Whenever I think about all my favorite writers and vocalists and comedians and actors and politicians and philosophers - basically, anybody whose work I admire from afar - I realize that they are all men.
Perhaps it's because the sample I am working with here is skewed to begin with - after all, and the male-to-female ratio in almost all those areas puts the fairer sex at a disadvantage. But still, it is uncanny how quickly I find myself being put off by anything from Karen O's shriek to Hilary Clinton's hairstyle. I think the underlying explanation for this is that women tend to be jealous, judgmental, and skeptical of women whom they see as above or more powerful than them, whereas men recognize, accept, and look up to their "alpha" peers much more easily. I am not a psychologist and I have no proof for that claim (in fact, as I'm typing this I can think about a billion counterexamples. But on the whole I still think it holds true.)
I have swell relationships with females all the time in my personal life. I always have and will love the strong women in my family, my girlfriends, and even my stupid cat, Bellatrix. But put some distance between me and an object of my affection, and its creator most likely possesses a Y chromosome. (Jamie Lee Curtis does not count.)
A few exceptions of females whose work I truly enjoy:
J.K. Rowling (...who went by a gender-neutral pen name in order to sell more books in the beginning of her career)
Tina Fey (...who usually opts to play the "frumpy and kind of manly funny woman" role)
Justin Bieber (...who is a strong, independent woman! You go girl!)




what about natalie dee?
ReplyDeletewhat about susan surandon?
what about dame judy dench?
what about your mom?
what about starhawk?
what about vandana shiva?
what about maya angelou?
what about mary richards?
what about lucille (clifton or ball)?
what about katharine hepburn?
what about toni morrison?
what about queen rania of jordan?
point is dudes are pretty cool but the ladies are fine
I respect those women and I acknowledge that they have made tremendous contributions, but I still stand by the claim that most of what I myself consume or admire on a material level (things like books and movies and music and clothing brands) is created by men. Not trying to discredit these ladies' accomplishments ;)
ReplyDeleteAlso, my favorite Lucille is definitely Lucille Bluth! Come on!