So we were reading Taming of the Shrew once, and I (obvi) was harping on the feminist critiques of the play. He frequently dismissed my opinions (respectfully), and we frequently disagreed on the interpretations, which btw totally blew the sophomores’ minds (disagreeing! and not hating each other? crazy!) The one day I busted out the old Battered Person Syndrome as an explanation for Katherine’s behavior, and he was basically like “WHOA THIS IS CRAZY EVERYBODY PAY ATTENTION TO MS. CIMORENE BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE!!!” In all caps, too!

Anyway, it was cool to see him like, switch into understanding. He’s very well meaning, but also old and not used to thinking about gender issues the way my generation does–or, thinking about them at all. Which is not an excuse (nor is being old) but it is an explanation. And whenever I’d be like, “What if this anonymous early ballad was written–by a WOMAN!!!” he’d totally get on board. I just needed to be there to bring it up.

Anyway, I’m so happy your prof responded well. It bodes really well for the class. But if you’re reading Antigone, how could he not have looked into the Ladies in Athens? It seems sort of…central. But Men and their Establishment do have a way of de-centralizing women, don’t they. Sigh.

On another note, it’s shocking how many people still see feminism as a kind of personal quirk. I like to think that every time one of us says we’re feminist, it is normalizing the idea further, though.