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| A Woman |
By Ann Friedman
A few years ago, a colleague of mine asked me, “How do you know you’re a woman?” I had no idea how to answer her. I was enough of a feminist to know I couldn’t just list things like, “I’ve been called a girl since birth. I get a period. I like wearing lipstick.” But it also seemed disingenuous to say that I felt most like a woman when I was making tough decisions at work or lifting something heavy. Ultimately, I decided, I “just know” that I’m a woman.
It’s no coincidence that the colleague who asked is transgender. Her point was to push a variety of women to answer a question that she’d been asked countless times.
You can read the rest of this excellent article at The Cut.
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| Wearing Torn |
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| Edgar Mirjamsdotter's high school graduation outfit |
the link is broken
ReplyDeleteI just checked and the link is working.
DeleteHi Stana,
ReplyDeleteas I read the title of this post, the begin of Ann’s article and the hesitancy on answering the question “How do you know.. ”, I got to thinking that it is difficult to define oneself at this base level. Anything one conjures up seems inadequate it is all too close.
It reminds me a similar question I was asked by someone here in Germany after finding out I was a Brit. The actual question I cannot remember but it was along the lines of “Why do you say this in a particular situation and not that?”
I thought about it and could not really give an answer. I just knew it was so and not so. The person on hearing my “excuse” remarked with “but your English, why don’t you know this?”. I think it’s because I learnt my English by growing up with it and not continuously analysing it along the way.
I could go further with this and ask myself as an expat “How do I know I am British?” Only because I was born there and have a passport to “prove” it. I think not.
Abigale x
nice picture of me, love my outfit.
ReplyDelete/edgar
might I ask how you found out about me and got the picture?
ReplyDeleteI was aware of you because you do stand-up, but I cannot recall where I found the photo. If you want me to remove the photo, I will gladly do so.
Deleteno, that's no problem, I was just curious.
Delete