in thoughts...

"Women change. What you have to understand is that at different times in her life, a woman is like the world. Well, from thirteen to eighteen, she's like Africa - virgin territory. From eighteen to thirty, she's like Asia - hot and exotic. From thirty to forty-five, she's like America - fully explored but generous with her resources. From forty-five to fifty-five, she's like Europe - a bit exhausted, a bit knackered, but still with many places of interest. And from fifty-five onward, she's like Australia - everybody knows it's down there somewhere, but very few will make the effort to find it."
"Eamon Fish", Tony Parsons in "Man and Wife"

When I read this quote I was quite amused. Then an afterthought. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be amused. I mean, that character is trivializing and making fun of the female species. Did I feel amused because I've been used to literature that speaks of women in this same tone? Then paranoia set in. What kind of shit have I been putting up with without realizing it? Have I been conditioned to take insults as comments of wit? Have I been taught to laugh at myself and all the women in the world?

Something by Oscar Wilde... All three characters are from his literature, but with different views of women, and men...

"Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly."
"Lord Henry", Oscar Wilde

"You should never try to understand them (women). Women are pictures. Men are problems. If you want to know what a woman really means - which, by the way, is always a dangerous thing to do - look at her, don't listen to her.
"Lord Illingworth", Oscar Wilde in "A Woman of No Importance"

"The strength of women comes from the fact that psychology cannot explain us. Men can be analysed, women...merely adored."
"Mrs Cheveley", Oscar Wilde in "An Ideal Husband"

Now now... I like that last line... Am I a feminist? Sometimes... But I recognized that it was paranoia, you know, the part about what shit I've been putting up with... I don't want to fight battles against imaginary misogynists...