(no subject)
It's International Womens' Day! YAY!
I have a number of fun things for your perusal.
Exhibit A. Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf. This is actually stunningly interesting. I know that at this point, talking about Woolf can seem a little doddering, and perhaps it is. However, prevailing critical attitudes and I have never really gotten along, so I recommend this in all delight. She originally gave this text as part of a talk, and it does scan well, when spoken. But! Savage indictment of the ruling perception of women as stupid, sweet angels? Thank you, and we will take that, even as a text for reading.
In related news, so, A.i. My favourite political and early academic therorist, Edmund Burke, once had this to say about his wife; "She is like an angel- no, not an angel, like a woman." Okay, so it is not all that firmly attributed to him, but really? Consciousness of womens' issues in the 1780s? That would be a WIN. Even if he seems to have not carried it anywhere else, but it would be awesome if Burke really had said that. Awesome with a capital AWE.
Exhibit B. Music, to help you over the esoteric stuff. Loretta Lynn's The Pill is particularly fitting today, because, yay, taking control of reproductive destiny. Also, it has a terrific jangly tune, and it will stick in your head and neverever leave!
Mary Chapin Carpenter's He Thinks He'll Keep Her. Man, she was totally my favourite singer during eighth grade, and had not been downgraded in radness since. This makes me smile and sing along, everytime I hear it. Unutterable delight!
Finally, a personal anecdote, as Exhibit C. A few years ago, my aunt and cousin were travelling; they went up around Norway, and came back to the US on the morning of the eighth. My cousin, who at that point was a tiny, adorable, and blonde muppet, had learned that it was International Womens' Day. She cheerily wished everyone they met "Happy International Womens' Day!" My aunt says that this was incredibly disarming, especially to the customs agents. We wheel this story out all the time, much to the embarrassment to my cousin, who is now almost six feet tall, and looks frighteningly like she ought to be named "Brunhilda" or something more Nordic.
I have a number of fun things for your perusal.
Exhibit A. Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf. This is actually stunningly interesting. I know that at this point, talking about Woolf can seem a little doddering, and perhaps it is. However, prevailing critical attitudes and I have never really gotten along, so I recommend this in all delight. She originally gave this text as part of a talk, and it does scan well, when spoken. But! Savage indictment of the ruling perception of women as stupid, sweet angels? Thank you, and we will take that, even as a text for reading.
In related news, so, A.i. My favourite political and early academic therorist, Edmund Burke, once had this to say about his wife; "She is like an angel- no, not an angel, like a woman." Okay, so it is not all that firmly attributed to him, but really? Consciousness of womens' issues in the 1780s? That would be a WIN. Even if he seems to have not carried it anywhere else, but it would be awesome if Burke really had said that. Awesome with a capital AWE.
Exhibit B. Music, to help you over the esoteric stuff. Loretta Lynn's The Pill is particularly fitting today, because, yay, taking control of reproductive destiny. Also, it has a terrific jangly tune, and it will stick in your head and neverever leave!
Mary Chapin Carpenter's He Thinks He'll Keep Her. Man, she was totally my favourite singer during eighth grade, and had not been downgraded in radness since. This makes me smile and sing along, everytime I hear it. Unutterable delight!
Finally, a personal anecdote, as Exhibit C. A few years ago, my aunt and cousin were travelling; they went up around Norway, and came back to the US on the morning of the eighth. My cousin, who at that point was a tiny, adorable, and blonde muppet, had learned that it was International Womens' Day. She cheerily wished everyone they met "Happy International Womens' Day!" My aunt says that this was incredibly disarming, especially to the customs agents. We wheel this story out all the time, much to the embarrassment to my cousin, who is now almost six feet tall, and looks frighteningly like she ought to be named "Brunhilda" or something more Nordic.