"The women of Bikini Kill let guitarist Billy Karren be in their feminist punk band, but only if he's willing to just "do some shit." Being a feminist dude is like that. We may ask you to "do some shit" for the band, but you don't get to be Kathleen Hannah."--@heatherurehere


Monday, February 26, 2007

Conversations to Be Had

An excerpt from a conversation between me and my friend's daughter, who is 3 and 1/2 or so.

Kid [Looking at my laptop, which had a comic book panel on it]: What's that?
Me: That's a superhero stopping a bad guy.
Kid: Why is she stopping the bad guy?
Me: Because he did something wrong, and she wants to make sure he doesn't do it again.
Kid: She's a superhero?
Me: Yes.
Kid: She's old enough to take care of herself.
Me: Yep, she's an adult.
Kid: Is she married?
Me: Nope.
Kid: Why not?
Me: She doesn't want to be married.
Kid: How will she have any babies?
Me: She doesn't want any babies.
Kid: Ohhhhhhhh. [pause] She's a superhero?
Me: Yep.

Ok, so I lost the opportunity to point out that you don't have to be married to have kids, or want kids. But, in one little conversation, we get: Women can be superheroes, they may not want a man, and they may not want kids. And, given the way the kid had the conversation going--she's an adult? where's her husband? what about children?--I'd say it's not a bad conversation for her to take part in.

Possibilities, and learning to see them, are important.

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