Advocate justice on our own terms.

Barbara Ehrenreich argues that it is not feminists who ruin schools, families, and society in general but, rather, inadequate wages and long work hours ("Corporate Home Wreckers," March issue). I couldn't agree more: The brutal workplace hurts our abilities to exercise citizenship in all arenas of public life, and it puts crippling pressure on family and personal life. But if Ehrenreich wants to "play fair" by competing with her anti-feminist critics, showing off photos of her grandkids is a dangerous way to do it. Answering our critics on their terms detracts from our ability to advocate for justice on our own terms. And, frankly, it wrecks things for those who can't or simply won't play their game.

Does one have to have children, and grandchildren, to claim the right to a decent wage and reasonable work hours? Parenthood, at least if combined with heterosexuality, is a highly privileged status, but it's not helping the labor movement at all. Some parents--those in many white-collar professions--actually do receive reduced work expectations because parents "have families to take care of." Of course, parents have people to take care of; we all do.

We all have things to contribute to this world besides our labor, even if we won't compete with Ehrenreich or her anti-feminist critics for parental status.

Anne Enke

Madison, Wisconsin