I was Recently Called a Feminist!
Things got kind of ugly when my colleague called me a feminist the other day in response to me calling him a sexist!
It all started around the end of last year when I mentioned the Sexual Harrassment Act.
He response… “what about the way women dress to work?” This from an educated man.
You might as well have waved a red cloth in front of an angry bull.
“I don’t believe you just said that…” was the polite version of my reply. “…the way a woman dresses blah, blah, blah.”
Last week things again flaired up when he asked if he could ask me a personal question.
He wanted to know if I had plans to be married sometime in the future. “Because,” he said “you are argumentative and opinionated and that doesn’t make for a good marriage.”
I was taken aback, but said that fortunately there are a few men who like me for who I am.
“And..” I said “I don’t argue much with someone I’m in love with.”
After that conversation we were a bit frosty with each other for a few hours.
Obviously not frosty enough because he once again came into my office while I was polishing my desk.
“When you’re done there, please come polish mine,” the fool joked. “It’s a woman’s job.”
Me: “You are so sexist.”
He: “It’s part of my Xhosa culture that men are heads of the household.”
Me again: “That’s why I don’t date Xhosa men!”
By now we were both getting upset again.
“You’re a feminist,” he accussed me.
“Damn right,” I replied.
Again we went to our separate corners, but soon enough we started chatting about other stuff.
Until the next time…
