LJ Idol Week 19 "Hear Me Roar"

[puppetmaker]

To save my friends list I'm putting this under a cut.


The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the phrase "hear me roar" are the lyrics to I am Woman by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton which I heard on the radio a lot in the early 70s. It became almost an anthem for women's rights in its time. And it is still used to express a sentiment within certain groups. There is even a web ring entitled "Here Me Roar" that states its purpose as This webring is meant to empower women by linking their own creative and outstanding pages together, and hatred will not be tolerated. A noble concept, but hard to keep.

I think one thing that bothers me about the whole "hear me roar" idea, as it has translated through time, is that women need "safe" places to express themselves without criticism or negative comment (that would be hating). And I see this sort of stereotype perpetuated all the time especially among women and the groups that they form.

I have always had a problem with the concept that women are delicate flowers who must be protected from the horrors of the world. We live through childbirth for Pete sake. We deal with blood and other bodily functions very well. Women are very strong people. We have to be considering what society expects from us. I feel no need to be "empowered" because I am a woman more than I need to be "empowered" because I am dyslexic or that I have blue eyes or half a dozen other things that compose me. All I want is a fair shake.

I was in the middle of the ERA and the push for women's rights. I marched and I signed petitions and brought petitions around to be signed. I belonged to a woman's group in college that worked very hard to point out problems within the university system not just for women but also for minorities. We even took on a case where it was a bunch of white guys who were not getting an even chance. In some cases we won and in others we lost or the change was delayed until after I graduated.

I think one of the reasons I felt so comfortable in theater was that you were judged for your abilities not for your birth. I tended to gravitate to places where ability is more important than gender or skin color or religion or fill in the blank. Book editing was the first time I really ran into that glass ceiling and the old boys club mentality but I dealt with it because I know it is out there and it is only going to change in time. I still do what I can to pick at these sorts of things hoping that maybe I can cause the change that makes the glass break.

I also feel comfortable in fandom because there again the acceptance of people is a given to the group. My biggest problem with fandom, which showed up again this past weekend, is this us vs. them mentality that some fans have about "mundanes" and how they have been picked on and discriminated by the mundanes. Frankly these people could care less about fandom and the people in it. Sure they gave you a wedgie when you were in school or laughed at your hobbies but do you really need to carry this around for 30 years of hating? And teaching your children to hate/distrust mundanes and giving them the feeling that they are superior to most of the human race because they are fen isn't doing them any favors.

Now I am going to reveal something that only people who have known me for a long time know. I growl. I have a back of the throat low growl that I have always been able to do. It freaks out my cats and my husband who is of the opinion that humans shouldn't be able to make that sort of sound. I can roar too. I use to do that for a puppet show but it is very hard in the throat. So if you are standing next to me and hear me growl it means that something has upset me greatly and I might not know that I am doing it. And if you ask nicely and my throat is not sore, I'll let you hear me roar.



Grrrrrr

Comments

[chite.livejournal.com]

You beat me to it! But mine is going to be different :) Great work as usual.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Now you see what I was talking about in the chat last night.

I'm looking forward to reading yours.

[chite.livejournal.com]

I'll probably get it all written out when the babe is down for his nap. As we speak he is climbing up the sofa trying to get at the keyboard, which is distracting, to say the least. hah.

Is that a Labyrinth goblin in your icon?

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Yep. FAO Schwartz has these exclusive Froud plush goblins for sale. This is the kitchen goblin.

[chite.livejournal.com]

Oh good lord, why did you have to tell me that? :)

I had a great time meeting you online last night, by the way! I love putting faces to names.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Me too. I'm glad I could get the system to work finally.

[chite.livejournal.com]

it's up.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

*offers chocolate to console the beast*

*backs away slowly*

:D

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

hee-hee-hee That does work well. *grin*

[kashivoltimand.livejournal.com]

Hahah! GROWL!

I like!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I have no idea where I learned to growl or if it one of those strange things that I just always did. I know only one of my other three siblings has the same ability.

