gengwall

Isn’t ironic (and cowardly, and tragic) that some men actually take Genesis and try to use it to turn the tables on women. They claim that Eve’s actions in the garden were an effort on her part to control and that her continuing “desire” was to control Adam and that male “rule” is the necessary, God ordained governor on the female’s sinful nature. “Men don’t want to be in control, but God has given us that role, so we reluctantly oblige.” I often wonder if these men actually believe this, or if they are so sinister as to perpetuate what they know is a lie to stay in power.

All right. Time for three palette cleansers. The first, an oldy but a goody here on WIM, from Bill Cosby.

“I’m not the boss in my family. I don’t know when I lost it. I don’t know how I lost it. But I’ve seen the bosses job…and I don’t want it.”

And on the flip side – from Hello Dolly – a show I was recently in – and played the part which sang these lines (somewhat parsed):

“It takes a woman, all powdered and pink
To joyessly clean out the drain and the sink…
And it takes a female for setting the table,
And weaning the Guernsey, and cleaning the stable…
And in the winter, she’ll shovel the ice,
And lovingly set out the traps for the mice,
She’s a joy and treasure for practically speaking,
To whom can you turn when the plumbing is leaking?
O yes it takes a woman
A dainty woman
A sweetheart, a mistress, a wife.
O yes it takes a woman,
A husky woman,
To bring you the sweet things in life!”

And finally, those immortal lines from My Fair Lady, so wrong in general and yet so right in a man’s world. “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?…” (also parsed)

“Why can’t a woman be more like a man?
Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historically fair.
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.
Why can’t a woman be like that?
Why can’t a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please.
Whenever you’re with them, you’re always at ease.
One man in a million may shout a bit.
Now and then, there’s one with slight defects.
One perhaps whose truthfulness you doubt a bit,
But by and large we are a marvelous sex!
Why can’t a woman take after a man?
‘Cause men are so friendly, good-natured and kind.
A better companion you never will find.
Ready to help you through any mishaps;
Ready to buck you up whenever you’re glum.
Why can’t a woman be a chum?”