our androcentric culture-第5章

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athletes；　would　never　have　appeared　under　such　circumstances。　　The
confinement　to　the　house　alone；　cutting　women　off　from　sunshine　and　air；
is　by　itself　an　injury；　and　the　range　of　occupation　allowed　them　is　not
such　as　to　develop　a　high　standard　of　either　health　or　beauty。　　Thus　we
have　cut　off　half　the　race　from　the　strengthening　influence　of　natural
selection；　and　so　lowered　our　race…standards　in　large　degree。

This　alone；　however；　would　not　have　hid　such　mischievous　effects　but　for
our　further　blunder　in　completely　reversing　nature's　order　of　sexual
selection。　　It　is　quite　possible　that　even　under　confinement　and
restriction　women　could　have　kept　up　the　race　level；　passably；　through
this　great　function　of　selection；　but　here　is　the　great　fundamental
error　of　the　Androcentric　Culture。　　Assuming　to　be　the　possessor　of
women；　their　owner　and　master；　able　at　will　to　give；　buy　and　sell；　or　do
with　as　he　pleases；　man　became　the　selector。

It　seems　a　simple　change；　and　in　those　early　days；　wholly　ignorant　of
natural　laws；　there　was　no　suspicion　that　any　mischief　would　result。　　In
the　light　of　modern　knowledge；　however；　the　case　is　clear。　　The　woman
was　deprived　of　the　beneficent　action　of　natural　selection；　and　the　man
was　then；　by　his　own　act；　freed　from　the　stern　but　elevating　effect　of
sexual　selection。　　Nothing　was　required　of　the　woman　by　natural
selection　save　such　capacity　as　should　please　her　master；　nothing　was
required　of　the　man　by　sexual　selection　save　power　to　take　by　force；　or
buy；　a　woman。

It　does　not　take　a　very　high　standard　of　feminine　intelligence；
strength；　skill；　health；　or　beauty　to　be　a　houseservant；　or　even　a
housekeeper；　witness　the　average。

It　does　not　take　a　very　high　standard　of　masculine；　intelligence；
strength；　skill；　health　or　beauty　to　maintain　a　woman　in　that
capacitywitness　average。

Here　at　the　very　root　of　our　physiological　process；　at　the　beginning　of
life；　we　have　perverted　the　order　of　nature；　and　are　suffering　the
consequences。

It　has　been　held　by　some　that　man　as　the　selector　has　developed　beauty；
more　beauty　than　we　had　before；　and　we　point　to　the　charms　of　our　women
as　compared　with　those　of　the　squaw。　　The　answer　to　this　is　that　the
squaw　belongs　to　a　decadent　race；　that　she　too　is　subject　to　the　man；
that　the　comparison　to　have　weight　should　be　made　between　our　women　and
the　women　of　the　matriarchatean　obvious　impossibility。　　We　have　not　on
earth　women　in　a　state　of　normal　freedom　and　full　development；　but　we
have　enough　difference　in　their　placing　to　learn　that　human　strength　and
beauty　grows　with　woman's　freedom　and　activity。

The　second　answer　is　that　much　of　what　man　calls　beauty　in　woman　is　not
human　beauty　at　all；　but　gross　overdevelopment　of　certain　points　which
appeal　to　him　as　a　male。　　The　excessive　fatness；　previously　referred　to；
is　a　case　in　point；　that　being　considered　beauty　in　a　woman　which　is　in
reality　an　element　of　weakness；　inefficiency　and　ill…health。　　The
relatively　small　size　of　women；　deliberately　preferred；　steadfastly
chosen；　and　so　built　into　the　race；　is　a　blow　at　real　human　progress　in
every　particular。　　In　our　upward　journey　we　should　and　do　grow　larger；
leaving　far　behind　us　our　dwarfish　progenitors。　　Yet　the　male；　in　his
unnatural　position　as　selector；　preferring　for　reasons　both　practical
and　sentimental；　to　have　〃his　woman〃　smaller　than　himself；　has
deliberately　striven　to　lower　the　standard　of　size　in　the　race。　　We　used
to　read　in　the　novels　of　the　last　generation；　〃He　was　a　magnificent
specimen　of　manhood〃〃Her　golden　head　reached　scarcely　to　his
shoulder〃〃She　was　a　fairy　creaturethe　tiniest　of　her　sex。〃　　Thus　we
have　mated；　and　yet　expected　that　by　some　hocus　pocus　the　boys　would　all
〃take　after　their　father；〃　and　the　girls；　their　mother。　　In　his　efforts
to　improve　the　breed　of　other　animals；　man　has　never　tried　to
deliberately　cross　the　large　and　small　and　expect　to　keep　up　the
standard　of　size。

