-> MM>Where men mutilate women's bodies, the gynaeceum
->
-> "Women" isn't a good enough word?
You know, when I first read this message from Michael, with that word
"gynaeceum"...I was offended. I did, in the context of the message,
construe it to mean "womankind", but it seems to refer to women as being
characterized by their reproductive organs, which offends me. I find
that in most of my societal interactions, my reproductive organs play
no part. In my marital relations, of course, that is another story.
Words for a parallel label for men danced through my head...phalaceum?
penilitia? Sorry. I couldn't resist.
Finally, I pulled out the dictionary this evening to look up the word,
and this is what I find in _The American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language_ , 1970:
gynaeceum: n. pl. -cea, also gynaecium, pl. -cia
1. The women's quarters in an ancient Greek or Roman household.
2. Variant of gynoecium.
gynoecium: n., pl. -cia. Also gynaecum, gynecium.
Botany. The female reproductive organs of a flower; the pistil or
pistils collectively.
------------------(end of definitions)---------------------
Therefore, Illich must either be talking about women's housing in
ancient Greece or Rome, or else flowers. ;-)
Seriously, anyone who has to use such pretentious language in getting
their point across doesn't score any points with me.
Other than that, the message seems to me to be off-topic, and I'm sorry
I responded to it at all, but I couldn't let that term pass.
I just can't see how male/female relationships in society in general
taken outside the context of education, are appropriate in this echo.
Sheila
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