The late preeminent classicist Emily Vermeule was known among her male colleagues at Harvard as occupant of the "Cunt Chair." WIth colleagues like that, who needs Islamicists?
Carl Bernstein is a male chauvinist pig, and anyone who saw his ex-wife Nora Efron's "Heartburn" knows it, big time. We just happened to surf into "Watergate Plus 30" this morning -- on something called World (a cable station we didn't even realize we had). 'Sounds like a replay of some old PBS thing, and there's Mr. Bernstein snickering about "Katie's tit." He is referring to the late Katherine Graham, long-time publisher by right of marriage of the Washington Post. We carry no water for her, politically, but Bernstein's gratuitously obscene language makes our blood boil.
His self-satisfied reference to Graham in terms of an indelicate reference to her anatomy reminded us of something an insider once told us about how Harvard profs in the Classics Department used to refer to the position of the one tenured woman in their midst, the late distinguished archaeologist, classicist and art historian, Emily Vermeule: The Cunt Chair.
That got us to thinking of Larry Summers' recent difficulties, but more importantly of Ann Althouse's insights on bathroom politics. Both Larry and Ann (May we call you Larry and Ann? You DO know that Ann is now a Playful Primate!) are hobbled by the weedy underbrush of political correctness that crowds out earnest and honest inquiry in academia. Whether it's the unwatchable Academy Awards, the irresistible release of Martha Stewart from Camp Cupcake or the bathroom thing, Ann always delivers. Re going potty, Ann manages to get the story with perfect pitch and no potty language:
Well, now that you mention it, maybe I should take back my statement that I have "no problem" with the single-user unisex bathroom. The truth is I do. Years ago, the single-user bathrooms in the law school were labeled for one sex or the other. (Usage note: I don't say "gender" for "sex." I don't say "limb" for "leg" either.) In those days, the women's room was one floor up from my office, which was on a floor with a men's room. Nowadays, I can use the bathroom on my own floor. But I much prefer the days when I had to go up a floor, but got to use a women-only room. The simple reason is that a bathroom used by men is dirtier. It doesn't have to be, but it is! Get your act together, guys! It's a wonder women are willing to live with you at all.
Oh, my friends: there is a divide between men and women!
I don't want to say anyone is better than anyone else, but, my friends, we are different! Please, leave us to our separate bathrooms, lest all hell break loose!
Vive la difference!
Update: Prepare for an AnnaLanche.
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