As　a　male　he　is　appealed　to　by　the　ultra…feminine；　and　has　given　small
thought　to　effects　on　the　race。　　He　was　not　designed　to　do　the
selecting。　　Under　his　fostering　care　we　have　bred　a　race　of　women　who
are　physically　weak　enough　to　be　handed　about　like　invalids；　or　mentally
weak　enough　to　pretend　they　areand　to　like　it。　　We　have　made　women　who
respond　so　perfectly　to　the　force　which　made　them；　that　they　attach　all
their　idea　of　beauty　to　those　characteristics　which　attract　men；
sometimes　humanly　ugly　without　even　knowing　it。

For　instance；　our　long　restriction　to　house…limits；　the　heavy
limitations　of　our　clothing；　and　the　heavier　ones　of　traditional
decorum；　have　made　women　disproportionately　short…legged。　　This　is　a
particularly　undignified　and　injurious　characteristic；　bred　in　women　and
inherited　by　men；　most　seen　among　those　races　which　keep　their　women
most　closely。　　Yet　when　one　woman　escapes　the　tendency　and　appears　with
a　normal　length　of　femur　and　tibia；　a　normal　height　of　hip　and　shoulder；
she　is　criticized　and　called　awkward　by　her　squatty　sisters！

The　most　convenient　proof　of　the　inferiority　of　women　in　human　beauty　is
shown　by　those　composite　statues　prepared　by　Mr。　Sargent　for　the　World's
Fair　of　'93。　　These　were　made　from　gymnasium　measurements　of　thousands
of　young　collegians　of　both　sexes　all　over　America。　　The　statue　of　the
girl　has　a　pretty　face；　small　hands　and　feet；　rather　nice　arms；　though
weak；　but　the　legs　are　too　thick　and　short；　the　chest　and　shoulders
poor；　and　the　trunk　is　quite　pitiful　in　its　weakness。　　The　figure　of　the
man　is　much　better　proportioned。

Thus　the　effect　on　human　beauty　of　masculine　selection。

Beyond　this　positive　deteriorative　effect　on　women　through　man's
arbitrary　choice　comes　the　negative　effect　of　woman's　lack　of　choice。　
Bought　or　stolen　or　given　by　her　father；　she　was　deprived　of　the
innately　feminine　right　and　duty　of　choosing。　　〃Who　giveth　this　woman？〃
we　still　inquire　in　our　archaic　marriage　service；　and　one　man　steps
forward　and　gives　her　to　another　man。

Free；　the　female　chose　the　victor；　and　the　vanquished　went　unmatedand
without　progeny。　　Dependent；　having　to　be　fed　and　cared　for　by　some　man；
the　victors　take　their　pick　perhaps；　but　the　vanquished　take　what　is
left；　and　the　poor　women；　〃marrying　for　a　home；〃　take　anything。　　As　a
consequence　the　inferior　male　is　as　free　to　transmit　his　inferiority　as
the　superior　to　give　better　qualities；　and　does　sobeyond　computation。　
In　modern　days；　women　are　freer；　in　some　countries　freer　than　in　others；
here　in　modern　America　freest　of　all；　and　the　result　is　seen　in　our
improving　standards　of　health　and　beauty。

Still　there　remains　the　field　of　inter…masculine　competition；　does　there
not？　　Do　not　the　males　still　struggle　together？　　Is　not　that　as　of　old；
a　source　of　race　advantage？

To　some　degree　it　is。　　When　life　was　simple　and　our　activities　consisted
mainly　in　fighting　and　hard　work；　the　male　who　could　vanquish　the　others
was　bigger　and　stronger。　　But　inter…masculine　competition　ceases　to　be
of　such　advantage　when　we　enter　the　field　of　social　service。　　What　is
required　in　organized　society　is　the　specialization　of　the　individual；
the　development　of　special　talents；　not　always　of　immediate　benefit　to
the　man　himself；　but　of　ultimate　benefit　to　society。　　The　best　social
servant；　progressive；　meeting　future　needs；　is　almost　always　at　a
disadvantage　besides　the　well…established　lower　types。　　We　need；　for
social　service；　qualities　quite　different　from　the　simple　masculine
characteristicsdesire；　combat；　self…expression。

