It isn't that easy.  I wrote about decking a guy verbally for something 
he said that showed a bad attitude.  It took enormous psychic strength 
to speak up as I felt I had to, and I had to quickly run through my 
head the possible downside of speaking up--not a job, not money, not 
romance.  So I spoke up.

There have been many times when I knew the reality was different and I 
just shut up.

Andrea


On Mar 25, 2006, at 12:32 PM, Ryan Carter Hall wrote:


> Ida,

> I may have misunderstood you, but what did you mean

> when you said that you are saddened to hear that some

> women think that they can be themselves in the

> presence of men? Wouldn't it be a good thing if we

> could all be ourselves in the presence of men? Isn't

> that what we're striving for- the

> confidence/courage/belief that we can be who we really

> are in this male-dominated society. . . and the skills

> to actually do it.  .  . consistently?

> Ryan

>

> --- Ida <idais1 at comcast.net> wrote:

>

>> I am saddened to hear that some women think that

>> they can be

>> themselves in the presence of men.  We are

>> socialized to react

>> differently in the presence of men. This comes from

>> a very early

>> age.  I do think that some women can maintain

>> themselves to be

>> themselves but it takes work, committment, and this

>> does not come

>> easily in the male dominated society.

>> Ida

>>

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