Swimming against the tide

A discussion with a friend brought this subject up. Made me really take a look at the people around me.
Here in Hick County,there seems to be a time warp. I always tell people that when you cross that county line, you go back about 75 years. Not only because of the fact that we are still a dry county, but also in the attitudes of the people.
Women tend to have their place in this society, a certain way of behaving that is expected.
Women here are expected to be church going, children loving, mild mannered, docile. Reflecting their husbands ideas, protecting and enhancing his image. Most of them do work, in fact stay at home moms are looked at as second class citizens. All women are expected to be supermoms. Minivans, children in every activity you can think of, no interests outside of church and school.(other than little hobbies, usually ones that center around house and family.) It is just assumed that every woman's goal is to get out of high school, go to college, and start a career, but the main goal of their lives should be a husband and kids. Always.
I know that you probably are picturing a bunch of sexist men, keeping their women under their thumbs, but actually it is the women who judge other women, perpetuating the stereotype.
Now, don't get me wrong, if this is the way that certain women want to live, that is perfectly fine. But imposing it on others is not. I am not one of those women. Yes, I want a relationship, not necessarily marriage (been there, done that, don' t especially have to have that little piece of paper) and I am not a minivan driving soccer mom sort of woman. I don't particularly like children, except my own and those of my very few close friends. I do not believe in organized religion. I express my opinions whether you agree with me or not. I am way more open minded and free spirited than most people around here are comfortable with.
I am like a Janis Joplin in a county full of Doris Days.
It seems that for most of the people here, the world ends at the county line. I am not that way. I feel like, in this day and age, we all should be citizens of the world, not just our own neighborhoods, or towns.
When I first came back, and even now I suppose, I was accused of being a liberal, feministic man hater. (I was once accused of being liberal because I eat tofu!) Two out of three are correct. Anyone who really knows me knows that I am not a man hater. I do, however, hate anyone who is voluntarily ignorant, who deliberately chooses not to learn, not to grow, not to listen to opinions differing from their own. I run into a lot of that here. People who think intelligence in a woman should be hidden, not expressed. It is just sad that most of the people with that opinion are other women.