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[lojban-beginners] Re: gendered and gender-neutral language
--On Sunday, September 25, 2005 6:18 PM -0400 Christopher Zervic
<zervic@gmail.com> wrote:
Has common sense completely checked out?
Believe it or not in some cultures the mother and father assume different
roles. Mothers typically are more domestic because they have less physical
strength and hence are less equipped for taxing physical tasks. Note too
that fathers can't breast feed. This division is universal enough to
overcome political correctness. Who honestly is offended?
While not entirely relevant, I am reminded of one of my favorite parts of
Monty Python's "Life of Brian", in which the characters discuss a man's
right to bear children:
-----
FRANCIS: Why are you always on about women, Stan?
STAN: I want to be one.
REG: What?
STAN: I want to be a woman. From now on, I want you all to call me
'Loretta'.
REG: What?!
LORETTA: It's my right as a man.
JUDITH: Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?
LORETTA: I want to have babies.
REG: You want to have babies?!
LORETTA: It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.
REG: But... you can't have babies.
LORETTA: Don't you oppress me.
REG: I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb! -- Where's the
fetus going to gestate?! You going to keep it in a box?!
LORETTA: [crying]
JUDITH: Here! I-- I've got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can't
actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody's fault, not even
the Romans', but that he can have the right to have babies.
FRANCIS: Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to
have babies, brother. Sister. Sorry.
REG: What's the point?
FRANCIS: What?
REG: What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he
can't have babies?!
FRANCIS: It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.
REG: Symbolic of his struggle against reality.
--
Bruce Webber
brucewebber@fastmail.us
http://brucewebber.us