Tuesday 3 June 2014

Chapter 47: Man, I Feel Like A Woman

So after last weeks blog, I got the distinct feeling that a few men thought I was laying into them a bit. My friend even said he refused to read it purely based on the title alone! So for that, I apologise. This week, I will be discussing women being ladies. My friend who shared my blog last week made a valid point. Although she thinks chivalry is NOT dead (I implied it was last week), she also added that neither is being a lady. Granted, us women don't think about chivalry NON-STOP, but when it comes to a situation where a man is in front and doesn't open the door for you and leaves it slammed in your face, that narks me. My friend further adding:

"Unfortunately most people are too concerned with playing games, trying to impress the wrong people and having too much of an ego to identify a true gent/lady these days."

My experience of single life so far has been an interesting one and I would have to agree with my friend's statement above. Although us women will think that men play games, it's safe to say we are just as bad. If men thought about things as in depth as we do, they might stop and think, "Hang about, she's taking the piss a bit. I'm not to blame in all of this. It's a two way street!"

The Oxford Dictionary defines a lady as:

"A courteous, decorous or genteel woman. 'His wife was a real lady, with such nice manners.'"

However, the development of "The Ladette" has grown more so in recent years. What is a Ladette you say? The Urban Dictionary defines it as:

"A young woman who behaves in a confident and noisy way, who drinks alcohol and may enjoy sport or other activities that are traditionally enjoyed by men. Analysts believe the Ladette phenomenon has been driven by increasing levels of financial independence among young women."

These two are a good example:


So, in a nutshell, I would say I roughly fit this description. Roughly. For anyone that knows me, I laugh a lot and quite loudly. I swear a lot. When I say a lot, I mean too much. So much so that I offend people without realising. I like sport, but it's not my life. I would say my interest in movies outshines this. So sometimes it's shocking for a man to hear what movies I've watched and like. I'm not a major romcom girly girl. Yes I put make-up on and like to feel my best, but I don't particularly dress like a woman for work. If anything I'm a bit of a tomboy. I can't cut chicken and pizza with a knife and fork; to me this is unnatural. I need to pick that shit up with my hands and demolish it without taking the time to properly enjoy it. Why am I still single you say? LOL.

Yesterday, a woman came into our office having a nosey around. Now, this is a rarity at my work place, as there aren't many women in my office (I'm 1 of 4). Everyone had a good look at her and then my friend adds, "I'd bang her for a mill." Just a mill? NICE. My response was, "The poor women that have to walk through this office with all the men gawking and coming out with responses like that." Another bloke said, he used to work in an office full of women and we were just as bad. You know what I did? I agreed. We are just as bad. Me personally, if I worked in an office full of women and a man walked in, I'd probably be taken back. Granted I wouldn't say, "I'd bang him for a mill." But I'm sure I would have something to say.

Going back to the definition of a Ladette and how this has come about due to the growth of financial independence, I would have to agree. Although the 'stay at home' lady still exists and especially with full time Mothers, modernism has changed this. You know the saying, "Women are good at multitasking." It's not a lie, If women can be a devoted Mother to their children and also be the Breadwinner, well, we would pretty much be winning at life. Although we want to be treated like a lady we would still like the responsibility that was once considered to be predominantly the males role.

So for me personally, I have just admitted to you all that I kind of fall under the "Ladette" category. But that isn't to say I don't want to be treated like a lady? In fact, if I had a few doors held open for me, I would feel like a woman and probably act a bit more lady like. Am I saying that lack of chivalry has also played a part in the growth of the Ladette culture? Maybe I am. But I can't deny that a lot of women love this new era because it gives us a certain amount of independence that is enforced with music by Beyonce, television such as Sex and the City and films like Kill Bill.


Just saying!

Anyway, do you think we have lost what being a lady is? Is this down to lack of chivalry or is it because we are so influenced by what we see and hear on the television and radio? Is it because we are wanting to take on the role as woman and man? You decide!

Gonna leave you with some more Outkast this week. Roses is my FAVOURITE Outkast song. I first heard it when I was 16 in Secondary School and thought it was relevant to what I thought about a lot of girls then, and I still do now!

Hope you enjoyed this week as much as last weeks. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blogs. Had the BIGGEST response from you all on the subject of chivalry. Contact me again on the back of here, Facebook or tweet me (@triciabaxter).

Muchos love.
T.x

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