Thursday, March 14, 2013

I'm A Boy II

Let's go back for a moment to my post about what little boys want. What I said was that they want to be little girls but upon further consideration - perhaps that's not what I meant. It's not that they want to be little girls rather they want the trapping that little girls are entitled to.
At church on Sunday the minister talked about Bread and Roses on account of Women's History Month. Bread and Roses has an historical reference but roughly it means demanding not only the means by which to survive (bread) this life but also demanding a life with some beauty in it (roses).
I was reminded of when Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance sing that all they ask is "life, with just a touch of poetry in it." 
It also reminded me of a scene in the play "I Read about my Death in Vogue Magazine" when the actresses come out dressed as men, pick up a handful of women's accouterments and utter phrases like, "I'm burning these - women's things," and "I'm studying these - women's things," and "I'm confiscating these - women's things." 
I think what the boys want is what those striking factory workers in Lawrence wanted one hundred and one years ago, not just to be provided for, but a little art, a little beauty, a little poetry, beaded bracelets with big colorful flowers on them along with the freedom to enjoy life's roses. Seems to me men are only respected when they stick to the bread side of things.

song: I'm a Boy • artist: The Who

No comments: