This is the tag from IHM:
If you are a woman,
Have you ever wanted something that is considered ‘manly’ ? Like a basketball, a cell phone, a dog, a camera or a new laptop? A new car or motor bike? Ever wanted to be a pilot? A doctor or not a nurse? And the manliest want of them all – The remote!
As a kid did you enjoy playing with a bat and a ball?
There was a time when books were considered ‘manly’, women authors had to pretend to be men – would you say books are still rather manly – women should want to embroider and crochet?
If you are a man,
Have you ever wanted something that only women are supposed to want – like bags, shoes, clothes, creams, perfumes, babies, flowers? A peaceful home and a happy family? Have you ever been afraid of the dark or of insects?
As a kid did you ever want to play ‘teacher-teacher’, cooking or did you like playing with a doll? Have you ever enjoyed cooking? Bought something in pink? Loved chocolates?
Growing up was a tough time for me. Not at home but whenever I got dragged to weddings and parties. I was this taller and wider than average girl who hated wearing even the smallest of earrings and always wore cotton. My aunts and all well-meaning relatives always tried to corner me in order to lecture me on making an effort to dress up like a girl, all of which I promptly brushed off. Things changed as I grew older, but while my more girly cousins and friends moved to pretty jewelry, bindis, sarees and the like, I merely moved from cotton dresses to plain shirts, blouses, neutral pants and skirts! Sure I like my 7-8 pairs of shoes and 3 handbags, but deep down I still am that little girl who is comfortable being in the background in her plain clothes!
I am a bundle of contradictions, and in no way do I really conform to the female stereotype. I am your average woman who likes some girly things and dislikes some!
- I kill any bug that finds its way into our home. (I have a process that uses one rolled up envelope and a piece of tissue paper!)
- I don’t like to sit at the kitchen table and talk woman-stuff when we visit people. I prefer if both men and women sat in the living room and talked. I like to talk politics, sports and current affairs more than ‘what I cook’, ‘what someone else cooks’, recipes and jewelers, but I also like to talk about latest bolly-gossip!
- I don’t apply makeup. Only when there is a BIG party or that one time when I got married. Otherwise I am a wash my face and apply moisturizer girl. I also don’t thread my eyebrows or go for regular facials, manicure and pedicure. I do apply/reapply nail polish though. And I do love to dress up, even if it means wearing a non-fussy, color-coordinated outfit and pretty earrings and necklace etc.
- I am a bad cook. The husband cooks better than I do. He also has a lot more patience while cooking, he waits for the mustard seeds to crack, while I just dump everything in the oil and put a lid on it!
- I am not a very good housekeeper. I let books accumulate in room corners, and conveniently ignore their existence until I need to read that particular book again!
- I wear more blacks and browns and navy blues than pinks or corals or reds. I also don’t have tens of bags and shoes. I have some, but not too many!
- I prefer to sit and read a book than dress up and go out to party!
- I don’t do any puja. I don’t fast for the long life of my husband. I don’t wear mangalsutra or toe rings or bangles. The only time my Hindu roots show up is once a year for Varalakshmi Vratam.
- I am not a damsel in distress. I prefer lifting my own weight. (Although I do ask the husband to lift things that I really cannot!)
- I don’t go all awwww on stuffed toys. Neither on pink streamers, glitter or anything else pink!
And because I don’t want to wear blue pants all my life(yes that is the curse if you don’t tag 12 others), I tag: Tangytrivia, Nuttie Natters, Deepti, Nabeela(even though you deleted your blog, you can guest blog, here or anywhere else you like!), Mayur, Aniruddha, Ugich Konitari, Roop, Parul, Anju, Anu Russel and Sraikh.
Your second point strikes a chord! I also prefer to talk about politics, issues and current affairs – recipes and gossip bore me! Not very womanly
I do no pooja either although women are expected to be more religious. Same goes for make up and jewelry – okay only for occasions.
Not being a damsel in distress is such a blessing!! Makes life so much easier.
