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Today’s word for the daily prompt is ‘fishing’. There is nothing I can think of to write about fishing (and yet here I am!). For one, I have never gone fishing, and for another I have never really seen anyone engaged in the activity.
The word itself brings to mind serene and beautiful surroundings with a man sitting with a fishing rod in hand by a beautifully blue lake, patiently waiting for the fish to take the bait. Now, here’s an interesting question: Why does the word bring to mind a man in particular and not a woman?
You bet it is the years of brainwashing.
The strong, silent man, one who loves solitude and can spend hours without speaking a word to anyone, content with only himself for company is something we all have been fed liberally. Still are, as a matter of fact. Pah. As if there aren’t women who love solitude too, and who can spend hours without the need to utter a word. In case you are wondering, yes, there ARE such women. whatever the popular wisdom says to the contrary.
Let me ask you a question. If you entrust the role of running a home and taking care of children and other members of a home to a woman (till recent times that had been her only role), is it fair to accuse her of talking too much? A home is not a machine at the factory which can be used without a word being spoken. It would be like expecting a teacher to do her work without uttering a word in the classroom. The work at home does not get done by silence but through words of instruction, requests, orders, corrections, praise, love, admonition. Those men who crib about women talking ‘too much’ must try it out.
The assigning of clear-cut roles since centuries has led to a visible difference in the way men and women communicate, but it STILL cannot be accepted as absolute truth. There are men who talk the ears off people just as some women. And also indulge in gossip, that supposedly female forte. Talking a lot is thus not gender specific, nor is being silent, but based upon the inclination of individuals. Another important point to note is that men who talk or gossip are NEVER the butt of jokes like women are. Yes, what people find funny is based on gender, it seems. And that, I can tell you is really, really lol-worthy.
©Shail Mohan 2016
Shail's Nest 
I have come across gossiping men…one of my own cousin. We are always very careful when we speak to him. One small news, he will spread it through our community within a couple of days. But he won’t let out any news of his own family. One of my maama also was like him.
I love to be alone but nowadays it is very rare since my husband is a retired man now:)
In real life we do know it is not true that only women gossip and yet the jokes by men are insufferable. On top of that women too believe this nonsense about themselves. Sadly.
I am also in the same boat as you. No longer ‘house to myself’ and ‘waiting for husband to come home’. He is home 😛 😀
I miss those days 🙂 🙂
I couldn’t agree more. In my home, I am the silent one and my husband can talk people’s ears out. I am the one that needs “me” time every day (which I rarely get). He needs to be surrounded by people. That image of a solitary man on a blue lake shore that you describe – I dream of that. My husband would be bored to death out there.
I have thought this very often too – how much we stereotype gender roles.
Yes we do that a lot as a society, stereotyping.
I am basically a silent woman, so much so that I need to push myself to engage in conversations with my peers while at work, where I need to take decisions with their help. Your post throws criticism at the societal norms, which need drastic changes.
I can be silent and/or chatty. It depends on the topic/people 🙂
“Fishing” here in Canada is often depicted in two ways:
paintings of a young boy with a fishing rod slung over is shoulder on the way to “the fishin’ hole”.
TV programs filmed on actual fishing adventures. Admittedly most guests are male, but over the years there are more couples appearing too,
In reality, fishing in Canada these days is often a family experience. It is an outing where kids and parents take a picnic lunch and relax by the shore of a lake or along the banks of a river.
The expensive option where you are flown into a remote location by float-plane, dropped off for a pre-set amount of time (usually 1-2 weeks) for camping and fishing is usually a “male-bonding” practice.
As for the gender “jokes”, I find it is only the 50+ generations of men here who still engage in such action. Even then, if they try it among younger men they are quickly chastised outright for their archaic behaviour.
Canada seems a lovely place, Sam. 🙂 Thank you for the informative comment.
So true! I was in a college group with a majority of boys and their gossiping capacity was unbelievable. Yet it’s women who are always assumed to be the gossipmongers.
There you have it. Proof that gossip knows no gender.