The Girlie Gene
I am glad I wasn't a lady here in the 19oo's.
When George Bernard Shaw was asked his opinion of American women in 1907, he said....
Every American woman explains that she is not like any other women. But they are all exactly the same. The only thing to be said for them is that they are usually very well dressed and extraordinarily good looking.
Well this sounds rather simplistic, but we do seem to have much more freedom nowadays to express our individual personalities. And I'm glad I wasn't around for that turn of the century contraption known as THE CORSET! Thank heavens I'm here now. I have a Mars square Uranus and I would have been in terrible trouble.
Credit to the "girlie gene" originator, Pat Paquette.
posted by jm at 3:56 AM
30 Comments:
Time zones-- argh! I miss the best discussions. But then I'm usually the first commenter in the next post, so it evens out. :o)
Women color the world and delight the eye.
That's as may be, but the men are pretty darn delightful to MY eye!
And what's with this odd human tendency to flip-flop the ways of our animal brethren? There, it's the guys who are adorned, made-up, well dressed and colorful. They need to stand out in order to attract the attention of the female, who's usually bland, unassuming and well camouflaged. She looks for a mate who displays signs of health in his vibrant plumage or pelt.
Then again, we see species like Canada geese or penguins, for example, for whom sexual dimorphism is apparently irrelevant. For all we can tell, the mates are either mixed-gender or same-gender, and there's more than one zoo that's reported a pair of male penguins that are apparently bonded and ignore the ladies.
I think this world is just astonishing with its sexual and gender diversity. And I'm with you, jm, on this: "but we do seem to have much more freedom nowadays to express our individual personalities." Exactly. A lot of cases of "hysteria," which is surely etymologically related to "hysterectomy," in more-Victorian times were related to the corset which physically restricted women's breathing and brought on panic attacks. Social pressure to be demure, dainty, etc probably played a role in it, too.
Now women have the option of being emotional, weepy, clingy, etc. if that's their nature. But men have to be stoic and heroic, just like always, and if they are not able to, then they're sissies or girly men (thank you, Ahnold, for that little gem). That leads to depression and anger.
I'm a lot more comfortable with some guy acting girly than I am with some guy acting out his suppressed rage.
"I'm a lot more comfortable with some guy acting girly than I am with some guy acting out his suppressed rage."
You and me both!
By the way, jm, I'm going to share the VICTORY!!! post at the astrology salon this afternoon. We meet quarterly, close to one of the major eight holy-days because the astrologer/host is a Witch. Because we focus on the political as well as the personal, she casts the chart either for Washington DC or Minneapolis on the moment of the equinox or solstice or quarter-day.
Anyway, I think your insight on "The War on Terror" is a valuable one and will be appreciated by other attendees.
You'll be famous! :o)
Strike that. Not quarterly, but four times a year, on each equinox and each solstice. I think it was wishful thinking on my part to say "quarterly."
That's as may be, but the men are pretty darn delightful to MY eye!
You & me both!! Ever see the movie "Troy"?! Not a huge fan of Brad Pitt but the costume he sorta wore for that picture . . . OMG!!!
As I've said before (& will again most likely) - it's tragic what religious conservatives of every country do when they demand all behave in accordance with their gender related scripts.
OH geez, i just happened to notice the "nursing" corset, my imagination...
+ my memories = i'm glad i'm a modern gal!
Juno, i'm on my way over.
Let's not leave out Kilts, oolala i love a man in a kilt.
. . . and that most flattering of all men's clothes: the floofy shirt-flattering on all men and very sexy.
Yes, who could forget the famous wet shirt scene in the BBC mini-series, Pride & Prejudice. That scene launched Colin Firth's career! Sorry, but the latest release with Kiera Knightley couldn't hold a candle to that -- and don't even get me started on the costumes, mixing eras and making KK look like a waif swimming in an oversize coat. . .
Joe, your comment about the male species reminds me of Albrecht Durer’s Self-Portrait. Now there's a peacock who's sure of himself!
As it so happens, my second husband (the one who's recently been stalking me via the Internet) wore a floofy shirt and a kilt for our wedding. I made the shirt and altered a regular men's jacket to shorten the proportions so that it would look right with the kilt. Can't say it was terribly flattering on him, though. I think it was more for his ego -- he couldn't stand that all the attention was on me and how gorgeous I looked (which I did. I made my dress, antique-style lace with 1,000 seed pearls hand-sewn on the bodice).
