It’s
2012. We’ve burned bras, been given the
right to vote, hold Chief Officer positions.
So why is it as women we have yet to evolve? Allow me to elaborate…
A recent break-up had me kvetching to a friend. She
was supportive, completely on my side (even after I admitted that to some extent
I was at fault), and offered me the simple advice to get right back on the
saddle and find a normal single guy
my own age. I replied “There’s a reason guys
my own age are still single” to which she said “You would know!” followed by "I am so glad to be out of the dating game!" A dig?
A slight? I’m not sure. Another friend refers to social outings with
her “parent friends” and, being a childfree woman by choice, I sometimes
don’t qualify for an invite which I do understand, I just don’t get the
need to label. These women are my friends, my
confidants, my champions, yet they make me
feel small for not choosing their same path in life. I know this isn’t their intent…but it happens
often enough to make me ask…why haven’t we evolved?
Can we discuss
too, baby and wedding showers? Women sitting
around a bride-to-be or expectant mother to ooooh and aaaah as each gift is
opened and passed around. Commenting,
critiquing, criticising. We play games,
drink punch, eat finger sandwiches and brag about our kids and husbands. (Well,
everyone else does…I sit in a corner getting drunk with the expectant dad or
father-of-the-bride because I haven’t got either said kids or husband to speak
of so the booze and men at these events are my only friends). The gifting has
evolved exponentially since my mother’s days of tea cups and nursing blankets…so
why haven’t the events themselves?
Do forgive me
for saying so, but I'm not all that keen on male strippers (sorry, Magic Mike). Have been once, ‘twas a horrible
experience, not keen to return any time soon. Went for a friend’s bachelorette,
she was on stage hooting and hollering and bumping and grinding while I happily sat in the shadows,
mortified; I found her behaviour appalling…she found mine homosexual and chose
to call me out on it. Sorry dear, it
doesn’t take a greased up juice-head wagging his dick in my face to prove I’m
straight. Why haven’t we evolved beyond Chippendales as a panty-creamer? And speaking of wet
panties, why is it Fifty Shades is so popular when erotic literature
has been around for years? Fanny Hill, Lady
Chatterley’s Lover, The Story of O…erotica has never been considered acceptable
book club material until Fifty Shades of Mommy Porn was born. Own it ladies, don’t be ashamed if you’ve
read one (or all three) of the aforementioned books…they’ll make Mr Grey look
like Mr Rogers. I promise.
To wrap
things up, I do confess…I am guilty of the girlie tear down. You cheat on your partner? I judge. You use
your kids to punish your ex? I judge.
You wear pyjama pants as daywear? Oh honey, I will judge and judge some more!
But ladies, we
aren’t in grade 10 anymore...we aren't fighting over boys, positions on the cheerleading
squad or competing for a role in the school play…we aren't fighting to be the same as one another to be accepted. Let’s celebrate having the
kinds of choices not afforded our mothers and grandmothers before us, celebrate
being women with strong minds and strong voices, celebrate breaking free from
the pumpkin shell!
As usual, I
welcome your opinions (and I expect more than a few of you will have something to say) but
please, enough with the tear downs and disrespect, and let's just agree to disagree!
Another year has passed and with it comes an abundance of
things to be grateful for. The everyday
ones like my health and that of my loved ones, a good job, a loving family and
wonderful friends…and those that are less obvious, but that deserve to be pointed
out:
