Okay, so we were discussing what constitutes a Real Man on the Samhain blog the other day. Which was my fault, as I just had to ask that question *g* And one of the folks who responded made a point about women not always fitting the gender roles people assign us either. That, in turn, brought to mind one of my pet peeves, and I decided to rant about it here rather than rant internally like I usually do. So here goes...
WHY, oh why, oh why, do people seem to equate being female with being weak??? Kick-ass heroines notwithstanding (and thank FSM there are plenty of them out there in Fictionland these days), there is this nearly subconscious belief -- at least in the U.S., I can't speak to anywhere else really -- that having girl parts = being weak, easily flustered, and basically unable to stand on one's own. It's not overt, usually. But it's there. If you want to say someone is spineless and cowardly, what do you call them? A pussy. If someone throws the baseball and it doesn't go anywhere, what are they told? They throw like a girl. Likewise, someone who cries out in fright when they are startled by something screams like a girl. If a guy dares to shed tears or show emotion (other than anger, of course, which is okay for some reason), he is called a girl.
None of these are compliments. All are insults.
Again, I ask, WHY????? Why is it assumed that females are weak? History has proven that we are NOT. Also, why is showing emotion or, heaven forbid, wanting to talk an issue out rather than pummel someone, considered to be a weakness at all? I don't get it. I really, really don't.
Sorry this has nothing to do with manlove, it was just on my mind :D
Or, hell, maybe it does have to do with manlove, since so many people seem so willing to apply the dreaded label of "girl" to some of the men in gay fiction. I don't get that either...
Rant over. You may return to your evening, and thanks for listening *g*
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1 comment:
I agree with you, Ally. That always steams me. The worst thing you can call a man is a woman. I find myself at odds with people for this all the time.
I recently worked a sports tournament and the male officials ignored the announcer who was trying to give them a form. "Hey,ladies," she yelled at last.
She couldn't seem to understand why such an insult was to me self-loathing. I wonder if that kind of gender disparity will be the last kind of acceptable public insult?
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