Culture

In a Word . . .

. . . sorority. Patsy McGarry

Patsy McGarry's face
Patsy McGarry
Sat Oct 24 2020 - 00:30

It is a truth universally acknowledged that, while all men are created evil, some are more evil than others. Women should simply stop having them . . . er . . . us!

That old saying about money being the root of all evil? Rubbish! It’s what men do with money that is at the root of such evil. Money is fine, innocent, always welcome and sought after. The blame rests elsewhere – with men. Wherever two or three are gathered, there is trouble in their midst.

Look at the world today, if you must. Look at the trouble caused by those self-inflating bluffer men: Trump in the US; Johnson in the UK; Putin in Russia; Xi Jinping in China; not to mention (please don't!) Kim Jong-un in North Korea.

Now cast your eyes towards the beatific vision conjured by a glance towards Angela in Berlin, Ursula in Brussels, Jacinda in New Zealand, Michelle and Kamala in the US. Rest that gaze for a moment as your weary soul sups some sustenance and its wilting hopes revive.

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Yes, it is true that the comparative absence of women from positions of power in the world is unfortunate for us all. But we should remind ourselves too that these few prove that there is, still, life after dearth.

Such thoughts were prompted by reports last month of a book banned in France. Pauline Harmange's Moi les hommes, je les déteste (I Hate Men) was just 96 pages long with only 450 copies printed before it was banned when, inevitably, sales rocketed.

It was deemed an “ode to misandry” and “incitement to hatred on the grounds of gender.” However, Ms Harmange (25) was adamant (even ada-MAN-t!).

Her book explored whether women had good reason to hate men, she said. “I feel strongly we should be allowed to not love them” and she asked “what if anger towards men is in fact a joyful and emancipating path when it is allowed to express itself?” It was liberating and could create space for sorority and sisterhood, she said.

Then, at the end of her book she thanks her husband Mathieu (29). He was “the first of us to believe in me”, she said. Really? That’s all right so.

And they have a cat, Eleven. (No age or gender details available).

Sorority, from Latin sororitas, "group of women united for a purpose". From soror, meaning sister.

[ inaword@irishtimes.com ]

JohnsonPauline Harmange