Wednesday, November 23, 2005

A Manly Sort of Woman

Gee, I feel so much like Irish Spring! I discovered the Gender Genie, and copied all the text from my front page here at Carmel Sundae. It thinks I'm a man.

It's funny, I've been accused (and occasionally praised) for having a masculine writing style before. Usually the praise comes from men: "You are so logical, you sound like a man!" As though logic were foreign to women. Sure, the tear ducts and right-left brain connections may work better than in a man, but it takes organization, logic, and a "male" work ethic to keep a household running. My very masculine husband has trouble figuring out how to organize the dishwasher when he loads it. I can't complain about his domestic skills, because he can cook my socks off, but let's just say he's better with words, knowledge, and cayenne than he is with logical organization. He would be the last to argue with me on this.

Why is it, then, that men seem to think they are complementing a woman when they say she's like a man? For that matter, why is it that extreme feminists often seem to think that a woman should be insulted if she's accused of womanliness?

I like being a woman. I don't see any contradiction between being a woman and using logic, and I don't see any reason that my more liberal sisters need to rescue me from my emotions, my long hair, or, indeed, my female logic. Being a woman is a joy: life without being married to my Charming and Patient Husband would be disappointing and dull. No amount of masculine recognition could ever compensate for having to live a life without being the wife of this man.

So let the Gender Genie say what he will. I have no doubt he's male, because women can tell the difference.

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