Hahaha, I will take that as a good sign. What I love about fan cultures, no matter how weird or obsessive they sometimes get, is that all the baloney of regressive social attitudes really is so alien. That's good. It should be alien. So many people (me included!) are like, "ack, I'm so poorly socialized, why am I such a freak compared to normal people?" but this is the thing -- you don't want to be well-socialized. Well-socialized people say those sorts of ridiculous things and don't even notice.
And yes, that was pretty much word for word. She even thought about it, actually -- which I really, sincerely did appreciate -- and had more to say, along the lines of how writers write what's exciting, and since (1) women love sex and romance and relationships with men, then (2) it's natural or even inevitable to only focus on those things.
(Amity, I can only say you are the
most best urban anthropologist, in that you were able to build a rapport and let your classmate feel comfortable opening up to you.... and that you politely kept from snickering until you found a private keyboard and told all of us.)
Point 1, OK. Not to speak for *all* women etc. etc., and citing only my contributions to, say, the Shipping thread -- sure, those can be very compelling topics. But as for (2)... I pity your classmate's apparent upbringing, locked in a Barbie Dream House with reruns of "Sex and the City" as her only entertainment.
"Like, what would they even talk about"? Sweetie, if you'd rather not discuss smashing the patriarchy or careers in aerospace engineering, how about... bread-baking? shoe styles? your favorite kind of yoga? What do you think of "helicopter parenting"? Kay Thompson's awesome performance as the crazed
fashion editor in "Funny Face"? No? None of that appeals? ??? *heavy sigh* Do we have to play "Why Didn't He Call?" uh-
gain?
I am ashamed that women are so simple...(as Shakespeare said
in a somewhat different context.)
