LL-L "Gender" 2003.05.15 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 15.MAY.2003 (07) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Gender"

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Gender
>
> Gabriele:
>
> > Most neutrally yours,
> > Reinhard/Ron
>
> I must try and keep this conversation going just because I am curious
how
> much more neutral you can get... :-)
>
> Don't push it!  I may be neutral -- at least try hard to be -- with
> regard to ethnicity, nationality, "race," religion, politics [huh?!],
> education, sexual orientation, gender and whatever, but ... if you
> expect me to go as far as saying "neutralized" or "neutered," you have a
> long wait ahead of you.

Ron, sexual equality is far too important an issue to be
brushed aside just for the sake of your puerile and
traditionally male fear of castration!

More seriously, you missed "dress" from your list. I think
this might be the final stronghold for gender distinction
(if we agree that surgery and general public issues of
hormones to make men and women more alike is a lost cause -
or maybe we should put something in the water along with the
flouride? General Jack Ripper would put up strong opposition
to this, though!).

Where I last worked, the dress code was that men should wear
smart trousers, shirt, tie and jacket, but for women it was
merely that they should "dress smartly". This is blatant
discrimination, but not something that's likely to change
in the business world as long as clients are going to look
askance at our managing director turning up to meet them in
his little black dress (you can wear it anywhere, you know,
but only if you're a woman!).

I have gotten away with wearing my kilt in work on special
occasions such as the team's Christmas dinner. In the
immortal words of Rik Mayall, "Scotsmen are allowed to be
transvestites!". The wearing of the kilt involves a very
strict dress code, though, it doesn't give us the freedom
that women have.

Anyway, I need to get on. Just a shower and then I'll slip
into a plain, smart cheongsam and off to get some shopping
done. Ankle length, knee length or mini, what do you think?
Yes, mini, I think so, with my legs!

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Gender

Sandy,

> Ron, sexual equality is far too important an issue to be
> brushed aside just for the sake of your puerile and
> traditionally male fear of castration!

True.  I should at least learn to hide it.

> More seriously, you missed "dress" from your list.

Indeed!  And, yes, I agree with your resentment regarding unequal dress
codes (though I like it that it tends to make my choices easier).

Another item I forgot to mention is weight, "fat" people being a
remaining group whom you are allowed to ridicule and discriminate
against to your heart's content.

> The wearing of the kilt involves a very
> strict dress code, though, it doesn't give us the freedom
> that women have.

Don't you get away with some measure of "improvisation" in England, or
is there too great a danger of running into another Scottish person or
into an English person that's too informed for their own good?  Why, you
could always claim it's a local variant (and give them a
Scottish-sounding fictitious place or clan name if they insist on
details).  And, yes, how often *are* Scotsmen asked what they wear under
their kilts, if anything?  (And inquiring minds do want to know.)

> Anyway, I need to get on. Just a shower and then I'll slip
> into a plain, smart cheongsam and off to get some shopping
> done. Ankle length, knee length or mini, what do you think?
> Yes, mini, I think so, with my legs!

Abso-bloomin'-lutely!  If you have it, flaunt it!  Black mini, I think;
goes well with bald heads.  And don't forget to take your camera along
(for inquiring eyes want to see).

Cheers!
Reinhard/Ron

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