h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A19631892
Here it is, have a look and make sure everything is agreeable to you. I changed the double quotes to single quotes as the latter seems to generally be considered nicer looking - is this alright with you? I'm glad you already had the Entry in GuideML, so that plus your perfect writing made this the fastest Polishing job I've done so far.

On the whole it looks great, Wyatt.

"... it is more possible than ever before to transcend stereotypes."

I think this is my original wording, but it seems clunky now that I re-read it. D'you think it would be better as "... it is now more possible to transcend stereotypes"?

Also, could the quotes be removed from 'rejection of my feminine side'? The girl in question didn't use those exact words, and I don't want to be seen to be putting words in her mouth.

Sorry to spring those two things on you just now - you think I could have caught them before... ah well.

All done!

Great, thanks!

..Hope you don't mind me commenting a little.
If you live in a society that is vaguely tribal, i think being male or female is not about gender at all. I think a lot of men feel upset by being stereotyped or prejudged, and perhaps that's why a lot of them prefer the security of the pack.

I read a bit of a book called `Women who run with the Wolves', by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (sorry of that's misspelt.) Think I prefer to be associated with people's ideas rather than gender, but I feel that I think more like a woman than a man, because, according to a good male friend I spoke to, I can multi-task.

As i've got older (I'm 48 this year), I've realised how much were all struggling to be heard, understood, seen, whatever, That's why my creativity is very important to me, especially poetry. All the social change in the world cannot solve emotional problems - everything is a bargain with kindred spirits, i feel.

The rock world seems to allow more gender-bending than anywhere that I know, but female rock artists seem strangely thin on the ground. I'm reminded a bit of the Shakespeare lines 'All the world's a stage..' and try to live with that. Without change or variety, what else is there?

I think you would be interested to know many men are secretly cross-dressers - I've met a few. It was a huge relief to them that i actually still found them attractive and interesting.


Lis {{}}

I don't mind at all, Lis. I love comments.

I think that on a certain level identifying as male or female, masculine or feminine, can often just be a purely visceral thing - it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with making a pair of lists and seeing which has more items on it. Despite the fact that I might project various traditionally "male" characteristics, both in appearance and in social behaviour, I identify as female - based on more or less a gut reaction. That's really all we've got, because (to take your example) many women are good at multi-tasking, but so are many men.

It seems to me in my limited experience that as far as the heterosexual scene is concerned, there are far more male than female rock artists. The famous female musicians often tend to be associated with the other side of the sexual orientation continuum. I of course do not mean to generalize to the point of prejudice, though, so apologies in advance in case I offend someone.

All the world is definitely a stage, something any teenager who has read As You Like It will tell you. It's difficult to say who we really are at this age, because we try on so many identities.

I know some men (well, young men my age) who try on women's clothing. It's no surprise to me. I'm lucky in fact, because it's far easier and more acceptable for a woman to wear men's clothing than for a man to wear women's clothing.

Again, thanks for reading.

..enjoy life while you're young, hun!

I hope to, thank you.