<I was going to add the comment that there would be a hue and cry if some university suddenly started offering a course in "Men's Studies," but then I realize we've had it all along...

They call it football.


:D

...they call it "history".

I had a colleague who hated the fact that I put out bookmarks for Women's History Month (March, for those of you who don't know this) because her son wanted to know why they don't have White Male History Month. I told her that every month is White Male History Month, and they even have their own national holiday. We call it Presidents' Day.

Women are remembered in history when we do something extraordinary. This is not because we are less able, but because for most of the history of civilization our options have been severely curtailed by a male-dominated civilization. Wonder Woman alone gets press.

There's a certain amount of female complicity in this, but there's a certain amount of hostage psychology, too. It reminds me of my great-aunt, who was restrained in a wheel chair because it was nursing home policy. By the time we got them to re-evaluate the practice, she had forgotten how to walk. (She was in her late 90s.) Tell people they're incapable for long enough and it takes an enormous effort for them to gather the nerve and the facts to contradict you.

This leads me to another little point: feminism, women's studies, equal opportunity, and the military. But I can't pursue it right now, as I need to go mold the minds of the young. Two-year-old storytime is about spiders this morning. :)

Regards--
Mary Anne