She did it again (Ooops)

As if two books (one of which I still haven’t finished and one of which I don’t even own - or plan to buy) about the ‘natural place’ of women weren’t enough, Miss Herman has decided to write a third one, this one as a fake interview. ‘Fake’ because, from what I’ve read, the questions are only playing into her hands, allowing her to portrait herself as some sort of martyr. Saint Eva ... or something.

To be honest, I’m slowly getting sick of this. I’m getting sick of the way she always turns up again ... pretty much like Dracula in the “Hammer” movies. (Which I like a lot better than Miss Herman and her books.) Were she a vampire, it surely would be easier ... I’d just have to tip off van Helsing (or one of his descendants) and things would be taken care of. No such luck with her, though, that would be murder - and a bit gross, just for writing stupid books about a stupid theory.

This is especially true as Miss Herman’s ideas about the ‘natural place’ of a woman aren’t exactly new. And neither are the enemies she chooses for herself. The first book I’ve read which claimed it was only natural for women to stay at home and take care of the household and the kids instead of working or having a career was written in 1903 by a Dr. P.J. Möbius (a descendant of the inventor of the Moebius Loop). He was using the argument “nature never intended women to use their brains” to speak sharply against women studying, working or, God help us, being granted the right to vote. And since even before that women who spoke for feminism and against the old powers of patriarchy were demonized, belittled and humiliated by their enemies (usually men and high up in the patriarchal system or women who like the way things were going). So, instead of writing three new books, Miss Herman could just have taken his book, given it a new title, fitted in a few new topic (and discreetly taken a few old ones out), written her name on the cover and published it. Nobody would have realized, I guess. But, of course, she could not have lamented that much about her own dark fate (having a career while her child at home was crying into the phone every evening) that way. Möbius did not do that, naturally. He was a man after all and not supposed to stay at home.

And yes, I know I’m sounding terribly mean right now. I can’t help it, by now Miss Herman is to me what a red piece of cloth is to a Spanish bull: I see it, I lower my head and I charge.

But back to the main point (and away with all that meanness ... could I be related to Dr. Gregory House? ... no, surely not).

Was it really necessary to write three books about a theory that’s been old already when my grandmother got married? (She was born in 1911, if I remember it correctly.)

I say “No”. I could have very well lived without them altogether. But I would not be as poised to attack as I am, had she left it at one instead of recycling her ideas again and again and again.