Posers

[steepholm]

As I lay awake last night, thinking with regret of the world's troubles, I consoled myself that at least there was no question of my own children being segregated by sex as I and my coaevals were, with boys shunted off to do metalwork and technical drawing, and girls to cook and sew, and no possibility of crossing the line in either direction. Was that only in the 1970s, I asked myself rhetorically? Yes it was, I replied.

Then this morning my daughter mentioned that they'd been visited by the school photographer, who'd declared that all the boys had to sit in this pose:



and all the girls in this one:



And the world was once more dark in my eyes.

In adjacent territory, those who remember my bemused rant about the Dewey system's piecemeal approach to sex and gender a couple of years ago may like to check out the blog of Dru Marland, who's been having a fascinating correspondence with Bristol City Library about the correct category for Richard Beard's excellent book about her life, his preconceptions, and the Welsh countryside, Becoming Drusilla. I'll be very interested to see what comes of it all.

Comments

[gair.livejournal.com]

It's the 50s again, I swear it. But that surely means that the counterculture is due to RISE UP again in the next few years?

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Autobiography?

That is irritating as hell about the photographer.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

I do hope at least some refused. My daughter would have!

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Yeah, absolutely! Even the girls' school wasn't that bad.

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

They definitely didn't try to make the boys into Eminem lookalikes...

[booksandtea.livejournal.com]

Girls and boys in Bavaria still have to do different exercises in PE. I hated the dancing with hoops, rhythmical gymnastics and elegant balance beam exercises (not so elegant in my case) that girls had to do. The boys mostly played football. I didn't mind the segregated PE classes but I very much minded the different curricula!

[lilliburlero.livejournal.com]

Blech. There seems to be an entirely reprehensible craze among photographers for artificial "humorous" posing: a couple of years ago, when I had occasion to look into wedding photography, there were ghastly things in the portfolios like a posed shot of the groom attempting to abscond.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Oh dear God, that's ghastly. As if we all aspired to the status of seaside postcard caricature. I'm surprised they didn't issue the bride with a comedy rolling pin while they were at it.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

You're silent, however, on the Rita-Hayworthization of the girls...

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I don't blame you! Is that unique to Bavaria, do you know, or do you specify that Land because that's the one you're familiar with?

[beccadelarosa.livejournal.com]

It sure is sexist, but Rita Hayworth never rapped about horrifically murdering her spouse ("bleed, bitch, bleed" being one particularly erudite lyric I believe). Unless she did!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

True, true.

[booksandtea.livejournal.com]

It seems to be different in every Bundesland. It's, surprise, surprise, worst in Bavaria, but it's similar in the other Southern Länder. In the north you have have co-ed PE and one curriculum for all students, or segregated classes at the ages from 14-16 or so but the same exercises.