Which power?

[S.A.M.]

Katya, It would be difficult for me to think of you as mean (threatening, possibly!).

My paternal grandma had three brothers, no sisters. She had four sons (including my dad) and no daughters. My dad married my mom, who had four brothers and no sisters. They had four sons and no daughters. I am raising three boys. Sometimes growing up I was jealous of friends who had sisters, because I felt like they understood girls so much better than I did. I have grown up in a very male centric culture/lifestyle.

The humor from this joke for me is not an attempt to put down women, or an attempt to reassert any privilege by belittling them. It's funny exactly because it is something I work at and have difficulty with. I love women, and find them fascinating (that sounds weird). I have been married to an amazing woman for a few years now (My Polynesian nickname for her is Mawi Hemimel (Most amazing woman i Have ever met in my entire life)), and I am still mystified sometimes by her reaction, good or bad, to some of the things I do.

I love this forum exactly because issues can be talked about without the dialogue descending into rants and personal insults. This board actually gives me the opportunity to better understand women (there are far more actively posting women than men here). The discussions that take place here sadly just wouldn't happen in real life.

This is the power, the power to understand women, that I would love to have (Actually, not just women, but to understand all people. This leads directly into the power Katya mentiond that Jesus has, the ability to fundamentally understand each one of us, and say the right thing at the right time to meet our need).

[thatonemom]

I need some kind of "I'm a Bitch/Ice Queen" tee shirt.

Thanks for the discussion, Katya & Uffish. I feel younger & more awkward on these issues, like it bugs me, but I play into the system, y'know?

It's just really tough to negotiate, because once you become aware of it, you start seeing it everywhere and then you have to figure out how to live your life without being angry and upset all the time, on the one hand, or sticking your fingers in your ears and pretending that everything is fine, on the other hand.

This is sadly true. It was on my mind while watching the parade today, noting all the things boys are represented doing: police, fire fighters, sports teams, elected officials, scout groups, bands, the stripling warriors (there were a lot of Young Men's groups dressed up like the stripling warriors, which was both interesting and random). And the girls were dancers/drill team, cheerleaders, and Miss (whatever town). And then I was sad. There was one woman driving one of the ambulances, though.

Also, my first thought about the movie Brave was that, like Mulan, the girl's main problem is that she is a girl. I would like to see a Disney/Pixar movie about a girl who has an adventure independent of the fact that she is a girl sometime.

[Portia]

I need some kind of "I'm a Bitch/Ice Queen" tee shirt.

Thanks for the discussion, Katya & Uffish. I feel younger & more awkward on these issues, like it bugs me, but I play into the system, y'know?

It's just really tough to negotiate, because once you become aware of it, you start seeing it everywhere and then you have to figure out how to live your life without being angry and upset all the time, on the one hand, or sticking your fingers in your ears and pretending that everything is fine, on the other hand.

This is sadly true. It was on my mind while watching the parade today, noting all the things boys are represented doing: police, fire fighters, sports teams, elected officials, scout groups, bands, the stripling warriors (there were a lot of Young Men's groups dressed up like the stripling warriors, which was both interesting and random). And the girls were dancers/drill team, cheerleaders, and Miss (whatever town). And then I was sad. There was one woman driving one of the ambulances, though.

Also, my first thought about the movie Brave was that, like Mulan, the girl's main problem is that she is a girl. I would like to see a Disney/Pixar movie about a girl who has an adventure independent of the fact that she is a girl sometime.

Kim Possible?

[Whistler]

Korra!

[Katya]

Katya, It would be difficult for me to think of you as mean (threatening, possibly!).

My paternal grandma had three brothers, no sisters. She had four sons (including my dad) and no daughters. My dad married my mom, who had four brothers and no sisters. They had four sons and no daughters. I am raising three boys. Sometimes growing up I was jealous of friends who had sisters, because I felt like they understood girls so much better than I did. I have grown up in a very male centric culture/lifestyle.

The humor from this joke for me is not an attempt to put down women, or an attempt to reassert any privilege by belittling them. It's funny exactly because it is something I work at and have difficulty with. I love women, and find them fascinating (that sounds weird). I have been married to an amazing woman for a few years now (My Polynesian nickname for her is Mawi Hemimel (Most amazing woman i Have ever met in my entire life)), and I am still mystified sometimes by her reaction, good or bad, to some of the things I do.

I love this forum exactly because issues can be talked about without the dialogue descending into rants and personal insults. This board actually gives me the opportunity to better understand women (there are far more actively posting women than men here). The discussions that take place here sadly just wouldn't happen in real life.

This is the power, the power to understand women, that I would love to have (Actually, not just women, but to understand all people. This leads directly into the power Katya mentiond that Jesus has, the ability to fundamentally understand each one of us, and say the right thing at the right time to meet our need).

Thanks for writing this. I think I understand your perspective much better, now.