faceforradio

All of my reading and discussion in my gender/fem classes has led me to the revelation that I've suffered under sex role strain for many-many years. Like 24 of 'em. It's ridiculous what we do to children. As soon as we find out that a woman is growing a baby of a particular sex-type, we immediately begin assigning the fetus gendered attributes. The thing's first breath is given meaning based on its genitalia. God forbid the phallus be super-small or the clitoris super-big. (Read Foucault.) Everything an infant or child does is interpreted through the lens of gender. If a child behaves in a way that does not conform to social expectations of his or her stereotyped sex identity, we punish or sanction it. It's even more subtle than that, too. Male babies aren't cuddled as much or talked to as much. Female babies aren't allowed the physical exploration and noise-making. We give babies pink or blue crap based on what we think their gender is. BABIES CAN'T EVEN SEE PASTELS! We have to provide a fucking label so that we know how to treat them on the basis of a gender that doesn't mean anything to the kid. We're wrecking 'em from the start. Gah.


Growing up in a small, trashy Midwestern town, my politics and philosophies isolated me. Add to this the negative social sanctions of not being hegemonically feminine. No wonder I've continued to develop into who I am, so comfortable in "radical" theory, so eager to problematize and dissect society's institutions.




My knees hurt today. :-( Trader Joe's has vegetarian glucosamine tabs. I think I should suck it up and buy some so that I don't end up with worse problems.


I need to go read some C. Wright Mills. mmmmmmmmm. . . The sociological imagination. . . mmmmmmmmmm. . . The Promise. Oi. I still haven't gotten two of the three books I need for that class. Or the text for my psych o' women class (like that little play on words I did there? That's creative and kinda misogyno-funny, innit?)

I just farted. In the library.

I want Vietnamese food. I missed brekky this morning and didn't run. I was so tired and achy that I just stayed in bed until right before I had to leave for class. It was slow going getting here, too. Ick. I could feel my ouchy knees the entire ride. No fun.

Alright. I'm going to go get an Odwalla bar and read some classic sociological theory.



But first:

Qs:

1. Do you enjoy irrelevance?
2. Do you enjoy irreverence?
3. What's your favorite energy or protein bar?
4. What's your favorite candy bar?
5. Any opinions on high fructose corn syrup?

And Ohioans, don't forget the sexy schoolgirl party at Vue on August 30th. PM me for directions if you don't know how to get there.