http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/ Life, Literature, and the Subversive Power of Living Small Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:49:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-797 LivingSmall » One Last Word for the Rutgers Girls Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:30:33 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-797 [...] So, the MH and I have been watching this Imus mess unfold together, which has been interesting since my beloved MH has quite a mouth on him, and is the first to admit that he’s been known to shoot it off inappropriately. But even the MH agrees that Imus was an idiot, especially after yesterday’s press conference by the coach and the team. We’ve spent all winter watching high school basketball together, and those girls are only a year or two older than our girls team (who performed much better than the boys did this year). [...] [...] So, the MH and I have been watching this Imus mess unfold together, which has been interesting since my beloved MH has quite a mouth on him, and is the first to admit that he’s been known to shoot it off inappropriately. But even the MH agrees that Imus was an idiot, especially after yesterday’s press conference by the coach and the team. We’ve spent all winter watching high school basketball together, and those girls are only a year or two older than our girls team (who performed much better than the boys did this year). [...]

]]> http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-562 cmf Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:23:04 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-562 I think we've all been teased like that -- I had an unforgettable evening in my 20s with a bunch of conservative Reaganite kids in Paris where I wound up walking the streets in tears knowing that their pose of "we're just joking" was a cover. Luckily, this isn't that at all -- just the kind of teasing that two people who know they're different, and are okay with that, find amusing. One of the true joys of elder dating ... being okay with difference in a way I never was when I was younger. I think we’ve all been teased like that — I had an unforgettable evening in my 20s with a bunch of conservative Reaganite kids in Paris where I wound up walking the streets in tears knowing that their pose of “we’re just joking” was a cover. Luckily, this isn’t that at all — just the kind of teasing that two people who know they’re different, and are okay with that, find amusing. One of the true joys of elder dating … being okay with difference in a way I never was when I was younger.

]]> http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-561 heather w Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:17:02 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-561 Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest I thought you were treating equality as a joke, or that you were wrong to celebrate examples of progress. What I meant by "hit a nerve" was that reading about MH teasing you for being feminist reminded me of times when my feminism has been belittled (which is how I interpret most teasing; I recognize not everyone does) and the frustration I've felt when faced with the socially accepted view of feminism as frivolous or annoying rather than justified and honorable. In other words, I went off on a tangent. Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest I thought you were treating equality as a joke, or that you were wrong to celebrate examples of progress. What I meant by “hit a nerve” was that reading about MH teasing you for being feminist reminded me of times when my feminism has been belittled (which is how I interpret most teasing; I recognize not everyone does) and the frustration I’ve felt when faced with the socially accepted view of feminism as frivolous or annoying rather than justified and honorable. In other words, I went off on a tangent.

]]> http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-560 Julia Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:13:29 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-560 25 years ago I ran cross country & track at a school in CT that thought it was just fine to give the girl's team crappy triple-knit polyester shorts that chafed our thighs while outfitting the boy's teams in brand name, silky shorts & tops. Title IX arrived in name, but never spirit, for me. I've watched in quiet wonder as girl's sports have assumed more prominence and respect in our culture. I love seeing soccer cleats and shin guards on little girls out in the world, pre or post game on the weekends. Now, Ms. Faust . . . I worry for her. I have a ringside seat at that particular bullfight, and I'm afraid mere smarts aren't going to win the day. I've got my finger's crossed that her class act has a hidden right hook in there somewhere. The good news -- that's gender-neutral! And she's got some great women as deans. 25 years ago I ran cross country & track at a school in CT that thought it was just fine to give the girl’s team crappy triple-knit polyester shorts that chafed our thighs while outfitting the boy’s teams in brand name, silky shorts & tops. Title IX arrived in name, but never spirit, for me. I’ve watched in quiet wonder as girl’s sports have assumed more prominence and respect in our culture. I love seeing soccer cleats and shin guards on little girls out in the world, pre or post game on the weekends. Now, Ms. Faust . . . I worry for her. I have a ringside seat at that particular bullfight, and I’m afraid mere smarts aren’t going to win the day. I’ve got my finger’s crossed that her class act has a hidden right hook in there somewhere. The good news — that’s gender-neutral! And she’s got some great women as deans.

]]> http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-559 cmf Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:16:46 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-559 I hardly think I was treating gender equality as a joke, and as I pointed out, we're a long way from parity. But progress is happening and what I was trying to express was what I saw out there on that court -- those big, strong, athletic girls with a whole gym full of people cheering them on -- would never have happened 20 years ago. And as for the MH teasing me -- I tease him about being a redneck, he teases me about being a liberal feminist -- but it's teasing, that's all. He loves that I support myself and have my own money and that, because of that, I have a strong sense of who I am. I love that he can fix things and hunt and butcher large animals and knows all the birds in the woods. I don't think many of those people in that gym would have considered themselves "feminists" but what they were actually doing, supporting a great girls high school basketball team, *is* a feminist act. And that's a good thing. Of course there's a long way to go ... there always will be .. but if we didn't mark the positive steps along the way we'd all die of heartbreak. I hardly think I was treating gender equality as a joke, and as I pointed out, we’re a long way from parity. But progress is happening and what I was trying to express was what I saw out there on that court — those big, strong, athletic girls with a whole gym full of people cheering them on — would never have happened 20 years ago. And as for the MH teasing me — I tease him about being a redneck, he teases me about being a liberal feminist — but it’s teasing, that’s all. He loves that I support myself and have my own money and that, because of that, I have a strong sense of who I am. I love that he can fix things and hunt and butcher large animals and knows all the birds in the woods. I don’t think many of those people in that gym would have considered themselves “feminists” but what they were actually doing, supporting a great girls high school basketball team, *is* a feminist act. And that’s a good thing. Of course there’s a long way to go … there always will be .. but if we didn’t mark the positive steps along the way we’d all die of heartbreak.

]]> http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/comment-page-1/#comment-558 heather w Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:20:09 +0000 http://livingsmallblog.com/2007/02/27/title-ix-worked/#comment-558 Instead of teasing you about it, why isn't the MH a feminist himself? We've come a long way, but Clinton, Faust, and Pelosi aside, I think we're stalling. It makes me sad and mad to see gender equality still defined and sidelined as a women's issue and/or a joke. I don't mean to pick on you; that sentence just hit a nerve. Instead of teasing you about it, why isn’t the MH a feminist himself? We’ve come a long way, but Clinton, Faust, and Pelosi aside, I think we’re stalling. It makes me sad and mad to see gender equality still defined and sidelined as a women’s issue and/or a joke. I don’t mean to pick on you; that sentence just hit a nerve.

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