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From: era1990%ucselx@sdsu.edu (smith m)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: BOOK REVIEW: _Gender Blending_
Message-ID: <1990Feb18.071611.19502@ucselx.sdsu.edu>
Date: 18 Feb 90 07:16:11 GMT
References: <25C26AAE.27180@paris.ics.uci.edu> <922@calmasd.Prime.COM> <25C9FF6C.16128@paris.ics.uci.edu> <22150.25ce9c96@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
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In article <25C9FF6C.16128@paris.ics.uci.edu>, tittle@blanche.ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle) writes:
> In article <922@calmasd.Prime.COM>, nef@calmasd (Nancy Fox) writes:
> [Commenting on my review of _Gender Blending_]
> 
> |One thing that has occurred to me is that, though I don't look
> |masculine, I don't act or look feminine, so that leaves masculine
> |as the alternative.
> 
> Devor covers this in her book.  There have been studies done
> that show people really require very few cues to determine
> masculinity, but more to determine feminity.  Thus the absense
> of feminine clues leads to assumption of masculinity, but not
> the reverse.

In our culture and many others, the natural human state is considered
masculine.  In order to appear male, men need do nothing whatsoever.
The natural human state is NOT, however, considered feminine.  Therefore
in order for either a man or a woman to appear female, they must DO
QUITE A BIT.  Short, simple, unfussed with hair won't tell people that
you want special treatment based on sex, so millions of women visit
beauty parlors regularly while millions more fuss with curlers and
hairspray.  A human face is considered male, so men and women who simply
want to be treated as female must do something to make their face look
less human by plucking, electrolysis, and applying paints.
Simply functional clothing is considered a male perogative, so in order
to appear female both men and women have to wear drag--clothing that is
sexier, more colorful, more revealing, tighter,
flouncier, etc.  Unbound feet and unshaven, unencased legs are also
considered male, so men and women who want to look female have to
shave and wear pantyhose.  Less comfortable shoes are also viewed
as marking one out for sexual rather than serious treatment.

I'll try to find the book.  I was greatly amused by the woman who
got better treatment and therefore didn't bother telling people
he had female sex organs in his pants.  Male is the default and
we do not yet have equality.  In fact, since they assume that their
oppression is part of their female identity, the vast majority of
women do not want equality.  We are socialized to believe that if
women looked as natural and human as men, people would fail to
propagate and the species would die out.  Anybody with teenage kids
knows how dumb that assumption is!

--Mark