Skip to main content

Anatomy



I am tired of testicles.

Yes, you read that right.

I am tired of reading that what it takes to show strength, be a leader, or stand up for one’s beliefs is credited to one piece of anatomy that generally belongs to men. (Or assigned male at birth.)

Let’s just be blunt. To some people, it’s all about “balls”.

Can we just stop with this please?

Other figurative expressions are inclusive. We all know what it means if someone is described as having brains, or heart, or what my mother called intestinal fortitude: guts. Anyone alive can have those qualities.

But when you attach strength, leadership, even bravery to testcles you are saying they are specifically male qualities. One has to access or appropriate maleness to have them.

No, no, no.

It’s 2018 people; let’s lay the “balls” defense down and move on. Every time you say it you perpetuate the falsehood that some of the most essential and admirable traits a human being can possess are the birthright of one sex alone. And that just ain’t so.

So stop propping up the Patriarchy with this old saw.

This tweet from @ohnoshetwitnt challenges the prevailing stereotype:

Nancy Pelosi proves that you don’t need balls to stand up to a tyrant, you need a spine.

Ooh. A spine. I left that off my list. Anyone can have one of those, too.

Speaking of spines, I noted this announcement from County Executive Calvin Ball in his call for nominees for the Howard County Commission for Women’s Hall Of Fame, 2019:

Howard County women are the backbone of our community. It is time to nominate a Howard County woman who has made a difference in the lives of others through their leadership, professional achievements, and/or community service. 

Do me a favor. Don’t nominate someone because you think she’s got—

Well, you know.









Celebration in the Woods Advent Calendar: 

https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=11dfaa56f70578e204b73fee207a6441







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more