If women ruled the world, surely it would be a better place?
(OK, maybe not Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe.)
That intro might appear patronising, coming from a male who is planning to play golf today (Woman’s Day), but it is not meant to be.
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By the way, ‘patronise’ comes from the word ‘patron’ … not ‘pater’ (father)… and is not sexist.
The term ‘fairer sex’ is another story, however.
It was first used by the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer centuries ago and will be seen today as insulting, discriminatory and certainly racist.
One chap, Le Boulanger de Chalussy, even used it in his book: ‘The Art of Making Love: Or Rules for Conduct of Ladies and Gallants in their Amours’.
(Not to be confused with ‘iron maidens’ and ‘armour’, a full metal jacket, which has now been replaced by latex.)
Back then, ‘fairer sex’ meant: ‘Pleasing to the eye’ or ‘a fair maiden’. This could be misconstrued today to mean ‘dilly blonde’!
So the term has morphed into ‘fair’, meaning: ‘More trustworthy, public spirited and just’. It has nothing to do with the colour of one’s skin, hair or brain matter.
(Think ‘Lady Justice’.)
Croatia’s president, Kolinda Grabar-Kiterovi, has featured in this column before, not because of her beauty and blonde hair, but for her intellect and the fine example she set while representing her country at the World Cup in Russia.
A Google search shows there are many female presidents and leaders, but they rarely make international headlines like America’s Donald Trump who is definitely ‘blonde’, but seen by some as ‘un-fair’ in sex and lots of other things.
Would a woman president split up Mexican families or joke about male genitalia? Doubtful.
Woman need our respect at all times and not only for one day of the year.
From experience, a new 60-degree lob wedge is not a wise gift to buy on Woman’s Day, chaps!
And, for the record, I have a pass and plan to have a romantic braai after golf.
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If other thoughtful men are planning to give their women-of-the-house the day off from cooking, please remember that it doesn’t stop at lighting the fire and standing around with beer and tongs.
You have to go to the shop, fix the salad, vegetables and dessert, spice the meat, carry it outside yourself, lay the table, fetch your own beer (pour a glass of wine for your partner while you are at it), go inside, check the vegetables again and, after serving the food… wash the dishes.
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