"I'm having a hard time with the snarl of the month this
month. What exactly is the problem? That she "wasted her life" raising
kids? That she didn't, but people think she did? That she's old enough
for menopause? That people want her to have a hysterectomy or hormone
treatments?
Tying her career problems to menopause seems wierd to me.
Who are these people who want to castrate her? Why is being in menopause
castration? What's wrong with hormone replacement therapy? This snarl
went in so many directions, it lost me. And by the way, I'm within 3
years of her 45, so that's not why I don't understand."
"When I wrote what appeared as the September Snarl of the Month, it never
occured to me that I would be getting advice, career or otherwise, from a large
population of 30 year olds whose mothers have all gone through menopauase. My
idea of "making a difference" in the world has nothing to do with volunteering at
the local library or holding newborns in a hospital. I wanted to share my experience
of this so called pre-menopausal state. I wanted to talk to other "older" women, as
I am referred as in some of the responses which fill my e-mailbag every day. I need
some solid advice here. No! I don
-Rose Bergevin
And the rest of Grrowl!:
"What a title (Grrowl!), definite double entendre. I think what you have is
wonderful. A place for a woman to be herself, not matter what that self
may be. If you ever got truly ambitious (like this isn't!) I would be
interested in subscribing to a regular, through the mail, magazine on
these guidelines. Kudos for your bringing it all together."
"Grrreat 'zine! I really enjoyed it, it's so cool
to discover feminists on the internet!"
"My evolving kvetch at the moment is the overabundance in cyberspace of whining women
and testosterone driven boys of the "now" generation. Is my age showing? I read
some of these painfully self-conscious submissions and want to take the author on
my next trip to Zaire. Get a grip, girls.... Only in America do we have the
luxury of being this self-absorbed. And the world is largely not amused."
"I just finished reading some more and like to
compliment you on your 'zine. I really enjoy the writings (tho, I am male). Hope
you don't mind me liking it. "
As usual, we start with last month's Snarl about Menopause--