Joanna Russ: I think,"...

I think," said my neighbour, her chin very high in the air (and still spiffed, I am glad to say) "that women who`ve never married and never had children have missed out on the central experiences of life. They are emotionally crippled."Now what am I supposed to say to that? I ask you. That women who`ve never won the Nobel Peace Prize have also experienced a serious deprivation? It`s like taking candy from a baby; the poor thing isn`t allowed to get angry, only catty. I said, "That`s rude, and silly," and helped her to mashed potatoes....."You can`t catch a man.""That`s why I`ll never be abandoned," said I. Fortunately she did not hear me. Did I say taking candy from babies? Rather, eating babies, killing babies, abandoning babies. So sad, so easy.
/Joanna Russ/