And the notion that "bad boys" can be "tamed" by the right woman's love - all of these are just pervasive in the media/popular opinion, it seems, and it's frustrating.

Or coming in from either side to meet in the middle.

PrinceHumperdink - yes I agree very much with what you said. I was shaking like a leaf as I said my wedding vows. DW was very calm but the weight and enormity of that 'promise' really got to me and I still think about it quite often.

Had a chat with a Jewish (male) friend about marriage a while ago and he explained how in Jewish marriages the emphasis is even more on protection of the woman in case the marriage does not work out.

The moment it is possibly for her to have pregnancy symptoms the press will be commenting. She only has to look tired or a bit off-colour.
Then if there is no pregnancy announcement within 4 months there will be 'Kate and William infertility heartbreak' stories.
oh and gawd help her if she goes out with friends of an evening when she's pregnant, even if she only drinks water.

Why are women/girls never part of the choir at these occasions?