our androcentric culture-第7节
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delight。 Naturally this should have filled the whole world with a new
pleasure。 Our garments； first under right natural selection developing
perfect use； under right sex selection developing beauty； and further；
as our human aesthetic sense progresses； showing a noble symbolism；
would have been an added strength and glory； a ceaseless joy。
What is the case？
Men； under a too strictly inter…masculine environment； have evolved the
mainly useful but beautiless costume common to…day； and women？
Women wear beautiful garments when they happen to be the fashion； and
ugly garments when they are the fashion； and show no signs of knowing
the difference。 They show no added pride in the beautiful； no hint of
mortification in the hideous； and are not even sensitive under
criticism； or open to any persuasion or argument。 Why should they be？
Their condition； physical and mental； is largely abnormal； their whole
passionate absorption in dress and decoration is abnormal； and they have
never looked； from a frankly human standpoint； at their position and its
peculiarities； until the present age。
In the effect of our wrong relation on the world's health； we have
spoken of the check to vigor and growth due to the housebound state of
women and their burdensome clothes。 There follow other influences；
similar in origin； even more evil in result。 To roughly and briefly
classify we may distinguish the diseases due to bad air； to bad food；
and that field of cruel mischief we are only now beginning to
discussthe diseases directly due to the erroneous relation between men
and women。
We are the only race where the female depends on the male for a
livelihood。 We are the only race that practices prostitution。 From the
first harmless…looking but abnormal general relation follows the well
recognized evil of the second； so long called 〃a social necessity；〃 and
from it； in deadly sequence； comes the 〃wages of sin；〃 death not only of
the guilty； but of the innocent。 It is no light part of our criticism
of the Androcentric Culture that a society based on masculine desires
alone； has willingly sacrificed such an army of women； and has repaid
the sacrifice by the heaviest punishments。
That the unfortunate woman should sicken and die was held to be her just
punishment； that man too should bear part penalty was found unavoidable；
though much legislation and medical effort has been spent to shield him；
but to the further consequences society is but now waking up。
OUR ANDROCENTRIC CULTURE； or； THE MAN…MADE WORLD
IV。
MEN AND ART。
Among the many counts in which women have been proven inferior to men in
human development is the oft…heard charge that there are no great women
artists。 Where one or two are proudly exhibited in evidence； they are
either pooh…poohed as not very great； or held to be the trifling
exceptions which do but prove the rule。
Defenders of women generally make the mistake of over…estimating their
performances； instead of accepting； and explaining； the visible facts。
What are the facts as to the relation of men and women to art？ And
what； in especial； has been the effect upon art of a solely masculine
expression？
When we look for the beginnings of art； we find ourselves in a period of
crude decoration of the person and of personal belongings。 Tattooing；
for instance； is an early form of decorative art； still in practice
among certain classes； even in advanced people。 Most boys； if they are
in contact with this early art； admire it； and wish to adorn themselves
therewith； some do soto later mortification。 Early personal
decoration consisted largely in direct mutilation of the body； and the
hanging upon it； or fastening to it； of decorative objects。 This we see
among savages still； in its gross and primitive forms monopolized by
men； then shared by women； and； in our time； left almost wholly to them。
In personal decoration today； women are still near the savage。 The
〃artists〃 developed in this field of art are the tonsorial； the
sartorial； and all those specialized adorners of the body commonly known
as 〃beauty doctors。〃
Here； as in other cases； the greatest artists are men。 The greatest
milliners； the greatest dressmakers and tailors； the greatest
hairdressers； and the masters and designers in all our decorative
toilettes and accessories； are men。 Women； in this as in so many other
lines； consume rather than produce。 They carry the major part of
personal decoration today； but the decorator is the man。 In the
decoration of objects； woman； as the originator of primitive industry；
originated also the primitive arts； and in the pottery； basketry；
leatherwork； needlework； weaving； with all beadwork； dyeing and
embroideries of ancient peoples we see the work of the woman decorator。
Much of this is strong and beautiful； but its time is long past。 The
art which is part of industry； natural； simple； spontaneous； making
beauty in every object of use； adding pleasure to labor and to life； is
not Art with a large A； the Art which requires Artists； among whom are
so few women of note。
Art as a profession； and the Artist as a professional； came later； and
by that time women had left the freedom and power of the matriarchate
and become slaves in varying degree。 The women who were idle pets in
harems； or the women who worked hard as servants； were alike cut off
from the joy of making things。 Where constructive work remained to
them； art remained； in its early decorative form。 Men； in the
proprietary family； restricting the natural industry of women to
personal service； cut off their art with their industry； and by so much
impoverished the world。
There is no more conspicuously pathetic proof of the aborted development
of women than this commonplacetheir lack of a civilized art sense。
Not only in the childish and savage display upon their bodies； but in
the pitiful products they hang upon the walls of the home； is seen the
arrest in normal growth。
After ages of culture； in which men have developed Architecture；
Sculpture； Painting； Music and the Drama； we find women in their
primitive environment making flowers of wax； and hair； and worsted；
doing mottoes of perforated cardboard； making crazy quilts and mats and
〃tidies〃as if they lived in a long past age； or belonged to a lower
race。
This； as part of the general injury to women dating from the beginning
of our androcentric culture； reacts heavily upon the world at large。
Men； specializing； giving their lives to the continuous pursuit of one
line of service； have lifted our standard in aesthetic culture； as they
have in other matters； but by refusing the same growth to women； they
have not only weakened and reduced the output； but ruined the market as
it were； hopelessly and permanently kept down the level of taste。
Among the many sides of this great question； some so terrible； some so
pathetic； some so utterly absurd； this particular phase of life is
especially easy to study and understand； and has its own elements of
amusement。 Men； holding women at the level of domestic service； going
on themselves to lonely heights of achievement； have found their efforts
hampered and their attainments rendered barren and unsatisfactory by the
amazing indifference of the world at large。 As the world at large
consists half of women； and wholly of their children； it would seem
patent to the meanest understanding that the women must be allowed to
rise in order to lift the world。 But such has not been the
methodheretofore。
We have spoken so far in this chapter of the effect of men on art
through their interference with the art of women。 There are other sides
to the question。 Let us consider once more the essential
characteristics of maleness； and see how they have affected art； keeping
always in mind the triune distinction between masculine； feminine and
human。 Perhaps we shall best see this difference by considering what
the development of art might have been on purely human terms。
The human creature； as such； naturally delights in construction； and
adds decoration to construction as naturally。 The cook； making little
regular patterns around the edge of the pie； does so from a purely human
instinct； the innate eye…pleasure in regularity； symmetry； repetition；
and alternation。 Had this natural social instinct grown unchecked in
us； it would have manifested itself in a certain proportion of
specialistsartists of all sortsand an accompanying development of
appreciation on the part of the rest of us。 Such is the case in
primitive art； the maker of beauty is upheld and rewarded by a popular
appreciation of her workor his。
Had this condition remained； we should find a general level of artistic
expression and appreciation far higher than we see now。 Take the one
field of textile art； for instance： that wide and fluent medium of
expression； the making of varied fabrics； the fashioning of garments and
the decoration of themall this is human work and human pleasure。 It
should have led us to a condition where every human being was a pleasure
to the eye； appropriately and beautifully clothed。
Our real condition in this field is too
