Gender balance/strong women

[joym999 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15256

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...> 
wrote:
> > Susan wrote: I agree with Amy that people "see" two strong female 
characters and
> > > that equals ten. We are so used to (this is a generalization of
> > > course) women blending into the woodwork, being quiet, or not 
taking
> > > up space, that when women are as vocal as men, they are 
perceived as
> > > loud. A man and a woman can speak in the same tone and be 
direct in
> > > their comments. The man will elicit no particular reaction; 
people
> > > will notice (and usually not positively) the woman. 
Argumentative
> > > women will be characterized as a (word rhymes with snitch);
> > > argumentative men will be seen as engaging in fun debate.
> > >
> >
> > Kimberly responded: Now see, when I read something like this, I 
can't help but ask - By
> > whom would the women be regarded this way

> Actually, I definitely 100% whole-heartedly agree with Susan.  I 
base
> that observation on the legal profession.  Female lawyers who take a
> strong stand or are assertive or ambitious are almost invariably
> labelled as "snitches" to use Susan's polite jargon.  Male lawyers
> displaying the *exact* same behavior are doing their job, 
successful,
> hard-hitting but efficacious

I am with Penny and Susan on this one.  I grew up in New York City, 
where there was a well-known female politician who was in Congress, 
ran for mayor, etc. named Bella Abzug.   Bella wore big hats and had 
a loud mouth.  The newspapers never tired of telling us what a big 
mouth she had, calling her obnoxious, arrogant, and assorted other 
names.  However, pretty much all NYC politicians are obnoxious loud-
mouths.  (Its hard to survive in NYC otherwise.)  But there is no 
question she was treated differently by the press and much of the 
public because she was a woman who joined the all-boys club and had 
the nerve to act like one of them.  

I will stop here before I get totally OT, resulting in one of those 
polite-yet-firm admonishments from the Moderators.


      ^
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    /   \       Joywitch M. Curmudgeon
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  "How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.
  "Them!" said Stan contemptuously.  "Don't listen properly, do 
they?  Don't look properly either.  Never notice nuffink, they don'."

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