How many people are offended by the above statement? I remember the first time I heard that, I was appalled. I was saddened, I was angry. However, no matter how many times I go through a feminist tangent in my head and try to talk myself out of thinking that is an accurate statement, a tiny part of me knows that it is at least halfway true in certain areas of womanhood. While completely unfair and arguably discriminatory, it is a fact of life that in our society (if you are concerned with that) women live by a separate book of rules than men do. There are just certain things men can get away with and women can not.
A perfect example:
Once a female has grown past the age of 24, I'd say that a new set of rules applies for when it comes to drinking alcohol in public.
My opinion: a woman (woman = after 24, girl before 24) should never be visibly drunk in public. Now, being drunk in public and noticeably having had a few drinks are two different things. Usually, more than four-five drinks is too much, and will result in sloppy sloppy. There are definitely certain markers of being visibly drunk: eye drooping, stumbling, slurring, reeking of alcohol, makeup streaking down face, crying about something stupid, misplaced items (including misplaced clothing - i.e. shirt straps falling down, blouses becoming untucked), and last but DEFINITELY not least, taking your shoes off at the end of the night and walking barefoot. In the end, it's all about how well you can carry yourself and hold your liquor. For some women that means 10 drinks, others will fall apart after 3.
There are few things more unattractive to me than seeing a beautiful woman out in public, visibly drunk and/or stumbling around, making an embarrassment of herself. Heck- this definitely goes for men too - it is NOT a good look. On anyone. There is something that makes me pity a visibly trashed woman more than a male, however. A male can stumble off into the night, drunk as a skunk, and I'm pretty comfortable with the idea that the idiot will find his way safely. A woman, however, drunkenly stumbles off into the night and immediately I am concerned that she will be beaten, kidnapped, raped. I am also in a very basic sense just plain turned off more by a drunk woman. A drunk man is annoying, a drunk woman is tragic.
Now, please don't get me wrong! I am ALL FOR having a blast and drinking! I'm not an angel. I have had my moments...puked in public, fallen in the middle of the street, I am definitely no homebody. However, I like to believe I've learned from my mistakes, at least a little bit. I just hate to see sloppy messes in public-take it home. You are free to go buck wild once in a controlled situation. Get naked! Have an orgy! Drink a box of wine! However, when in public...keep it classy.
Being women comes with certain rules of life. Sometimes I like to think of it as a nice trade off; men will never experience the joy of being pregnant, or the excitement of being courted the way a man does a woman. That being said, it's still a sad truth to realize that we must behave in certain...more appropriate ways to preserve our public appearance, reputation and dignity. I guess it is referred to as "being ladylike".
What do you think? Is the trade off of enjoying womanhood worth the expense of having to live by certain more restrictive rules than men?
xo, Viva
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