Comments on: A Man Ramble http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/ Spirit, geekness, and life Sat, 19 May 2012 14:06:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Chris http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10607 Chris Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:18:49 +0000 http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10607 Very true. And there are feminists everywhere along the spectrum from crotch to cranium. I'm thinking mostly of the feminists I've known well, which primarily consist of neo-hippie lesbians. They are, as a whole, pretty solidly "yay" on the physical and spiritual, and "boo" on the social. Of course, I have no idea how they really decide which is which... Very true. And there are feminists everywhere along the spectrum from crotch to cranium.

I’m thinking mostly of the feminists I’ve known well, which primarily consist of neo-hippie lesbians. They are, as a whole, pretty solidly “yay” on the physical and spiritual, and “boo” on the social. Of course, I have no idea how they really decide which is which…

]]> By: Katie FL http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10603 Katie FL Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:39:25 +0000 http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10603 <i>But how can anyone “yay” a gender that doesn’t actually exist?</i> They could be saying "yay the female sex" rather than "yay the female gender." I didn't realize how important that distinction is before I met and befriended my first transexual. Now I always remember the point he made about that terminology -- "Your gender is between your ears while your sex is between your legs." It is, of course, not always easy to tell the difference, though. But how can anyone “yay” a gender that doesn’t actually exist?

They could be saying “yay the female sex” rather than “yay the female gender.” I didn’t realize how important that distinction is before I met and befriended my first transexual. Now I always remember the point he made about that terminology — “Your gender is between your ears while your sex is between your legs.” It is, of course, not always easy to tell the difference, though.

]]> By: Chris http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10592 Chris Mon, 05 Nov 2007 04:02:08 +0000 http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10592 You remind me of a related issue that's always intrigued me. Speaking very roughly, gender studies says "there is no gender" and feminism says "yay women". Both of these are very critical progressive schools of thought and are very commonly invested in by the same people. But how can anyone "yay" a gender that doesn't actually exist? You remind me of a related issue that’s always intrigued me. Speaking very roughly, gender studies says “there is no gender” and feminism says “yay women”. Both of these are very critical progressive schools of thought and are very commonly invested in by the same people.

But how can anyone “yay” a gender that doesn’t actually exist?

]]> By: Katie FL http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10588 Katie FL Mon, 05 Nov 2007 01:49:32 +0000 http://ongoingprocess.net/a-man-ramble/#comment-10588 It's a hard question because so much of the reason why men and women experience things differently is a result of the socially constructed gender roles imposed on us by other people and ourselves. My experience of going to an electronics store or car repair shop is always going to be fundamentally different from yours as long as I look female and you look male. It, of course, goes far beyond this -- hell, I once noticed myself suggesting to a four year old girl who I was assistant teaching that she draw instead of play with blocks. I didn't do this because the block area was full, but because it seemed more <i>natural</i>, and I'm supposedly progressive by most standards! Luckily, I caught myself and told her she could play with blocks if she wanted, but jesus christ. Gender bullshit is insidious. As a result, it's hard to make the necessary distinctions between what being a man means socially as opposed to biologically or spiritually. I unfortunately can't help you there, but my friend <a href="http://adribean.livejournal.com" rel="nofollow">Adri</a> just started an LJ community called <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/genderthought/profile" rel="nofollow">gender thought</a> that you might be interested in. Actually, it's too bad my friend <a href="http://foolsgoldrushin.livejournal.com/" rel="nofollow">Alex</a> locks all his journal entries -- he's constantly questioning what it means to be male. Unrelatedly, I've been thinking about you and wanting to call you since Thursday. We should talk soon, and I will at the very least respond to the email you sent me shortly. It’s a hard question because so much of the reason why men and women experience things differently is a result of the socially constructed gender roles imposed on us by other people and ourselves. My experience of going to an electronics store or car repair shop is always going to be fundamentally different from yours as long as I look female and you look male. It, of course, goes far beyond this — hell, I once noticed myself suggesting to a four year old girl who I was assistant teaching that she draw instead of play with blocks. I didn’t do this because the block area was full, but because it seemed more natural, and I’m supposedly progressive by most standards! Luckily, I caught myself and told her she could play with blocks if she wanted, but jesus christ. Gender bullshit is insidious. As a result, it’s hard to make the necessary distinctions between what being a man means socially as opposed to biologically or spiritually. I unfortunately can’t help you there, but my friend Adri just started an LJ community called gender thought that you might be interested in. Actually, it’s too bad my friend Alex locks all his journal entries — he’s constantly questioning what it means to be male.

Unrelatedly, I’ve been thinking about you and wanting to call you since Thursday. We should talk soon, and I will at the very least respond to the email you sent me shortly.

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