Subject:      ASSC: AFTSD: Delurk and a Half
From:         ding@dang.com (Calligram)
Date:         1997/12/02


Organization: Diety Moratorium Committee


   Well, how long have I been lurking?  I remember when the Pope's

headquarters was at NC.  Hell, I remember when the Pope used to post

regularly.  I remember Atomic Dog.  I miss RJ, he was always a welcome

voice in a discussion.  I remember the Siren PL incident, the rise and

fall of Doug Lee, Sayla, what was the name of that creep from Boston that

began with an M?, not to mention the strange dude in Arizona who liked to

give dancers backrubs in the name of holy bejesus who knows what.  

   So why haven't I posted before?  Well, there was a time that I thought

I might join in things, then it got to be spammier and spammier around

here, so what the heck.  And besides, although I deeply enjoy strip clubs

and the subculture that surrounds them, I can't say that I really get much

of a chance to go to them all that often.  When I do, its usually in San

Jose, which is not all that exciting, although I occasionally make it into

a San Francisco club, which is a whole other story.  Which is why I like

reading stuff from the SF crowd, and if I close my eyes I can almost

picture Bob Smythe in his pajama bottoms, though I don't think I've ever

laid eyes upon the gentleman.  

   So why post now?  Because I saw Sai Baba's post about a month ago

concerning AFTSD, and yes, I have enjoyed reading this newsgroups for

years, and so maybe its about time I expressed some form of appreciation.

   So here is a question that I have often pondered.  Why do women seem to

have it, and men seem to want it, and not the other way around?  I mean,

think about it.  Sure there are male strippers, and male prostitutes that

cater to women, but they are an exception to the rule.  And the rule is

that throughout history, as far as I can tell, its the women who've got

it, and the men who are after it.  Seems to me in some anthropology class

back in my youth I remember something about Claude Levi-Strauss basing his

whole theory of kinship on just such a proposition.  Now think about that

woman in your office that the men all like to eyeball.  If she announced

that she was willing to sleep with just about anybody, how many offers do

you think she would get?  Quite a few, probably.  Now think if one of the

men in the office made the same offer?  It would be like, "sure, in your

dreams, like we don't already know that is what you would like to do." 

Even in cyber space, its the men that are chasing and the women that are

being chased.  The times when the situation is reversed are rare, though

probably less rare than before. And to put it in strip club terms, what

makes the women the sellers, and the men the buyers?

   One last thing before I end this here first post.  Occasionally on this

newsgroup there are some virulent anti-gay sentiments expressed, something

that would not be polite in this part of California.  Now I'm originally

from elsewhere, and I know the place such sentiments come from.  But it

seems ironic to me that we can bemoan intolerance of strip clubs, etc.

etc. and yet not be able to tolerate somebody who likes to do it in a way

that is different from the way that we might like to do it.  And that

bothers me.  And if this pushes your buttons, look in the mirror. 

   So thanks again guys, and occasionally gals, for the years of

entertainment.  And if I don't see you in the future, I'll see you in the

pasture.



Calligram