Am I A "Femivore"?

Someone sent me a clipping from a magazine. It was short and sweet: just the definition of the word "femivore."

Femivore: A highly educated opt-out mom who stays home to raise kids, vegetables and, increasingly, chickens

I was annoyed at being pigeonholed. But apparently this is how everyone sees me. Hubby, upon reading the definition, said, "That suits you perfectly." Another close friend said, "Well, that IS you."

But I like to think there's more to me than a 2-dimensional definition.

Anyway, I started doing some reading about femivores, and it seems that most of the media thinks that this type of woman does what she does because it legitimizes her innate desire to return home. Since she is doing the always-socially-approved job of making her family "greener" and serving her kids local, organic food, she has completely justified her decision to ditch the workforce.

The more I read about femivores, the more I realized that this definition does not fit me at all. Not even a little bit.

Sure, on the surface I am all those things: I'm educated (not highly, just a Master's degree), I'm a stay at home mom, and I'm raising kids, vegetables and chickens.

But the eco-friendly and health aspects of eating from my backyard are merely extra benefits. They aren't the sole reason for my activities. Nor do I have some type of hankering to get in touch with my inner pioneer woman. (Although I admit that this is a fun part for me. A trip to Tractor Supply Company always makes me feel very empowered, for some reason.)

My true motivation for these projects is to get one step closer to self-sufficiency.

And as for my choice to "opt-out" of the workforce to be a stay at home mom, well... that's a simple one: I've always hated the drudgery of a full-time job. Besides, daycare costs would eat up almost all the money I could earn if I worked outside of the home.

So, yes, on the surface I'm a femivore. But deep down, I'm just a lazy, pragmatic woman with a desire to be self-sufficient.