A Green Dog Guide to Male Chauvinism / La Guía del Perro Verde sobre el Machismo

Male chauvinism is when your boyfriend cheats on you and you only get angry with the other girl.
Male chauvinism is when you don’t feel safe going outside at night, even if it’s just nine p.m. and you’re taking the trash out in your sweatsuit. (Why, dear men, do you think we send you to take the trash out so often? Because we’re too lazy?)
Male chauvinism is when you’re responsible for yourself and for your partner in things such as ‘controlling’ him so he doesn’t drink/ smoke/ eat/ drive too fast/ take care of his health. Many times we believe it to the bitter end and demand it of ourselves. We believe that the weight of responsibility should rest on our shoulders. We become that prototypical female: the Nag.
One day, you crash head on with reality: You can only control yourself.
Male chauvinism is when a stranger thinks he has the right to tell you to ‘Smile because you look prettier!’ For your information, I have no need to look pretty to a man I don’t know, or to anyone else for that matter. How many men over 18 have been told to smile by a woman they didn’t know? Not many, I guess… And what would happen to ME, an older woman, if I did such a thing? I’d be that other, more modern, prototypical female: The Cougar. And maybe get a ‘lesson’ for being too outspoken. I’ve never seen that happen to men.
Male chauvinism is when people believe you are a slut because you are attractive. Or that you’re a prude when you’re plain.
Male chauvinism is when your ex says ‘ The only guy that would marry you would be an illiterate country dude if you tricked him!’ ( :..without taking into account your aspect, your education, and any of your qualities.)
Male chauvinism is not encouraging girls to study because no one will hire them anyway.
Male chauvinism is believing that fathers don’t love their children as much as mothers do.
Male chauvinism is saying that a dad is ‘babysitting’ his own children. (Does the mother pay him? Does he pay her?)
Male chauvinism is believing and saying that a drunk woman is more morally dubious than a drunk man, or that a woman who smokes is more morally reprehensible than a man who smokes.
Male chauvinism is saying that you must allow your children to have their own lives, but that once you’re a mother, you’re no longer a woman.
Male chauvinism is thinking that a woman forgives all, understands all, suffers all, as she should because she is the soul of the family.
I am not made of stone, but of flesh and blood.
Step in my shoes if you dare.
Tell me how it feels to never be your own person, never enough, always defined as the Mother, The Daughter, The Wife. Never as You.

~/~

Machismo es que Tu novio Te ponga los cuernos y solo Te enfades con la otra chica.

Machismo es que no Te sientas segura saliendo de casa por la noche aunque Sean las 9 y vayas en Chandal a sacar la basura ( o por qué creen los hombres que los mandamos a ellos si Podemos…por vagas?)

Machismo es que Tu seas responsable de tí y de Tu pareja hasta en cosas Como ‘ controlarlo’ para que no beba/fume/ corra mucho con el coche/ se cuide…y esto las mujeres Muchas veces nos lo creemos hasta el fin y nos lo autoexigimos.Creemos que ese peso debe descansar sobre nuestros hombros y nos convertimos en ese prototipo de mujer: La Gruñona. Hasta que Te das de morros con la realidad: solo Te puedes controlar a tí.

Machismo es que un desconocido se crea con derecho a decirte que sonrias, que estás más guapa. Y es que no me importa estar guapa para un señor que no Conozco, ni para nadie. ¿A cuantos hombres mayores de edad Les pasa? Apuesto que a pocos…¿Qué pasaría si yo, mujer madura, lo hiciera? Me convertiría en ese otro prototipo femenino: La Asaltacunas. Y posiblemente recibiese una ‘lección’ por mi osadía.

Machismo es que Te crean capaz de ser una zorra porque eres guapa o una estrecha porque no lo eres.
Machismo es que tu ex Te diga ‘ Contigo solo se casaría un paleto desesperado y engañado’….a pesar de Tu aspecto y formación académica.

Machismo es no alentar a las niñas a estudiar porque total No las van a contratar.

Machismo es creer que los padres no quieren tanto a sus hijos Como las madres.

Machismo es decir que un papá hace de canguro de sus hijos. (¿La madre le paga ?)(¿y a Ella, él le paga?)

Machismo es pensar y decir que parece peor una borracha que un borracho, o una fumadora que un fumador.

Machismo es decir que a tus hijos los tienes que dejar hacer su Vida, pero que una vez eres madre, dejaste de ser mujer.

Machismo es pensar que una mujer todo lo puede, todo lo aguanta, todo lo Perdona. Y que así debe ser porque Somos ‘ el alma de la familia’.

No soy de piedra, sino de carne y hueso.
Camina en mis zapatos si te atreves.
Dime cómo se siente nunca ser tu propia dueña, nuca ser suficiente, siempre ser LA Madre, La Hija, La Esposa. Nunca ser tú.