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From: suki@reed.UUCP (Monica Nosek)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Re: what makes you feel feminine/masculine?
Message-ID: <2007@reed.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 08:19:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: reed.2007
Posted: Mon Oct 14 08:19:35 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Oct-85 05:59:12 EDT
References: <248@ssc-vax.UUCP> <1944@reed.UUCP> <32@ubc-cs.UUCP> <479@enmasse.UUCP>
Reply-To: suki@reed.UUCP (Monica Nosek)
Distribution: net
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 33
Summary: 

In article <479@enmasse.UUCP> nancy@enmasse.UUCP (Nancy Werlin) writes:
>I have felt *extremely*
>uncomfortable reading these traditionally-oriented postings.
>I suggest that the people posting their masculine/
>feminine lists have not been entirely honest, and that this is
>why their lists are so free of ambiguity.  
>Nancy Werlin
>EnMasse Computer Corp.
>Acton, MA

Actually, along with the Chanel No. 5 and taffeta in my
posting were bare feet and jeans -- extend this to include
other "paradoxical" items.  Sure, I love playing football with
my housemates, and I love hanging out at home with them (three
men and one woman) doing housemate stuff -- not particularly
masculine, not particularly feminine, just...housemates who I
love dearly.  

Perhaps taffeta, lace, and amethysts *are* "stereotypically
feminine".  Why should that stop me from feeling extra special
when I wear them?  Nancy brings up a good point, though, in
saying that she is aware of her femininity when she is alone
in a dark parking lot, for instance.  This is true for me, as
well, but it is a situation that generally does not occur as a
planned event.  It is a negative feeling, one which I choose
to avoid as much as possible, and in my (partial) list I
included things that make me feel good and feminine.  I'll
admit that Nancy brings up some very good questions, but I'll
also continue to feel that as long as I can keep a proper
perspective on the whole issue, it doesn't really hurt me to
enjoy "stereotypically feminine" things.
			Monica
			tektronix!reed!suki