The other day I was reading an article in Wikipedia and I was appalled!
What is the difference between Valmont and Madame de Merteuil? Technically, there is none, socially now, that is a different story...
The article named Casanova, Don Juan, Lothario as examples of promiscuous men. When I scrolled down to look for similar female counter parts all I found were generic terms: “slut”, "slag", "trollop", "skank", and "ho"… Why is it that more often than not, promiscuous men tend to go down in history (or literature) as legends while women become fallen beings banish to a nameless oblivion? And no I am not over-reacting!
The negative (social, moral) connotation of promiscuity aside, trying to find some information that would render women a place on equal footing with men was all but straight forward. Actually, I am still in the midst of looking. What little I've found tends to come from a feminist standpoint, a view which is not always a accepted as objective by some people...
In a recent email to a friend I outline my approach to the dating scene (not talking love here that's another story):
"Opportunistic about spotting prospects until the due diligence has been completed and an exclusivity agreement has been signed". (Much like it happens in M&A)
If a man were to take the approach it would be considered pragmatic (business-like even) would it be the same for a woman or would she more likely be categorised as “conniving, cold and calculating”?
The devil is in the detail... The attitude is definitely pragmatic, cold and calculating… as for being conniving its not really a gender-specific quality!
It would be like saying that guys aren’t shattered by a cheating partner.
From trying to numb the pain by pointing out how wrong she was for him anyways, to wallowing in self pity, to walking the corridors moping at their bad luck and the decided evilness of the girl, to denial… Sounds familiar? Maybe because those are some of the ways in which women can also react!
Why the double standards, could someone care to enlighten me? Not that you've asked me but I think the -izer ending is as applicable to 'man' than to 'woman'!
No comments:
Post a Comment