Message-Id: <l03102800b096ef5b55af@[153.90.236.25]>
In-Reply-To: <971117212059_631196919@mrin84.mail.aol.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 01:04:34 -0700
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: Steven Eiger <eiger@montana.edu>
Subject: Re: Re: More on gender!!
Neil, I certainly agree with you. My unscientific impression that there
are differences between girls and boys initially came from conversations
with exasperated feminist friends who were trying to keep their little
girls away from their high heels and lipstick. I then spent a summer
hanging out in the park with my 6-month -old. I could go on and on about
this. It is off the point though. We can not do anything about the gene
stuff. We can about the other, and most everyone will agree that, although
things have gotten a lot better recently in the US, there are a lot of
strange things going on out there, and they do have a major impact. It
even sounds like there are some neanderthals masquerading as school
administrators in the Bay Area. I certainly have been educated by all this
talk. I will try and spend less time reacting to the scientific
deconstructionists (or whatever they are called), and focus on that great
silent weight of our culture, which seems to have an inertia to it which
can keep girls from reaching their potential. I guess, in hindsight, that
I was influenced, and was reacting to, some fairly radical feminist ideas,
and I never ever speak to anyone who just wants their girl to be a mom.
Actually, I do often read articles by the religious right, and they come
very close, I just do not seem to take them as seriously; maybe because
they appear less threatening to me than the folks in our English department
who keep saying that they are going to lead the undoing of science. I
never wanted to lessen the enormous weight of centuries of socialization
into roles, by bringing up genetic differences, but it seems to be a
lightning rod. It can be used both ways, for instance when it is argued
that girls like to learn or work in a different format; that is stated as
if it is a hard-wired phenomenon. So, since I seem to draw fire, and it
takes the spotlight from the main issues, I would like to officcially shut
up now, and I am sure this will be appreciated my many, eiger