I agree that I don't want to limit my own readings to things that aren't Xist. I was specifically referring to what we force other people's kids to read.
I'm one of those men who reads mostly male writers. I don't plan it. It just turns out that way. Well, I guess I do plan it in a way. There are women writers on my list, but they keep getting pushed to the bottom.
I suppose I could remedy that. I recently collected all the scraps of paper I had written down books on and was going to consolidate them, but the washing machine got to them before I did. My new list is pretty short and if I were inclined I reckon I could move some women up there. But I really try to keep on top the stuff that I'm really most interested in. For example, War and Peace I've been meaning to read for years and also Pride and Prejudice. But I've wanted to read W&P a lot longer. I started a coupla times and got sidetracked. That's really gonna be next. Then I'm thinking Longitude, but I'm not sure. Then maybe Frankenstein (hey, there's a woman). Assuming that's my order. It might not be. P&P is a ways down on the list, even the new one. If I get to her, it will be an accident really.
It would be good if I could read faster. I have pretty good comprehension, but I read very slowly. I guess I could read a little faster (not much), but I just don't enjoy things much when I do.
For my kids, I don't usually think about the role of the women, with one exception. I can't stand the beautiful, happy princess kinda stories. They're allowed to read them, but they know already that I'm not reading it to them. Usually I think about whether the story is going to be interesting to all of us. My girls have read some of the Little Women excerpts (I guess that's what they are). As I said, I don't really censor what the girls read. When we come across something stupid, we'll often discuss what was stupid about it. Don't you think so-and-so was a jackass? What could this person have done besides act like a bonehead? OTOH, I make a point to brainwash them pretty regularly about *something important*. At least once a week, I talk to them about sex, peer pressure, hormones, drugs, not waiting for a man or anyone else to solve your problems, what have you. Lotta repeats, so they get it all many times. Maybe that's insufficient. It's one thing to say "See this woman is a wimp" and another to let them see how a strong woman acts. On take-your-daughters to work day, I brought them to a meeting where my bosses were two women. I wanted them to see how women could boss men around. I'm not entirely oblivious to the issue. I suppose a little reading to reinforce it would be in order, if I could find something that we're all interested in. The reading thing is more of a bonding thing than an educational one. From the school's persective it's educational. But I've noticed behavioral changes depending on how frequently I read to them. I don't know. I need to think about this a while.
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