Women Who Hold Their Own Are Fine Role Models
Published in Marietta Daily Journal December 18, 2016
Woman
without her man is lost.
Punctuate the sentence above to fit
your own, uh, perceptions. In the
interest of harmony, husbands and wives should neither work together on this
nor share their answers.
In
my immediate family, I’ve had lots of women in my life: my mother, ten sisters,
six sisters-in-law, one wife, two daughters, six granddaughters, and two
daughters-in-law. Add several scores of
female colleagues in the teaching profession.
If I don’t know very much about women, I should.
One thing I do know is that nobody should
fear the “feminization” of education just because women outnumber men in public
schools. The women with whom I’ve taught,
though quite feminine, have not been weak.
In fact, I’ve seen the most petite of women put the toughest of
17-year-old boys in their place, with words of course, and those effective,
pointing fingers.
More than once I’ve paused or slowed
down my walk in the hall because I saw a female teacher dealing with a tall,
strapping boy at the door of her classroom.
Thinking she might need a man around, I would approach gently, only to
discover that I was superfluous. Believe
it, female teachers can be tough and are not to be pitied.
If I’m already sounding sexist, I
just don’t care. If I believe a lady is
in need, I’m going to run to her, no matter what changes are going on in
today’s crazy world regarding gender and gender reference. Any man who wouldn’t, well …
Actually, I’m glad there are so many
women in education. The guys need them. They need them so that they can learn about
women. And girls need male teachers so
that they can learn about men. I know, I
know. This train of thought goes against
the utterly senseless gender neutrality squawk that we’re all supposed to be
swallowing. We’re no longer male and
female, you know. We are the world; we
are the people. No differences,
please. Differences would make us
unequal.
It’s been fun all these decades
watching male coaches interact with high school girls. I love coaches. Parents of non-athletes may not realize what
an important part coaches play in the development of their youths. Most coaches also teach academic courses, so
they influence more than just their athletes. Usually they are well known by the entire
student body, head coaches and assistants both.
Speaking of almost 100% of the male
coaches I’ve taught with, I can say that they are an indispensable part of the
development of young people whom they teach or coach. Coaches are a symbol of masculinity (pardon another
ugly sexist word). Coaches are typically
fun and are good teachers. Taking their
coaching skills into the classroom, they know how to demonstrate, not just
tell. What I’ve most admired them for, however,
is their modeling for the guys how to view and treat the girls.
My ten sisters have shaped my life
as much as anyone I know. Mentally I
clump them according to age. Ida, Jewel,
and Authula are the oldest. Children of
the 1920’s, they have always epitomized beauty and character. Margueritte and Minnie are ‘30’s girls,
although Margueritte was born in 1928.
Almedia, Ruby, and Janelle were born in the ‘30’s but came of age in the
‘40’s. Carolyn and Tressie are ‘50’s
girls, the first to grow up in America’s new youth culture. They survived and thrived.
I have long wished that every friend
I have could meet these intelligent, interesting women. Their birthdays range from 1922 to 1942. They all have the same parents whom they have
honored all of their lives. Their love and respect for each other is endless. They have raised their children well. Quiet strength is their forte, humility their
path, laughter their constant companion.
Cotton fields never marred their beauty.
Life’s struggles never diminished their faith. I wish I were their equal.
My mind always goes to these sisters
and to my six brothers every time I read or hear about the fuss over
gender. Even Princeton University joined
the foolishness last fall, imploring their students not to speak or write in
“gender-based” words so as not to show disrespect of others who are
“transgender, gender queer, or gender nonconforming.”
Gender nonconforming? Since when have we had a choice? Look, my sisters are outstanding W-O-M-E-N.
That’s females. And my brothers are
exemplary M-E-N; males, that is. The joy
of my life has been to be a little brother to all of them, except my kid
brother who is “the baby.” I’m not his
equal either.
Roger
Hines
12/14/16
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