One short post; then I won't mention it again for the rest of the year...
;-)
I still talk to Nory now and again and after I mentioned a couple ladies
she knew who have dropped off the list she asked if there were -any- ladies
left on the list at all...
Have you noticed how quiet most of the female listers have been for the
last couple of months??
Obviously the vast majority of folks on this list (and likely most car
lists) are "guys". Since we can't actually 'see' who is in the room we
seem to forget ourselves and behave as if there are -only- men here and we
get a little overly boisterous and careless with our language and attitudes.
Most, or even all, of us are probably guilty to one extent or another.
If we have driven some of these ladies away, or even unintentionally
made them uncomfortable to the point that they've gone back to just lurking,
then I think we have done them -and ourselves- a grave disservice.
The two ladies I've talked to who have left this list said this was not
-their- reason for leaving; but, how 'bout all the other nice ladies we
don't hear from any more? If they were all still here and participating
we would have a sizable contingent of very nice women actively working on
-Spridgets- and -enjoying- them -with- us. Easily four times the number who
are currently posting to the list even semi-regularly!
How many of us post barely disguised cuss-words? There are milder words
to express the same basic sentiment that don't need to be spelled #$$*!.
Using them makes you sound more mature and in control of yourself. And both
safer and more pleasant to be around.
How many have posted a comment about "the wife"? You don't want to claim
her as "MY wife"??? You chose to marry her!
How many times have we seen (heard?) someone jump down another lister's
throat over something they said derogatory? Sometimes they even found out
later that they had misread the comment in the first place. How do you
feel about walking into an unfamiliar situation on your own knowing that
you're in a situation where you're not expected to really understand what's
going on (even by the friendlier denizens) and then see some of the regulars
yelling at other regulars? (Actually, I can remember an instance when one
of the ladies even asked me about the probable intent of a response she got
from one of the other ladies on the list! :-) )
I -promise- I don't mean this in a "politically correct" kind of way (I
have little respect for the P.C. Police), and I -REALLY- do NOT want this
to turn into another long thread (sorry about that, Jay!). There's no need
for any replies to be posted to the list; ;-) but, may I please suggest that
we all consider the ladies' more in future? If you/we really feel the need
to get loud with someone, maybe it could be done off-list and then, if
appropriate, just whatever final agreement is reached be calmly posted.
I would really like to see more ladies/women/girls/females -happily- and
-comfortably- participating on the Spridgets list!
Thank you for your patience!
Ed in NC
(Well, maybe not so "short" as I had thought... ;-)
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