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- From: Steve.Dugas@iphase.infoserv.com (Steve Dugas)
- Sender: FredGate@iphase.infoserv.com
- Path: sparky!uunet!infoserv!iphase!FredGate
- Newsgroups: alt.pagan
- Subject: Interpersonal relationships between the sexes
- Message-ID: <722163693.1@iphase.infoserv.com>
- Date: 19 Nov 92 04:00:00 EST
- Lines: 38
-
- I have noticed some problems at quite a few of the Pagan gatherings I
- have been attending lately in how people react to the changing ways
- men and women interact. As our lovely and loving women become more
- .
- self assured and are becoming the active member in approaching men
- that they find attractive we are coming up with a new phenomenon of
- discomfort and hurt feelings. In our mundane culture, men are
- trained to be the agressors (hunters if you will). we are trained to
- be the one to approach a lady and ask her out (or to dance, or
- whatever). We are supposed to make the first move. We are also
- trained, supposedly, in how to accept a rejection without taking it
- too seriously. We approach these situations prepared to be turned
- down. Women, on the other hand, are instructed to wait for the man
- to make the first move and in how to turn him down without hurting
- his feelings needlessly. When the roles are reversed, however, there
- are quite often problems. The existing system takes for granted that
- the women have the final say in how far things will go. It is simply
- understood that if a woman say "yes" a man willcertainly take her up
- on it. But men are not trained in turning women down (especially for
- sex) politely and women are not trained in accepting that rejection.
- If for what ever reason he is not inclined to accept the offer, he
- gets very uncomfortable and usually winds up either going along withe
- it because he does't know how to say no, or saying no in such a way
- as to offend her. By the same token, by the time she has put her ego
- on the line to make the offer, she tends to take the refusal very
- personally as a rejection of her instead of the offer being made.
- I don't know as yet what the answers are. I think it is wonderful
- that many ladies are feeling comfortable enough with themselves to
- become more assertive, but we need to come up with some codes of
- behavior that will make everyone feel free to make their desires
- known and yet be able to refuse or accept refusal in good grace and
- still be able to maintain a friendship. Please give me some
- feedback!
- .
- Steve Dugas
-
- * Origin: U_PAGAN: <<<<<<<<<< RE-ELECT NOBODY! >>>>>>>>>> (1:112/29)
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