My girlie gene mostly comes out in clothes, or at least it used to. These days, I have a sort of "uniform" for work, a boring pants-and-top formula that's easy to wear and maintain for someone who works such long hours. And besides, I think the older you get, the more important it is that people not remember what you were wearing, only that you looked good.
Speaking of clothes, I have to get my butt to the laundromat, and then it's home to an afternoon of cooking. And somewhere in there, I've got to post to my blog. . .
Hmmm, that link to the Albrecht Durer portrait doesn't seem to work. Try this:
http://www.abcgallery.com/D/durer/durer22.html
(but only if you don't mind banners and pop-up ads. Sorry)
This one's better -- better colors and no pop-ups:
http://www.mezzo-mondo.com/arts/mm/durer/DUA004.html
Look forward to the post, Pat!
I think the one thing the past eras had going for them was the acceptance of the female form. The era had it's anorexics of course, but healthy robust women were the standard of beauty. I get so tired of women's clothes with no space for breasts or shoulders, unless you dress like your grandmother, it's hard to get anything any more that allows for curves. I've watched the sizes of the shirts I work with get smaller and smaller, one company puts out a 2x that not even I can wear, and I am nowhere near 2x territory yet. Oh Mae West (I'm the same size as the Venus De Milo, only I got arms...) where are you when we need you?
Did you ever!!!!
Did you EVER!!!!!
A nursing corset!!
That's crazier than running from a terrorist!
Joe! Thanks for making me famous! Finally!
I've always been perplexed at all the fear of male power when most men are squashed into conformity hung with ties and scared into submission.
pair of male penguins that are apparently bonded and ignore the ladies.
What an elegant couple.
And what's with this odd human tendency to flip-flop the ways of our animal brethren? There, it's the guys who are adorned, made-up, well dressed and colorful. They need to stand out in order to attract the attention of the female, who's usually bland, unassuming and well camouflaged. She looks for a mate who displays signs of health in his vibrant plumage or pelt.
I wonder if hair is a vestige of this behavior. And so many men lose theirs. And women damage theirs. Humans seem to be quite desructive in their attempt to attract.
lot of cases of "hysteria," which is surely etymologically related to "hysterectomy," in more-Victorian times were related to the corset which physically restricted women's breathing and brought on panic attacks.
Yes. Hysteria is related to the psychosis brought on by a hysterectomy.
Interesting about restricted breathing. I certainly wonder why.
In some ways I think we have internal corsets restricting us somewhere, maybe in relation to Saturn in our charts. Society itself is a corset. I often think the ageing process might be one of unbinding and getting out of these restrictions, although other physical ones come with arthritis and all.
With corsets, women also couldn't eat in public.
Actually the industrial revolution seems to be what screwed up men's fashion.
Screwed up a lot of things. The whole concept of mass production dominated for so many years. Now that we are moving out of this era I wonder how fashions and other societal behaviors will change.
made my dress, antique-style lace with 1,000 seed pearls hand-sewn on the bodice).
Oh....Pat.
This is why I cry at weddings. And everybody else gets drunk.
Is that cupid where the tits go?
And with high heels, they couldn't run (in public or otherwise). It's all connnected. :o/ I hadn't thought of the gaudy "plumage" for the men in the Shakespearean, etc., eras that you mentioned, Juno.
Now, kilts get my vote, esp. the traditional manner of wearing them. ;o)
jm, I did share your Pluto the Cosmic Plumber post and it led to a lot of thoughtful, insightful discussion of Pluto in the GC, and in each sign. For example, if Pluto is the shadow of each sign, what manifests in the generation that is born with Pluto in a given sign?
BTW, We may be getting a few new visitors to PiChron.
Also, we examined the natal chart for Washington DC on September 23rd, 2006 at 12:03:41 AM EDT (the time of the equinox), 38N54 / 77W02, Tropical, placidus, true node.
In that chart, Saturn opposes Neptune, perhaps echoing the harsh reality of the current political situation in contrast to the airy fantasies of the Bush crowd with their wargames, economic policies, etc.
Interesting that Saturn is below the horizon (grounded in reality?) vs. Neptune being above the horizon (pie in the sky?).
Further, in the 4th House reside the following: Venus, SN, Sun, Moon, Mars and Mercury. Pluto is squaring the NN and SN, highlighting the leadership we have vs the leadership we want or desire, if my memory serves me.
As always, an interesting event, and more easily understood, from reading the comments here. :o)
Good stuff joe.
I think with all the 4th house placements the Saturn/Neptune is bringing us face to face with our childish fantasies of finding a savior in leadership. The truth about the Bush administration is now revealed. But in each of us lies some fantasy that probably won't serve us in the future.
