Basejumper.com - archive

A friend penned this piece, she is from Zagreb, Croatia. She served in the military and holds a pilots license.

She lists her interests as: What can occupy my seemingly scattered mind? Skydiving, extreme and contact sports, martial arts. Art in any form. History. The obscure, the lost, the distant. Something that has yet to be discovered or re-discovered. I enjoy a good challenge and my mind needs to be constantly stimulated. Writing. Oh, yes, let us not forget writing. It keeps my motor running and gives flight to my wings. Puzzles, coffee, endless discussions and conversations. Nature, astronomy, aerodynamics.

She wrote this piece in response to men telling her she was crazy because she refused to conform, to cower, to run because they said too.

I hope the woman who read it will recognize themselves and that they too refuse to be smashed.

Peace.

Gender Disorder.

Believe it or not, that was a scientific term. It used to be considered a medical condition and it was treated in psychiatry wards and asylums.

Re-education, torture, anti-psychotic medications and electro-convulsive therapy were the usual cure. After centuries and decades of torture, in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Gender Disorder was finally retired from science and medicine and went right where it belongs...back into the darkness of human psyche.

Do you know what a Gender Disorder even was? It was a way to keep disobedient women under control. Women who refused to dress as society expected of them. Women who refused to be beautiful by current social standards. Women who wanted to work, play, live and change the world. If they debated men or fought frequently with their loving husbands? Gender Disorder. If they wanted to wear pants and short hair? Gender Disorder. No make up and rouge? Gender Disorder. She wanted to play with cars instead of dolls? Off to the asylum with her! Off with her head!

It was never easy for me to understand, what makes a certain number of men to try and make women small? What makes them wish women were the weaker sex? Helpless sex? Wouldn't they rather want a strong and great woman beside them to make life grand? I never wanted my men to be weak or small. I never tried to make them such. I did my best to lift them up on my shoulders for a better view of the world.

The perfect example, of which I often like to think is Joan of Arc. The more I thought about her the less insane she seemed. If a peasant woman in 15th century wanted to be anything but merchandise, what was she supposed to do? If she was smart enough to see answers and solutions others didn't? She claimed to be chosen by God and spoken to by God. It was easier for everyone to believe in that than in her abilities. She was given an entire army and the faith of kings. For her efforts and success, she was rewarded by being burned on a pyre. And those pyres didn't stop burning until late 20th century.

Why?
Men-women-men-women. A roller coaster of desire, lust and power.

If you can't control desire, you can control the object of your desire. You can make it small and smash it into dust. Then you're strong, right?

Why?

Give me wings to fly and I will take you with me higher and higher.

~Marina

I think my wife has the gender disorder thingy. After almost 7 years of marriage, she still refuses to wear a birka.

She must be crazy, have you thought about re-education?

Start with the basics, "You man, her woman. You boss. Her do as you say."

Although I warn you that you may end up with those tires around you and her with a can of petrol by her side.

Re-education: it's a lot of hard work and I can't stay focused on anything for too long.
Beatings: She fights back.
Brain washing: it's a lot of hard work and I can't stay focused on anything for too long.


You don't think I've tried that?


Sad but true.

Your inability to stay focused on anything for too long, combined with her strong will doesn't fair well for you.

Unless you want to start over with a new model, you are going to have to accept that you are equals.

Don't worry, I am sure she'll still let you BASE jump on occasion after all your tasks are done around the home. She can't be that crazy.