30-06-2015, 04:16 PM
Mmmmmm, this created a few thoughts....
Is all this not pandering to stereotypes a little bit? I know a couple of extremely good female mechanics and there are many, many out there.
Personally, I don't think I feel the need to somehow 'unlearn' stuff in order to be female in my own mind nor in the person I portray.
I did struggle with this for a while, the seeming contradictions between still doing and enjoying, or doing because I have to, typically 'male' activities whilst embarking on a journey to femalehood. Now, I just think it is fine just to be me and do whatever I feel like without distinguishing between male/ female tasks and pasttimes and certainly to do whatever I choose without worrying about how my activities might be perceived by the rest of the world..
For me to pretend I couldn't do things or didn't know how things work etc. would involve building another, albeit opposite, fake picture of myself for the outside world to buy into. I don't want to do that - I've only just escaped one false persona.
Secondly, those of us who have remained in an existing marriage in which we had taken the male role in terms of the tasks we performed are almost destined to continue in that male role even if they now seem an anathema to our discovered character. For sure, if the hedges need cutting, the fields need ploughing, the house needs painting, the drains need unblocking , one of the cars needs servicing etc. etc. these will continue to be my jobs.
I am not trying to make any points, just thinking out loud.
Miranda.
Is all this not pandering to stereotypes a little bit? I know a couple of extremely good female mechanics and there are many, many out there.
Personally, I don't think I feel the need to somehow 'unlearn' stuff in order to be female in my own mind nor in the person I portray.
I did struggle with this for a while, the seeming contradictions between still doing and enjoying, or doing because I have to, typically 'male' activities whilst embarking on a journey to femalehood. Now, I just think it is fine just to be me and do whatever I feel like without distinguishing between male/ female tasks and pasttimes and certainly to do whatever I choose without worrying about how my activities might be perceived by the rest of the world..
For me to pretend I couldn't do things or didn't know how things work etc. would involve building another, albeit opposite, fake picture of myself for the outside world to buy into. I don't want to do that - I've only just escaped one false persona.
Secondly, those of us who have remained in an existing marriage in which we had taken the male role in terms of the tasks we performed are almost destined to continue in that male role even if they now seem an anathema to our discovered character. For sure, if the hedges need cutting, the fields need ploughing, the house needs painting, the drains need unblocking , one of the cars needs servicing etc. etc. these will continue to be my jobs.
I am not trying to make any points, just thinking out loud.
Miranda.