Like you I found gatherings annoying – for one thing we get discussed like we aren’t there. And when that is done, we were caught and lectured. 😦
A lot of times the ladies are in the kitchen, by the counter while the men sit outside and sip their drinks. Of course most of my friends are not like that but sometimes we get dragged to such segregationist parties!
I hate to be the tpic of conversation, and very often most people start to quiz me on kids and stuff, which I am really uncomfortable about.
I do not understand how it is considered polite or productive to quiz people about having kids. Unless the questioner is above 70 years old in which case they can be forgiven owing to generation gap. I might ask people if they have kids, just to know more about them but that’s it – saying (or even thinking) why not, but you should, but don’t wait till too long is so ick!
PS: I have done this tag and linked you.
HEY !!!!!!!! I SO relate to point 1,2 ,3 🙂 🙂 They will appear on my list too 🙂 Thanks for tagging me. I planned to do this anyway if no one tagged me. It’s already in my drafts 🙂
Yay bring it on! I am always curious to learn small personal things about my blogger friends.
Loved you list, specially no 8 and 9.
I can say ditto on those.
And didn’t know you tagged me when I wrote my list 🙂
Like I told Ugich Konitari, as long as you have done it 😛
Already did this yesterday !
oops I was a little late. As long as we have it on file that you did, all is well 😀
woops you tagged me too 🙂 i’ll do this. I like point 1..its one of my favorite activity 😀
Hehe nice to see people who also like to kill bugs. I was once given a lecture by my very sweet roommate as to how I should not harm bugs!
Oh I have just answered a post where I was tagged. And this one again 😉
Well I’ll try to answer it. By the way, I dont think eating chocolates, loving or having a fetish about shoes or loving a happy family life are ‘only women’ characteristics. Because I like all of them. And I like watches too. Add to that, I’m a self proclaimed good cook. 🙂
By the way I really hated teacher teacher.
I agree that those things shouldn’t me associated with the female gender, so also, sports, politics and being independent not be associated with men.
Why did you hate teacher teacher? We used to beat up the teacher in that game 😉
Ha ha! Like that… I’d have killed the teacher 😉
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I am not a damsel in distress. I prefer lifting my own weight. – ha ha gud one 🙂 Me tooo 🙂
I think that not being damsel in distress is actually like sour grapes for me. I really cannot pull off the flutter my eyelids, give a simpering smile thing, so I do my own thing 😀
I read your blog but never commented before. This one touched a chord. Unbelievably I have so much in common with you (except for 1 and 4). Good to know that there is another soul like me around.
Very neat and cleanly written points. Same pinch to you on points 2,3,4 & 8. I can never wait for the mustard seeds to crackle on those sluggish electric coils.
And I don’t understand why do men sit in the living room watching sports and women on dining table instead of sitting together.
Sigh……I don’t think I’m a good cadidate for this tag post. I am the typical girly girl. I love pinks, corals and baby blues. I love talking about food ALL day long. Although I don’t squeal at spiders and lizards, I do get creeped out by snakes. The parties I go to are normally segregated for religious reasons…and I’m ok with it….unless I’m hanging out with close family and friends. In that case, I love hanging out with everyone together. I am an excellent house-keeper and would have given Martha Stewart a run for her money if I had more time(lol!). I am very religious(but so is my husband). I go all awwww with babies and cute stuff. Siiiiigh….the only thing I have that doesn’t agree with my stereo-type is I LOVE math. Sorry to disappoint you 😦
You enjoy discussing politics??? hmmm that’s the only thing I don;t enjoy 🙂
Haha. I read yours. Very interesting.
This could be me! I can relate to all the points…except ahem the shoes bit…i am a shoe hoarder! Thanks for the tag though….done da dun!
[…] I was tagged by Pallavi to make some confessions on my own. I was also tagged by Shilpa few days ago on a similar post but on Gender stereotypes. Finally the time have come to oblige. […]
Nodding at point no. 2. I hate going into separate rooms where the women talk only babies and recipes. I’d rather sit together and talk about everything under the sun
I don’t know how this trend of segregation started!