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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!qubix!steven
From: steven@qubix.UUCP (Steven Maurer)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Names can never hurt me.....
Message-ID: <476@qubix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Sep-83 15:40:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: qubix.476
Posted: Tue Sep  6 15:40:49 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 7-Sep-83 04:42:18 EDT
References: <1339@hplabsc.UUCP>
Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA
Lines: 52


Heard recently at a night club:

    (band stops playing)

    ANNOUNCER :  Boy, can those boys play!!
    (announcer notices female members in the band)

    ANNOUNCER :  The women too!


------------------

	Before the feminist movement decided to wage war on the
    English language, "girl" was a term meaning both "little girl"
    (madchen), and "nubile young woman" (fraulein).  "Lady" or "woman"
    usually meant an older, more settled, female (frau).


	I am using examples from German to illustrate that there is
    such a distinction made in most languages (and thus, a NEED for
    such a distinction).  Why do the words GIRLfriend, and BOYfriend
    exist??  Simply to reinforce the idea in the listeners mind, that
    this is a person that the speaker has an active (sexual) interest in.

	There was no sigma associated with being called a "girl" before
    the feminist movement decided to create one; it was obvious that
    the word had two entirely seprate meanings.  This was usually reinforced
    by the context that "girl" was used in (aka) "You are one beautiful
    girl", "Look at the girls!! ", etc.  I am sure you have heard more.
    Anyone stupid enough to believe that young gentlemen talking about
    "girls" is talking about kindergardeners, should be locked up :->.


	It is because of this stupidity that I no longer call myself
    a feminist.  Growing up in Berkeley, I joined the long before I
    knew what it stood for.  Now that I have learned that feminism
    means a war against men, instead of a struggle against prejudice,
    I quit; I found the most difficult to swollow feminist ideology
    in the demeaning of a "traditional" family, and those women who
    subscribe to it.  "Freedom" means freedom to decide, not simply
    "freedom to become a radical feminist".  


In the name of Progressive Chivalry,
Steven Maurer


p.s.   I do not use the term "girl", except in any situation that warrants
it.  Using the turn of phrase "The girls at the office", would imply that
I am not aware of anything but the sexuality of my office-mates.