I just faced mine this weekend. I'm absolutely through pinning hopes on any politician at the moment, although I did mention a local one I was following. I have to apply the rule to him as well. If he wins, good, If not, that's OK too. He's limited like all men.
We are a Cancer dominated country dependent on a parent figure. So this is a hard lesson. The political situation is the same thing as all microcosms. This is personal/political....
Microcosm/macrcosm.
So we are being directed to inner guidance.
Pluto being diminished is reducing the omnipotent power over us and clearing the way to a recognition of our own capability to govern ourselves. We are learning some of this on the blogs now. And hopefully being weaned from Washington. The entire country is disillusioned with the leadership.
As this transit progresses I'm seeing things in politicians I always have, but bigger in proportion.
Pols look deficient, crippled to me in some way. Their bodies are off, unbalanced, their faces are not real, and they almost seem like thay are developmentally disabled. They are not our best specimens.
I am astounded at the hokeyness, cornball style. Tackiness, incredibly bad taste, and primitive relationship skills(?). Or the hallmark card sentimentalism when they try to be kind. They are so off the mark. I've just never been able to connect with them or maintain focus.
Then they got out of hand and I felt forced to look at them. They are pitiful. I'm sorry that our society is here now with these symbols facing us. I will do my best to influence change. It's got to come.
The same with our pop icons. The cannonball fake breasts look exactly like they are still in corsets pushing the body into false shape. And the corsets are still around the feet in the shoes. How to break free of this strange device that loves to keep us in bondage.
And of course, how to get out of the terror corset.
jm, did you have a chance to look at kj & her husband's charts?! Please do . . . 'grin'
I think I missed the Pluto as cosmic plumber post, but I've been having terrible plumber karma -- which sounds funny but has been costing me thousands and thousands of dollars and worse. Since you all know about astrology -- can I ask - how much should one follow those daily transit reports one can get on the web. I've got to go talk to the county building department -- got busted and could be in big trouble -- and the reports say I've got Mercury square my Venus, and Mercury square my moon in the next couple days. Is this worth paying attention to?
As to the girlie gene -- its funny -- I was kind of raised as a boy -- my mother never wore perfume or make-up or jewelry and when I got to college the only pair of shoes I had was a pair of hiking boots. Fashion magazines were kind of like porn. But somehow that girlie gene came out anyhow and now I've got clothes and make-up coming out the wazoo. Though I never dress in a really girly way and wear pants almost every day. I don't know that I'm ever as comfortable with this stuff as women who were raised into it. (Didn't someone say something about how all women are transvestites?) I also wear Opium perfume sometimes at night, which I notice is a Leo thing -- I think I've known four other Leo women who also wore Opium, one of whom was a tough French biker/junkie girl. Its strong stuff but somehow not (I hope) in the really horrible category like Poison and Obsession.
I wouldn't follow the daily transit stuff much, juju. Plumbing is a Scorpio event and you have Jupiter on your Saturn, just about to leave, urging you to eliminate some negatives from your life. If you look there too then the outer plumbing problems should get fixed.
Scorpio always deals with this, and Saturn there really wants to get to the truth and the essentials stripping away the bullshit. It gets pretty heavily layered as time goes on. It effects your Sun/Pluto and ego, so the effort is worth it. The outer problems are symbols and serve to get our attention. Then it all works together.
Goin to the charts now neith!
LOL! I see what you mean.
Quite a grand water trine too.
Yup!!! both of them have Cancer Moon/Uranus . . . conjunct your sun in Cancer!! Now i wonder what the connection is . . . :-) There are other aspects in their charts that connect to someone in our group. Casey shares the Taurus ASC with kj. kj gave us two possible birth times... 7:30 puts Mars on the first house side & 7:40 puts it on the 12th house side. Even so, this is one forceful, tenacious woman!!! It just amazes me how we find one another . . . and the charts will usually verify it!!! ta dah!!
Yeah. And the Aquarius MC connects her to everyone and all the Aquarius here. problem is the SN in Cancer which wants to hide from the world and that's what she talks about a lot. This is a perfect place to stay in the world and still hide when it gets ridiculous out there, which it is right now.
Every damned time I try a new perfume I end up getting married! The last one was enough. I think I told you about him. Living in Bali now.
I don't need the damned stuff! Confuses every male I know, and I need a few years of relaxtion right now.
I remember vividly the girdle I possessed at 13 years old and I damned well don't want to repeat that experience. But at least the nylons were better than these hideous pantyhose today.
To hell with 'em!
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