[NIFL-WOMENLIT:646] Re: men, women

From: AWilder106@aol.com
Date: Fri Apr 07 2000 - 10:36:44 EDT


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Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:646] Re: men, women
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Hi all,

Let me start back with the basics, or as my history teacher used to say, 
"first steps for little feet."  I went to an all girls school for 8 years, 
before college.  There was one male teacher in the building.  When we have 
class reunions, which are increasingly treasured, I feel an enormous sense of 
relief that once again I am with my friends with a shared history and once 
again I am in an all women group.  We can talk about common experiences we 
have as women, jobs, marriages, children, men, getting older, the women's 
movement, causes we have participated in, and so on.  Feelings I have are 
validated because other women know what I am talking about and I am not just 
a voice crying in the wilderness.  I think a lot of women on the list know 
what I mean, are probably in women's groups, also.

I have close friends who are men.  We are charmed by the differences and 
similarities, and we have to have a wide tolerance for different ways of 
approaching problems, but what might be difficult is usually gotten over 
because we care enough about each other to take the differences on trust and 
not be threatened by them, simply to be engaged and pleased.

I think men and women both need the single sex groups to be able to talk 
about what applies to them alone.  I can see no reason not to build this in 
as an option in an adult literacy program given enough space and staff.  
There is more to say on this topic, but I wanted to lay some groundwork, and 
I have to get back to work.

Later,

Andrea



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