Chapter
Thirty-six
Duel
The
dueling debaters were getting ready for class finals. The winning pair would
get a much coveted and not-so-Easy A. This looked great on college applications
– obviously. Various regional and sectional teams had been beaten along the
way. Over the semester the team had dwindled down to these two pairs (yep, you
guessed it) Mackenzie and Darcy and Paige and Ryan.
Everyone was given alternate arguments to
prepare for many possible topics. These
included:
Should the US allow human
cloning?
Should the US have a draft
for military service?
Has feminism delivered less
than it promised?
Darcy’s
eyes skimmed over the notes.
Darcy was still reeling from the debacle of
his grandfather’s LA vacation cancellation (his grandparents had decided to
meet up with the family over summer instead) and break up with his fake girlfriend
Mackenzie. Mackenzie had ripped up the contract when she found Darcy checking
out a class photo of Paige – yet again… But he liked the topic this time and
Mackenzie assured him they could overcome their ‘issues’ and still work as a
team.
Wait… Mackenzie was called first. Darcy had
also researched both sides of the argument:
Has
feminism delivered less than it promised?
Mackenzie folded her gum inside the paper
on her desk as she took to the podium, her hair newly curled, her shoes freshly
polished, her skirt with just the right amount of pleats. That was the way to
drive a man crazy. Darcy was sure to want her back, especially after she threw
herself at him that night and they… but wait.
Mackenzie looked up at the classroom stage
lights. Strangely enough, she was pleased to be the center of attention. Paige
and Wickam looked on intently, their fates hanging onto her every word, she’d
better make sense to beat Paige. Darcy chewed the end of his pencil wondering
how Mackenzie would play this one.
“Opening arguments,” the teacher announced,
“First up, Miss Mackenzie Bingley”
“Good morning Ladies and gentleman,” (Rys’ eyes
rolled)
“Oh, I need to stop you there, Mackenzie. We
generally end pleasantries before debate starts.”
“Oh, well, I think it’s polite.”
Rys
laughed. Mrs Tartt looked on disdainfully.
Mackenzie continued… “Once upon a time I would not have labeled
myself a feminist. I Sometimes I think feminism has been bad for women and good
for men because… well, the truth is, I think it’s taken away the need for men
to do stuff – you know, be nice to us – woo us before they’ve tried to sleep
with us (Mackenzie glared at Darcy) not that I’m advocating sleeping together
before marriage – but… When I look back at what has been given to girls and
women since our struggle towards emancipation started, beginning with… with…
the suffragettes way back, like a hundred years ago, I think about the main
issue of human rights – equality under the law – which is what all human beings
strive for, I’d say here in the US women have been accorded those rights – but
we still earn far less than men on average, for doing the same jobs…”
The class, who’d arrived in dribs and
drabs, sat in the back row as Mackenzie rolled her gum into a tissue,
spellbound.
Mackenzie shrugged before she continued:
“I
mean, really. Do we even need to have this discussion? I have to say, I thought
this topic was really stupid, but anyway… Equality exists for everyone, right?
WRONG! Equality exists for the majority – but there are heaps of peeps, not
just women, who live in a great democracy like this one, like The United States
of America but don’t get treated equally before the law… for various reasons.”
Mackenzie then added, “I think it’s obvious that, like, decades ago, before the
1960s for example – my grandmother worked as a teacher,” at this point Mrs Tartt’s
ears pricked up, “but only earned around seventy percent of the male wage for
doing the same exact job. That’s so wrong, I’m sure you would all agree. So,
obviously, equality is important. Where feminism went wrong is its focus on the
small things. Like I said, if a boy wants to open my door for me…” At this
point Rys could be clearly heard saying, “like that would ever happen,” under
his breath. “For example, when a boy tries to open my door for me or carry my
shopping I’m all, sure fine, but it doesn’t mean I can’t do it by myself. It
might just mean I don’t want to. I mean, why would I need to if I have a
man-servant of my own, for example?”
At this point Mackenzie was starting to
weird peeps out with her obvious love of the podium and power and had started
to talk more adultly on the topic, even using the word “sexism” at least six
times and Mrs Tartt was getting a bit worried the debate topic was getting into
senior territory.
“To conclude, I have to agree that feminism
has delivered less than it promised by taking more than we expected. Many women
are now forced to raise children and earn a living because men either can’t or
don’t take their responsibilities seriously. However, let’s all agree that feminism
has delivered much to teenage girls. I’m proud to call myself a feminist! I’m
proud to have the rights I have – to wear what I like and be who I am. I expect
equal pay for equal work and to be treated equally under the law of this great
land. Because aren’t some women allowed to rule the world now? We could even
become President… one day, couldn’t we? One day… just not to-day. That is why
feminism has promised less than it has delivered... so far.”
The class was silent. Then, they started to
clap. Reluctantly Paige and Ryan joined in.
“Well, thank you, Mackenzie, we were all
quite.. surprised by your… argument.”
“I wasn’t finished Miss Tartt,” Mackenzie
smiled sweetly.
“I think we all get your point. Step down
now.”
“I
hadn’t realized, until today, how much of a feminist I am,” Mackenzie hissed
under her breath.
Someone laughed.
“You may laugh but any female who accepts
that she should be treated equally before the law is a feminist by
association!”
The class was stunned by Mackenzie’s
speech.
“Let’s see you do better, Rys,” Mackenzie hissed.
Rys was next. He was slightly embarrassed
to have to speak on this topic. Female subjects in general were quite
irritating, but to see Darcy’s smug face was really the limit.
