Epideromancy "feminine"? (was Re: [UA] UA unintenionally sexist? (LONG!))

[Patrick O'Duffy]

med12 at cornell.edu wrote:

> I really want the discussion to end, but an interesting point came to mind:
>
> Could epideromancy be coded as "feminine?"
>
> Statistics (which I know don't necessarily mean anything) say that more
> 'women' are cutters (people who cut themselves to relieve pain or for a
> host of other psychological reasons) and are more likely to suffer from
> body image issues, anorexia, bulimia, etc. (although there has been a recent
> upswing in men (especially gay teens) with eating disorders).

I think that 'feminine' might be a stretch - but certainly, I can see it as
being a school with a higher proportion of female adepts than others.  Aside
from the aspects you mention, there's also a very strong female presence in the
body modification movement, with things like piercing and scarification.  I
don't know that _more_ women are into that idea than men, but there's definitely
a very strong female contingent.

If you're interested in the links women have made between body modification and
sexuality, read the novel SKIN by Kathe Koja.  Fucking brilliant writing, and it
gave me real insight into that community.

> Just for the record: I don't really believe in the ideas of masucline and
> feminine. I took someone to task last night for calling a person
> "butch"--and after a long question & answer process was able to "unpack"
> that into meaning "they have a deep voice."

See, I interact a fair bit with the gay and lesbian community.  'Butch' is a
very legitimate word there - although the women it applies to rarely have deep
voices...

--
Patrick O'Duffy, Brisbane, Australia

Sumo is the most perfect of sports.  It has elegance, ceremony, danger,
art, speed, and, most important, two fat bastards smacking the shit out
of each other.

 - Spider Jerusalem, TRANSMETROPOLITAN #26



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