The Woman Question -- Where Are They?

These past couple of weeks I've been reading a great deal of commentary in blogs and mailing lists about women doing stuff (and in some cases, not doing). Women blogging. Women writing poems. Women publishing. Women editing. Women reading. Women getting naked. Most of the discussion is by dudes. Nothing wrong with that, in fact, men thinking and talking about the "woman" subject is often a positive step. But as usual, men have a tendency to hijack the subject and own it -- which is different than taking ownership of one's contribution to the situation. The men say, "But the women aren't participating!" and "The women aren't submitting their poems!" and "Oh where, oh where are all the women?"

Maybe these elusive women have been all around you your entire life? Did you ever think of that?

Maybe these elusive women don't want to participate the way you want/expect them to participate?

Maybe these elusive women are alienated/annoyed by the system you are so insistent they need to join to be relevent?

Maybe these elusive women choose/prefer being ignored/overlooked/dismissed than doing "it" like a man?

Maybe these elusive women just aren't that into you?

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.