our androcentric culture-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


it　to　consist　of　a　carefully　arranged　set　of　processes　and　places
wherein　women　may　meet　one　another　and　meet　men。　　These　vary；　of　course；
with　race；　country；　class；　and　period；　from　the　clean　licence　of　our
western　customs　to　the　strict　chaperonage　of　older　lands；　but　free　as　it
is　in　America；　even　here　there　are　bounds。

Men　associate　without　any　limit　but　that　of　inclination　and　financial
capacity。　　Even　class　distinction　only　works　one　waythe　low…class　man
may　not　mingle　with　high…class　women；　but　the　high…class　man　mayand
doesmingle　with　low…class　women。　　It　is　his　societymay　not　a　man　do
what　he　will　with　his　own？

Caste　distinctions；　as　have　been　ably　shown　by　Prof。　Lester　F。　Ward；　are
relics　of　race　distinction；　the　subordinate　caste　was　once　a　subordinate
race；　and　while　mating；　upward；　was　always　forbidden　to　the　subject
race；　mating；　downward；　was　always　practiced　by　the　master　race。

The　elaborate　shading　of　〃the　color　line〃　in　slavery　days；　from　pure
black　up　through　mulatto；　quadroon；　octoroon；　quinteroon；　griffada；
mustafee；　mustee；　and　sang　d'orto　white　again；　was　not　through　white
mothersbut　white　fathers；　never　too　exclusive　in　their　tastes。　　Even
in　slavery；　the　worst　horrors　were　strictly　androcentric。

〃Society〃　is　strictly　guardedthat　is　its　women　are。　　As　always；　the
main　tabu　is　on　the　woman。　　Consider　carefully　the　relation　between
〃society〃　and　the　growing　girl。　　She　must；　of　course；　marry；　and　her
education；　manners；　character；　must　of　course　be　pleasing　to　the
prospective　wooer。　　That　which　is　desirable　in　young　girls　means；
naturally；　that　which　is　desirable　to　men。　　Of　all　cultivated
accomplishments　the　first　is　〃innocence。〃　　Beauty　may　or　may　not　be
forthcoming；　but　〃innocence〃　is　〃the　chief　charm　of　girlhood。〃

Why？　　What　good　does　it　do　_her？_　　Her　whole　life's　success　is　made　to
depend　on　her　marrying；　her　health　and　happiness　depends　on　her　marrying
the　right　man。　　The　more　〃innocent〃　she　is；　the　less　she　knows；　the
easier　it　is　for　the　wrong　man　to　get　her。

As　is　so　feelingly　described　in　〃The　Sorrows　of　Amelia；〃　in　〃The　Ladies'
Literary　Cabinet；〃　a　magazine　taken　by　my　grandmother；　〃The　only　foible
which　the　delicate　Amelia　possessed　was　an　unsuspecting　breast　to　lavish
esteem。　　Unversed　in　the　secret　villanies　of　a　base　degenerate　world；
she　ever　imagined　all　mankind　to　be　as　spotless　as　herself。　　Alas　for
Amelia！　　This　fatal　credulity　was　the　source　of　all　her　misfortunes。〃　
It　was。　　It　is　yet。

Just　face　the　facts　with　new　eyeslook　at　it　as　if　you　had　never　seen
〃society〃　before；　and　observe　the　position　of　its　〃Queen。〃

Here　is　Woman。　　Let　us　grant　that　Motherhood　is　her　chief　purpose。　　（As
a　female　it　is。　　As　a　human　being　she　has　others！）　　Marriage　is　our　way
of　safeguarding　motherhood；　of　ensuring　〃support〃　and　〃protection〃　to
the　wife　and　children。

〃Society〃　is　very　largely　used　as　a　means　to　bring　together　young
people；　to　promote　marriage。　　If　〃society〃　is　made　and　governed　by　women
we　should　naturally　look　to　see　its　restrictions　and　encouragements　such
as　would　put　a　premium　on　successful　maternity　and　protect　womenand
their　childrenfrom　the　evils　of　ill…regulated　fatherhood。

Do　we　find　this？　　By　no　means。

〃Society〃　allows　the　man　all　libertyall　privilegeall　license。　　There
are　certain　offences　which　would　exclude　him；　such　as　not　paying
gambling　debts；　or　being　poor；　but　offences　against　womanhoodagainst
motherhooddo　not　exclude　him。

How　about　the　reverse？

If　〃society〃　is　made　by　women；　for　women；　surely　a　misstep　by　a
helplessly　〃innocent〃　girl；　will　not　injure　her　standing！

But　it　does。　　She　is　no　longer　〃innocent。〃　　She　knows　now。　　She　has　lost
her　market　value　and　is　thrown　out　of　the　shop。　　Why　not？　　It　is　his
shopnot　hers。　　What　women　may　and　may　not　be；　what　they　must　and　must
not　do；　all　is　measured　from　the　masculine　standard。

A　really　feminine　〃society〃　based　on　the　needs　and　pleasures　of　women；
both　as　females　and　as　human　beings；　would　in　the　first　place　accord
them　freedom　and　knowledge；　the　knowledge　which　is　power。　　It　would　not
show　us　〃the　queen　of　the　ballroom〃　in　the　position　of　a　wall…flower
unless　favored　by　masculine　invitation；　unable　to　eat　unless　he　brings
her　something；　unable　to　cross　the　floor　without　his　arm。　　Of　all　blind
stultified　〃royal　sluggards〃　she　is　the　archetype。　　No；　a　feminine
society　would　grant　_at　least_　equality　to　women　in　this；　their
so…called　special　field。

