One or The Other

A sociological poem, kind of a man vs woman. Bound to stir up arguments

One or The Other

 

Years ago

Before any of us were born

There were norms and rules

Genders and expectations

 

My whole life was planned out

Before I even opened my eyes

To the colors of reality

Before I set my tiny foot on the ground

And started moving forward

 

Females were born

And were embarking on male territory

The rules that bound them

That constrained them

Were built by men

For they had all the power

And women did not

 

Men were seen as the One

As the Absolute

But classifying yourself as the One

You’d have to specify

Of the other

And women

Poor women

They were seen as the Other

 

Women were lacking of something

A penis, strength, reason

Women were functions

Reproduction

Objects

Just sexual beings

 

What women would gain

They would gain only

What men would grant

Not gaining much at all

 

No history, no past, no religion

So entangled with men

One can’t part the genders

 

And born into the gender of a woman

Gender being socially defined

The expectations put onto women

Submit to men

No more, no less

 

For men were in charge

But men respected women

Yes, they did

But not enough to give them power

To acknowledge their intelligence

 

I set my small

Feminine

Female

Foot on the ground

Not as an inferior gender

Not as a submissive sexual human being

But as someone whose intelligence

Can match and maybe surpass

The absolute

 

I lack a penis, but men lack a vagina

Men lack breasts

 

Female is the default gender

But back then

Who would have guessed

Males become males

After they were originally female

So I do not lack anything

That man didn’t lack

 

We are labelled the Other

To go against the One

But we’re going against each other

Because we were all once

The Other

Author's Note

Few of you know, right now I'm majoring in Sociology. I have taken over 7 sociology classes, 5 psychology classes, and 2 Anthropology classes in the past 4 years.

The idea for this poem came from an article I read for my Sociology University class. The article is by Simone de Beauvoir and it's called The Second Sex. I listed some of her statements in the poem.

If you don't agree with something said, then please let me know. :P

It's the first poem I write that's of this topic/nature. The article riled up something in me, and I thought I'd write about it. I was going to write a blog, BUT I write poetry, not blogs :P

Enjoy and please let me know what you think!

Reviews

[Baby Ricochet]

The prophet mohamad. His first wife had a huge influence on him and the shaping of Islam. You'd be surprised how much influence an iraqi woman could weild behind the scenes. Iraqi woman were smart like that. They had to be. The men were by and large lazy. Anyway, that's what this piece brought to my mind.

[Destinyxi]

That's interesting. Though there were much more men of influence and power in the past. Thanks for reviewing Baby :)

[Invisible]

i see what you mean, in a way before you even said it lol. some lines are a bit, ummm, off for the overall feel of it, like "I lack a penis, but men lack a vagina
Men lack breasts", plus you didn't finish it, by adding something like, "men lack breasts, but women lack balls." or your could mention how they lack body hair, though that's more a choice than a natural effect lol.

[Destinyxi]

Women don't lack balls, our 'balls' are our ovaries. So that wouldn't work or be true :P

[Invisible]

i suppose not lol. most women have more balls than men anyways, it's just theirs are more emotional/psychological balls that can't get pridely or physically wounded, at least not as easily. forgot where i was going with this...how bout' that rain eh? do you live where it's raining? maybe not...

[Destinyxi]

I live where it's snowing haha

[Invisible]

even worse. or is it better? depends on what kind of person you are :)

[Destinyxi]

snow is fine, the cold just sucks

[Invisible]

that's true, a first for me completely agreeing with someone :O

[Destinyxi]

haha I bet

[Invisible]

indeed

[Lina Grey]

I like it. It was very intriguing and thought-provoking. I love sociology, psychology, etc. and gender roles and sexism is of special interest. I'm a girl, but I was raised practically without a mother and hung out mostly with guys, so I've actually been told that I 'break the rules' because I'm not like other girls, and it all comes back to this sort of thing. Brilliant write, hun :)

[Destinyxi]

Thank you very much! Sociology and psychology are both very interesting. And when sociology touches the topic of gender, it's even MORE interesting, for me anyway :)

[Jibey]

Simone de Beauvoir's writing has been around for a long time... I find this kind of thing rather tiring. Women do not have to prove anything - and the line of thought is trite and hugely exaggerated. Women have always had a prominent role - it was Eve that took the lead in the garden!

It's so much more natural to accept and respect and enjoy each other's differences than to feel we are engaged in some sort of nonsense competition...

Some people are submissive, some are not; some are intelligent, some are not... gender is really irrelevant.

However, you do encapsulate well in your poem some of de Beauvoir's views.

[Destinyxi]

Eve was created from one of Adams rib, how is that taking lead or being in charge? THAT'S what I was referring to :P

There are gender roles that men and women are 'supposed' to take part in throughout their lives. Gender is very relevant, gender is linked to socialization, sex is biological :)

Thanks for your review :)

[gombeggar]

i think u should explore any topic that u find u need to...and continue to express yerself...keep up the good work :)

[Destinyxi]

Thank you :D

[kublakhan27]

I'm surprised it took this long for all those sociology classes to find their way into your writing ;) There is a lot of solid philosophy here though, like maybe there was something simmering in your subconscious for a while, but it took an article of this sort to spark it...I like everything you've said here...you've summed up a few centuries' worth of gender debate in a few stanzas haha And even though it's a thematic departure for you, your distinctive wit gradually comes to the forefront as the poem progresses...great work my dear, if I can call you that under the circumstances haha :)

[Destinyxi]

Of course you can, you can call me anything Steve ;) cept for insults, then I'll smack you.

Thanks for your review! :D

[kublakhan27]

Haha you're very welcome, and I would never insult you Kels :D

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hi Destinixi,
A rant with some truth but also some delusional and miscontrued thinking. Power is something not just taken but also conceeded. There are many women in power and in my industry more men than women. Oh I do suffer!
Besides given your monthly trials you may well not be be the weaker sex!

[Destinyxi]

delusional? I said nothing about women NOT being in power now. I mentioned how men were in power YEARS ago and they were the law creators.

I also never said women were the weaker sex. Years ago they were seen as inferior. Underline years ago.

As for 'some' truth. I listed facts and studies that were performed. I think I know more of the background of this poem than you do :)

I do bet you suffer, like we all do in life.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

So we have been down graded then and no one told us lol

[Ees]

Women are not as physically strong as men. It's the truth. But in being not as strong they have a softness that the world needs. Strength is not superior to softness. They are different, but both needed.

I do have to say that I have read things and studies myself that are in favor of your view, but they don't back up anything that I know or have heard in my personal experiences and family histories that have been shared.

[That_Girl]

Not sure if you know, but I hate feminists. I truly do, they really bug me. Mostly because they are just as bad as the "traditional" males, white supremacists, black supremacists, etc. etc.

However, this poem was entertaining. I love the mix of belief, proven fact (culturally), and science (genetically). Really well done.

[Destinyxi]

Nope, I didn't know that. Feminists can be quite annoying and most of them overdo it. Just like the macho arrogant men.

Thank you darling, I wasn't sure how I was going to tie it all in together, but I managed xD