Some months ago I took my annual vacation to the land of kangaroos--you know--where men are men and sheep are skittish? As a social commentator I have a vested interest observing cultural changes and trends, etc. In the professions and trades in Oz the genders dress as androgynous as their counterparts in the US. But it's my opinion that the casual situation reveals more about people and perhaps the culture and trends. At first I needed a translator---Ozzie english was as foreign to my ears as Chinese must be to an Israeli.
Anyhow, I got to visit a flea market or swap meet to get a first hand view. Unlike most yanks Ozzie males and females are easily recognizable; females have thicker or longer scalp hair and males shorter. Determining the masculine and feminine traits however, was just as difficult as in the 'States. Males wore traditional masculine attire: so did the females. And the females walked with the masculine gait just like their sisters in the 'States.
I observed several females that had feminine traits--long hair, dainty gestures and that alluring hip swinging gait which is magnified when women wear dresses or skirts. Admittedly, these creatures weren't what one could describe as beautiful, nor were they curvaceous, but feminine-looking they were. Out of thousands there that particular day these were but five in number.
Wandering further through the market I stumbled onto a booth 'manned' by three polynesian-looking women; they were quite stunning in their long muumuu dresses---and extremely feminine looking with long black hair, colored earings, chokers and things.. Of all the things they were offering for sale were very feminine, hand-made textile acoutrements that surely would have made the ugliest of women look good.
Approaching their booth I commented,"I bet you don't sell much of that here?" Their reply caught me off guard---they spoke fluent American english, western style, no pidgin."No", came their reply, "how can you tell?". "That's easy", I said. With a quizzical look on their face said,"Tell US then!"
"Have a look at the women here--would you say any are feminine"?, I asked. "Masculine Bitches" they shot back, which sent me into raucous laughter. Business was slow and we got to talk at length. These were women who loved to cook and sew and keep house; having children is an integral part of their lives. I immediately proposed marriage, but the Ozzie version of Refrigerator Perry(remember him?) tumbled out of the back of his yoot (that's what they call a pickup truck) and looked at me menacingly. The oldest said, "That's my husband--if you can kill him in hand to hand combat you get me". I think I managed to offend them by offering instead to flip a coin for her hand. Prudence told I should pass on this challenge. "Is there any more like you in Hawaii", I asked.
Their answer is found in this question:-Where do you think I'm going for this year's vacation?