By　keeping　what　we　call　〃the　outside　world〃　so　wholly　male；　we　keep　up
masculine　standards　at　the　expense　of　human　ones。　　This　may　be　broadly
seen　in　the　slow　and　painful　development　of　industry　and　science　as
compared　to　the　easy　dominance　of　warfare　throughout　all　history　until
our　own　times。

The　effect　of　all　this　ultra　masculine　competition　upon　health　and
beauty　is　but　too　plainly　to　be　seen。　　Among　men　the　male　idea　of　what
is　good　looking　is　accentuated　beyond　reason。　　Read　about　any　〃hero〃　you
please；　or　study　the　products　of　the　illustrator　and　note　the　broad
shoulders；　the　rugged　features；　the　strong；　square；　determined　jaw。　
That　jaw　is　in　evidence　if　everything　else　fails。　　He　may　be　cross…eyed；
wide…eared；　thick…necked；　bandy…leggedwhat　you　please；　but　he　must
have　a　more　or　less　prognathous　jaw。

Meanwhile　any　anthropologist　will　show　you　that　the　line　of　human
development　is　away　from　that　feature　of　the　bulldog　and　the　alligator；
and　toward　the　measured　dignity　of　the　Greek　type。　　The　possessor　of
that　kind　of　jaw　may　enable　male　to　conquer　male；　but　does　not　make　him
of　any　more　service　to　society；　of　any　better　health　or　higher　beauty。

Further；　in　the　external　decoration　of　our　bodies；　what　is　the　influence
here　of　masculine　dominance。

We　have　before　spoken　of　the　peculiar　position　of　our　race　in　that　the
woman　is　the　only　female　creature　who　carries　the　burden　of　sex
ornament。　　This　amazing　reversal　of　the　order　of　nature　results　at　its
mildest　in　a　perversion　of　the　natural　feminine　instincts　of　love　and
service；　and　an　appearance　of　the　masculine　instincts　of　self…expression
and　display。　　Alone　among　all　female　things　do　women　decorate　and　preen
themselves　and　exhibit　their　borrowed　plumage　（literally！）　to　attract
the　favor　of　the　male。　　This　ignominy　is　forced　upon　them　by　their
position　of　economic　dependence；　and　their　general　helplessness。　　As　all
broader　life　is　made　to　depend；　for　them；　on　whom　they　marry；　indeed　as
even　the　necessities　of　life　so　often　depend　on　their　marrying　someone；
they　have　been　driven　into　this　form　of　competition；　so　alien　to　the
true　female　attitude。

The　result　is　enough　to　make　angels　weepand　laugh。　　Perhaps　no　step　in
the　evolution　of　beauty　went　farther　than　our　human　power　of　making　a
continuous　fabric；　soft　and　mobile；　showing　any　color　and　texture
desired。　　The　beauty　of　the　human　body　is　supreme；　and　when　we　add　to　it
the　flow　of　color；　the　ripple　of　fluent　motion；　that　comes　of　a　soft；
light　garment　over　free　limbsit　is　a　new　field　of　loveliness　and
delight。　　Naturally　this　should　have　filled　the　whole　world　with　a　new
pleasure。　　Our　garments；　first　under　right　natural　selection　developing
perfect　use；　under　right　sex　selection　developing　beauty；　and　further；
as　our　human　aesthetic　sense　progresses；　showing　a　noble　symbolism；
would　have　been　an　added　strength　and　glory；　a　ceaseless　joy。

What　is　the　case？

Men；　under　a　too　strictly　inter…masculine　environment；　have　evolved　the
mainly　useful　but　beautiless　costume　common　to…day；　and　women？

Women　wear　beautiful　garments　when　they　happen　to　be　the　fashion；　and
ugly　garments　when　they　are　the　fashion；　and　show　no　signs　of　knowing
the　difference。　　They　show　no　added　pride　in　the　beautiful；　no　hint　of
mortification　in　the　hideous；　and　are　not　even　sensitive　under
criticism；　or　open　to　any　persuasion　or　argument。　　Why　should　they　be？

Their　condition；　physical　and　mental；　is　largely　abnormal；　their　whole
passionate　absorption　in　dress　and　decoration　is　abnormal；　and　they　have
never　looked；　from　a　frankly　human　standpoint；　at　their　position　and　its
peculiarities；