:D
Honest to god, when I post here, I post the most personal stuff in the world. I post insane opinions unacceptable in most circles, which are only now becoming accepted here because I've continued to post them. Certainly not everything I write is based on facts and figures. I realize I am the last person who should be giving advice on the subject (but maybe all of my experience has made me wise - how do you know?) But if you have something you are passionate about and you think would be beneficial to impart to the world, and a great outlet like ET to use for your medium, go for it. Of all the people here besides J, you've probably made the biggest investment in ET. I don't think you should have to feel the way you do. "Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
They say men prefer to talk about events in terms of problems and solutions. Maybe women prefer to talk about events in terms of personal experiences. I have no idea if there is any truth in that.
BTW, I wanted to tell you, there was a trans-gendered girl on America's Next Top Model this season. It's probably lame that I feel the need to tell you that. But I thought it was interesting. "Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
I was aware of the Isis thing, and but I know that she was on the receiving end of some of the very unkind commentary, both by her fellow contestants as well as the more cerebrally challenged of the US commentariat.
As for the difference about how men and women approach things, again, I think it's true as a tendency across populations, but not necessarily for individuals. I have a female friend who keeps telling me her problems and I sense her frustration when I try to "solve" them for her when she really just wants sympathy. But equally I don't think she quite gets how distressing it is for me to listen to her problems and not be able to help cos she won't take advice. keep to the Fen Causeway
She is probably the most prominent lesbian "feminist" writer in the UK and never hesitates to give the transgendered a kicking. And when we, who have no such pulpit from which to transmit our distress, protest we're told we're bullying and silencing her views.
The most annoying thing is that Stonewall are powerful enough that they have managed to actually get two prominent transgender advocacy organisations to back down on protests. There is a suspicion that some people were told their career prospects in the wider LGB community were under threat if the protests became "official", so we got shafted. keep to the Fen Causeway
But if you have something you are passionate about and you think would be beneficial to impart to the world, and a great outlet like ET to use for your medium, go for it.
Well said.
Fran, if someone tries to say your personal experience can be disproved - that's their problem. But if you presented your personal experience as proving something general, they are entitled to question that. You would only need to back up your report on your own experience with links to evidence if you were claiming some general significance. If not - as poemless says - "go for it". Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.
