'Dependency divas'

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Feminists have fostered an attitude of victimhood among American women, says Carrie L. Lukas, director of policy for the Independent Women's Forum. In a report, "Dependency Divas: How the Feminist Big Government Agenda Betrays Women," Ms. Lukas argues that rather than helping women achieve independence, the feminist movement promotes dependence on government as a substitute for dependence on men.

The following are excerpts of a telephone interview with Ms. Lukas:

Question: What was the original impetus behind this policy report?

Answer: As the presidential campaign was gearing up, I was reading comments from traditional feminist groups like the National Organization for Women [NOW] and analyzing their political agenda. In every case, they were pursuing policies that would make women more dependent on government. For example, they want government to provide all health care and support more business regulation so that women receive paid family-medical leave and employer-provided child care.

Yet at the same time, these groups fight against reforms that will give women more power and more control of their lives. We see this with [feminist opposition to] Social Security reform, which would allow women to invest a portion of their payroll taxes, and with education reforms like vouchers that would put control back in the hands of parents. ... [Feminist leaders demand] greater government involvement in women's lives, and it struck me how much they deviated from what I consider true independence for women.

Q: What do you consider true independence for women to be?

A: True independence for women requires proposals that would allow women to keep their own money, make decisions about their own lives and give them the freedom to participate in an economy that gives them maximum flexibility. For example, many feminists believe that women are paid less than men in the work force and push proposals for setting how employers are to compensate their employees. But I think that is the exact opposite of what women should be fighting for.