Scrolling Saturdays: Chauvinists and Nagging Women

Originally posted November 5th, 2007.

So, I've always known that my oldest son was a chauvinist. When he was 3, he told me that I had to, "Get off my pirate ship because girls can't be sailors." (Have I mentioned that I was in the Navy prior to his birth?)

I know that he believes that women can do anything that men can do, now, because he has told me to, "Just stop waiting for Dad to come home and do it, Mom!"

However, recently, he told me, in reply to being invited to learn how to sew, that "Sewing is for women." When I came back with examples of men who sew, he replied, "They have to throw away their dignity to do that."

I was rolling on the floor laughing. At the same time, I was wondering where he comes up with these things. While his father is a "man's man", he helps around the house, cooks, sews (his own patches), takes care of the kids regularly, and is basically an all around good guy, while at the same time being completely full of testosterone.

Today, while I was trying to catch up on Gabriel's reading (I like to read the books he is reading so that we can discuss them), I was reading the Iliad. He is about 300 pages ahead of me, so I've got some catching up to do. However, this passage sent me back onto the floor laughing as I realized what my son has been reading.

Filled with anger Zeus who marshals the storm clouds answered her at last:
"Disaster. You will drive me into war with Hera. She will provoke
me, she with her shrill abuse. Even now in the face of all the immortal
gods she harries me perpetually.........

......And suddenly Hera taunted the Father, son of Cronus: "So, who of the gods this time, my treacherous one, was hatching plans with you? Always your pleasure, whenever my back is turned, to settle things in your grand clandestine way. You never deign, do you, freely and frankly, to share your plots with me--never, not a word!"

The father of men and gods replied sharply,
"Hera--stop hoping to fathom all my thoughts. You will find them a trial,
though you are my wife. Whatever is right for you to hear, no one, trust
me, will know of it before you, neither god nor man. Whatever I choose to
plan apart from all the gods--no more of your everlasting questions, probe and
pry no more."......

...."Maddening one...you and your eternal suspicions--I can never escape you. Ah but tell me, Hera, just what can you do about all
this? Nothing. Only estrange yourself from me a little more--and all the worse for you. If what you say is true, that must be my pleasure. Now go sit down. Be quiet now. Obey my orders, for fear the gods, however many Olympus holds, are powerless to protect you when I come to throttle you with my irresistible hands." The Iliad: Homer

So, you see? Since the beginning of time, women have nagged. And, since the beginning of time, men have wanted to throttle their wives. Gabriel comes by it naturally!