Tuesday, May 11, 2010

In summation I'm a feminist with thin arms and a mixed marriage

I attract weird comments and strange people. I frequently get yelled at from cars and trams, strangers approach me in grocery stores, and friends and acquaintances say odd things to me frequently.

A new acquaintance of mine recently asked me if Inspector Climate and I are going to get married. I shrugged and said "we've only been together for a few months!" She immediately followed that with, "but you'll have kids right?" To which, as we know here at this blog, I HATE THAT QUESTION. I think it's rude. I never, not once, have asked a pregnant woman "why you pregnant?" or "Why have kids?" And yet, people ask me all the time why I don't want children. I just don't. I have so little desire to be pregnant. I love playing with kids and then giving them back to their parents. Sorry, tangent over.

So I replied, "probably not" and her mouth drops open and she says "good for you. You're such a feminist!"

Am I? I mean I guess, I am making a choice to not have a family. And I do have that luxury thanks to the hard work that women, like my mom, did to allow me to have that choice. But I simply feel like I am taking advantage of the availability of the choice. You know?

Anyway, three seconds after this girl declared me an independent woman with feminist values, she said, "Wow, You have such skinny arms, shirts must fit you really well." Um, thanks? What if I had been working really hard on my 'guns'? How dare she belittle my well toned buff yogically enhanced arms.

In other news, Inspector Climate and I were walking towards Etihad stadium last night to watch the St Kilda v. Carlton footy match. He was wearing his St Kilda scarf, I was wearing my Carlton scarf and this car drove by with the window rolled down and a guy screamed, "MIXED MARRIAGE." Funny. If only he realised that I have no idea how the game of footy is played. le sigh. (Carlton won. Big Time. How do you like them apples, Inspector Climate?)


  1. I hate when people ask me questions about my reproduction abilities. Yesterday a co-workerer asked me if we were talking about having kids, I said "we always talk about it" and she said "but WHEN?" Excuse me? I thought I should invite her over to watch our efforts or something. Geez!

  2. Sounds like this new person doesn't know you very well. Why is marriage and baby making acceptable to probe about but our salaries aren't? Oh we're all just about comparing what we've got to everyone else in existence anyhow...

  3. Been there, done that. Sorry to tell you but it gets no better. We were constanltly asked when we were getting married, then it was when are you planning on having children, then it was why don't you have children. Amazing the kind of things almost strangers think they can ask.

  4. I hate when people ask me when do i plan to get married and have kids. Im already getting old and everyones married and contented. i mean wth/f! sometimes i believe in that there is a cold war between singles and married. Im not single but my bf and I are living together (and weve been together for 10 yrs, BUT STILL,these married and "proud" parents draw a line "You arent still 'not" in their club..... Dropping by from SITS!!

  5. Haha, mixed marriage, that's hilarious!

    I do find it annoying when people seem offended by the fact that I'm not sure if I want kids. I don't mind the question, as long as they don't react like an idiot to my answer. But when I saw, "I don't know...I don't really know what benefit a human baby would have over my dog," most of the time I get scolded as if I'm doing some giant disservice to the human race.

    Think the world will live just fine with a mini-Kyle or a mini-Seba, should we choose not have them!

  6. Chicken - That does seem the inevitable question. People don't seem concerned about "if" when it comes to popping out a baby...only "when"

    Ev Rev - Right? Gr.

    Petty Witter - I was afraid of that! Eek!

    Mhel - Thanks for stopping by! I know I wish people would try and be a bit more INCLUSIVE.

    Kyle - I know! I generally answer that I am not keen on having kids and if the urge to procreate ever hit, I'd probably adopt instead. I'm an environmentalist and overpopulation is a problem ... I try to live the things I preach.