Its　attitude　toward　men；　however；　would　be　rigidly　critical。

Fancy　a　real　Mrs。　Grundy　（up　to　date　it　has　been　a　Mr。；　his　whiskers　hid
in　capstrings）　saying；　〃No；　no；　young　man。　　You　won't　do。　　You've　been
drinking。　　The　habit's　growing　on　you。　　You'll　make　a　bad　husband。〃

Or　still　more　severely；　〃Out　with　you；　sir！　　You've　forfeited　your　right
to　marry！　　Go　into　retirement　for　seven　years；　and　when　you　come　back
bring　a　doctor's　certificate　with　you。〃

That　sounds　ridiculous；　doesn't　itfor　〃Society〃　to　say？　　It　is
ridiculous；　in　a　man's　〃society。〃

The　required　dress　and　decoration　of　〃society〃；　the　everlasting　eating
and　drinking　of　〃society；〃　the　preferred　amusements　of　〃society；〃　the
absolute　requirements　and　absolute　exclusions　of　〃society；〃　are　of　men；
by　men；　for　men；to　paraphrase　a　threadbare　quotation。　　And　then；　upon
all　that　vast　edifice　of　masculine　influence；　they　turn　upon　women　as
Adam　did；　and　blame　_them_　for　severity　with　their　fallen　sisters！　
〃Women　are　so　hard　upon　women！〃

They　have　to　be。　　What　man　would　〃allow〃　his　wife；　his　daughters；　to
visit　and　associate　with　〃the　fallen〃？　　His　esteem　would　be　forfeited；
they　would　lose　their　〃social　position；〃　the　girl's　chance　of　marrying
would　be　gone。

Men　are　not　so　stern。　　They　may　visit　the　unfortunate　women；　to　bring
them　help；　sympathy；　re…establishmentor　for　other　reasons；　and　it　does
not　forfeit　their　social　position。　　Why　should　it？　　They　make　the
regulation。

Women　are　to…day；　far　more　conspicuously　than　men；　the　exponents　and
victims　of　that　mysterious　power　we　call　〃Fashion。〃　　As　shown　in　mere
helpless　imitation　of　one　another's　idea；　customs；　methods；　there　is　not
much　difference；　in　patient　acquiescence　with　prescribed　models　of
architecture；　furniture；　literature；　or　anything　else；　there　is　not　much
difference；　but　in　personal　decoration　there　is　a　most　conspicuous
difference。　　Women　do　to…day　submit　to　more　grotesque　ugliness　and
absurdity　than　men；　and　there　are　plenty　of　good　reasons　for　it。　
Confining　our　brief　study　of　fashion　to　fashion　in　dress；　let　us　observe
why　it　is　that　women　wear　these　fine　clothes　at　all；　and　why　they　change
them　as　they　do。

First；　and　very　clearly；　the　human　female　carries　the　weight　of　sex
decoration；　solely　because　of　her　economic　dependence　on　the　male。　　She
alone　in　nature　adds　to　the　burdens　of　maternity；　which　she　was　meant
for；　this　unnatural　burden　of　ornament；　which　she　was　not　meant　for。　
Every　other　female　in　the　world　is　sufficiently　attractive　to　the　male
without　trimmings。　　He　carries　the　trimmings；　sparing　no　expense　of
spreading　antlers　or　trailing　plumes；　no　monstrosity　of　crest　and
wattles；　to　win　her　favor。

She　is　only　temporarily　interested　in　him。　　The　rest　of　the　time　she　is
getting　her　own　living；　and　caring　for　her　own　young。　　But　our　women　get
their　bread　from　their　husbands；　and　every　other　social　need。　　The　woman
depends　on　the　man　for　her　position　in　life；　as　well　as　the　necessities
of　existence。　　For　herself　and　for　her　children　she　must　win　and　hold
him　who　is　the　source　of　all　supplies。　　Therefore　she　is　forced　to　add
to　her　own　natural　attractions　this　〃dance　of　the　seven　veils；〃　of　the
seventeen　gowns；　of　the　seventy…seven　hats　of　gay　delirium。

There　are　many　who　think　in　one　syllable；　who　say；　〃women　don't　dress　to
please　menthey　dress　to　please　themselvesand　to　outshine　other
women。〃　　To　these　I　would　suggest　a　visit　to　some　summer　shore　resort
during　the　week　and　extending　over　Saturday　night。　　The　women　have　all
the　week　to　please　themselves　and　outshine　one　another；　but　their　array
on　Saturday　seems　to　indicate　the　approach　of　some　new　force　or
attraction。

If　all　this　does　not　satisfy　I　would　then　call　their　attention　to　the
well…known　fact　that　the　young　damsel　previous　to　marriage　spends　far
more　time　and　ingenuity　in　decoration　than　she　does　afterward。　　This　has
long　been　observed　and　deprecated　by　those　who　write　Advice　to　Wives；　on
the　ground　that　this　difference　is　displeasing　to　the　husbandthat　she
loses　her　influence　over　him；　which　is　true。　　But　since　his　own
〃society；〃　knowing　his　weakness；　has　tied　him　to　her　by　law；　why　should
she　keep　up　what　is　after　all　an　unnatural　exertion？

That　excellent　magazine　〃Good　Housekeeping〃　has　been　running　for　some
months　a　rhymed　and　illustrated　story　of　〃Miss　Melissa　Clarissa　McRae；〃
an　extremely　dainty　and　well…dressed　stenographer；　who　captured　and
married　a　fastidious　young　man；　her　employer；　by　the　force　of　her
artificial　attractionsand　then　lost　his　love　after　marriage　by　a
sudden　unaccountable　slovenlinessthe　same　old　story。

If　this　in　not　enough；　let　me　instance　further　the　attitude　toward
〃Fashion〃　of　th