[kashivoltimand.livejournal.com]

How is it an ability? Is it different than normal grrrowling?

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

It's a back of the throat rumble that is hard to describe but if you saw Tarzan with Chris Lambert and he is doing the lion thing. The rumble he starts with is the sound that I make.

[kashivoltimand.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen that! Maybe I don't want to!

[chazari.livejournal.com]

When I heard the topic, that song became stuck in my head. I love me some Helen Reddy.

I hear you on the fandom part. Most mundanes I met as an adult didn't care. They asked questions and didn't make fun. Of course, I'm sure they did talk about it behind my back but who cares? I shook Neil Gaiman's and that is all that matters.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

There ya go. Neil is cool isn't he?

I have turned mundanes into fans but most of those were people who didn't know fandom existed. With the internet it is harder to NOT know that fandom is thriving.

[chazari.livejournal.com]

Fandom shall inherit the Earth...

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

If you consider how many SciFi and Fantasy films are the box office champs of all time, I think you are right.

[tryslora]

:-P I blame you for my love of Helen Reddy. (which is off topic, but it IS all your fault)

[chazari.livejournal.com]

Yup and I am proud of it. Do you have more than Angie Baby?

[tryslora]

I bought a best of CD because of Angie Baby (which is still my favorite).

[cielamara.livejournal.com]

A) You have dyslexia? I didn't know that. That just makes you that much more badass. How have you worked to overcome it? I know it can be very difficult.
B) I just want to tell you that I love reading your entries. I really do. I don't often comment because in some ways I don't feel worthy, but my God, Kathy, you are such an incredibly intelligent and wise woman. I am so thankful that I met you on MW and have a friend like you in my life to inspire me. *hugs*

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

I taught myself to read so I didn't have the problems that most dyslexics had learning to read. No one figured out I was dyslexic until I was a freshman in college. Before that I was always put down as a lazy speller since I alway read at above level.

And I am blushing over the compliments you are paying me. I appreciate each and every word. (hugs)

[tryslora]

*applauds!!!*

Wonderfully said and written.

And I know what you mean about that tweak in fandom. I grew up in fandom, starting when I was twelve, and my kids are therefore third generation fans. But they aren't better than anyone for that reason. Everyone needs to learn to live everywhere.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Thank you *bows*

I had someone take over a panel and rant about the injustices done to her and her family by the mundane world and the more she talked the more I realized that most of this she brought on herself and her family from how she treated mundanes.

[tryslora]

Sadly, difference is as difference does. And so few people get that if you set yourself apart as different, you'll be treated that way (with all that may imply). I decided long ago to be happily out of the closet in all things fannish, and have never encountered a lick of trouble from folks. They know when I leave work to go to SF or RPG conventions (and some have scarily even learned my annual schedule and know when I go to which ones!) and it's never been a big deal.

It makes me kind of sad when I see people set themselves apart, and I wonder if it's out of fear, if they're trying to goad that negative response in the mundane world to justify their withdrawal, so they don't even need to try, y'know?

[eqfe.livejournal.com]

duh, I'm sorry I completely skipped over you piece until I saw your comment is Chite's.

This is an interesting take on this I like it.
One small nit third full paragraph its Pete's not Pete sake.

[rosepurr.livejournal.com]

I confess that the "mundane" thing has pushed me very far out of fandom.

I'd say more about that and feminism and safe places, but you already said it all. :)

[lilmissmagic71.livejournal.com]

Wonderfully said!

[wildcatwrites.livejournal.com]

That song has been in my head since they announced the topic! ;P

Nicely done!

[elva-undine.livejournal.com]

I never got the whole us vs. them mentality among nerds. There was a whole group at college who thought they were intellectually superior because they were picked on in high school, so they made more enemies, which perpetuated the cycle. It's such a load.

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

I was glad to see a couple of entries go this route (and looking forward to reading your take in particular). You did not let me down.

[sushimustwrite.livejournal.com]

Now I'm curious about this roar.