European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 06, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 20 the stars and stripes monday june 6, 1977anthology feminist humor. I a fms t her Stmarie we Wlamson on it you can associated press he pure mothers of the women s. Movement often attracted followers not so t much for their ideology As for their wit and to show that today s women make equally Good use of humor As a weapon inthe Battle of the sexes Indiana University professor Gloria Kaufman is compiling a anthology of feminist humor. Humor is really important for Kaufman says. If we Are Able to laugh about something that frightens us like rape or oppression it puts some Dis Tance Between us and those problems. People who survive the Best Are generally those wit the Best sense of humor she also believes that a sense of humor is a measure of intellect and the accusation that feminists have no sense of humor is As damaging As an accusation of stupidity. Her anthology still la the material fathering stage and As yet unseen by potential to busters is designed to provide women with documentation of the humorous aspects of the straggle for Equality. She combines historical feminist humor with modern anecdotes one liners Light verse graphics and cartoons to show that times Haven t really changed collection indicates that feminist humor is not As often anti male As it is pro female. And the use of tour letter words and off color humor was As prevalent in past centuries As it is a 15lh Century manuscript a talk of ten wives on their husbands Ware women discuss their mates sexual prowess in graphic but humorous terms. And in the july 1654 Issue of the merry mercuric the follow ing Exchange is published a Man following a gentlewoman that was very hand some bodied As he passed her viewed her face and not finding those features to answer his expectation said lady if i had liked you As Well before As behind i would have kissed you kiss where you like sir quoth feminist humor is often satirical and nothing appears to be taboo. Here is a sampling of Kaufman s collection from Grace Greenwood s poem mistress o bad ferry on the woman question written before 1885 of Bridget cod save i from voting for sure As tha blessed Sun Rolls Well land in the slate House or Congress then what will become of our Sonja How aver non to Toucan to Vii stand the heat stay out of the Kitchen laments the logic of tons sentiment cannot be denied somehow though to Trotno Nind " Sord?1a�uenw. From a woman s hands saying knowing you re reasonably Safe from rapists sneaking of rapists she continues even the most diehard i feminist must admit that s one thing men do slogans and bumper stickers Trust in god. She will provide Adam was a rough draft a woman s place is in the House and the Senate Don t Iron while the strike is hot in the Happy housewife Speaks Kay Kel Tey s fanciful line drawing of a woman is accompanied by these words the equal rights amendment has just been rescinded in Tennessee because of the argument that preg Nant women could be sent to the Battlefront but i wonder Why they would t be classified 4-f As any Man would Bein the same situation a photograph of former israeli prime minister Goldamer carries the caption but can she Type be has a Corner onto pression but housewives Are working on it Burton says i went to the grocery store that s my Little Outing i love going to the grocery store All thed olm and colors crouching there in the aisle with your adrenalin surging until toe exciting moment when Yon find a mistake in the posted unit Price. Poor old Albert Al Nasuto i always think stuck in slab calculating Infinity while mrs. Einstein what s her name had All and Alice Duer Miller s Why we oppose pocket for women the 1915 response to arguments about Why women should be denied the vote has become a classic " 1. Because pockets Are not a natural right. 2. Because the great majority of women do not want pockets. If they did they would have them. 3. Because whenever women have had pockets the have not used them. 4. Because women Are required to carry enough things As it is without the additional Burden of pockets. 5. Because it would make dissension Between husband and wife As to whose pockets were to be filled. 6. Because it would destroy Man s chivalry toward woman if he did not have to carry All her things in his pockets.7. Because men Are men and women Are women. We must not Fly in the face of nature.8. Because pockets have been used by men to carry to Bacco pipes whisky flasks chewing gum and compromising letters. We see no reason to suppose that women would use them More s no joking matter by Gordon Hanson associated press joke is funnier when a woman is the butt of the Story a University of Wisconsin re searcher says. Joanne Cantor 32, an instructor in communications arts tested students and determined they enjoyed a joke less when a Man was put Down. Here Are two samples of her research jokes. A Man at a cocktail party says Madam you Are drunk. You Are very very woman replies sir you Are stupid. You Are very very stupid. But at least i have the Consolation of knowing that tomorrow morning when i Wake up i la be that joke the woman disparages the Man. Is in funnier than this version in which the male dominates the female a movie actor whose autobiography has just been published was asked by an actress i saw your new Book. Who wrote it for you actor i m so glad you enjoyed it. Who read it to you if you Are like most of the people in the study you picked the second joke. Cantor says i took jokes that occurred Between male and female characters and had each written into two versions one in which the male got the last laugh at the expense of the female and one in which the female got the last did t know there were two versions to each joke. They were Given Bunch of jokes and asked which were fun Niest. They picked jokes in which male dominated females More often. Cantor started her study on 34 male and 34 female students at the univer sity of Pennsylvania in 1970. She did a second study involving 68 male and s3 female students at the University of Wisconsin in 1975. Both males and females found a female victim of a joke to be funnier than a male Cantor said but in the last study females held this Bias More strongly than males she says she believes there Are two Rea sons Why a male dominates female Story is for centuries or forever has been predominately a male Domain humor writers and performers were predominantly male with men disparaging the female. But we re not used to seeing women disparaging the , in our society it s inappropriate for women to have a Snappy or sarcastic comeback. So we perceive a Man with a sarcastic comeback As witty and Clever but a woman who makes the very same comment is perhaps perceived As Bitchy by Ermo bomb cd at wits end we All marry for belter or for you Don t know How Tad it can get until you find out you re stuck with an i Don t courtship the i Don t dance ers mislead you i Don t believe i said that. They re the first ones on the door pushing your Arm up and Down like they re priming a pump and mane vering around Between couples dipping and swaying. It was t until our wedding recep Tion when the orchestra played the anniversary Waltz that i knew i had been conned. The crowd made a Circle around my new husband and me to Lead the dancing when be turned to me and said. Please not tonight. I have a if his excuses for not dancing were Laid end to end. They would encircle Ann Miller s teased hair 30 times these Are som of his better ones it s too crowded. Wait till in thins one else is dancing wait until there s a stardust is too fast. Let s wait until the Tempo slows Down a varicose veins have been acting up the song is almost finished. Let s wait until next new year just got Here an hour ago. Give me a Chance to did t you mention you wanted to dance before i unbuttoned my jacket through the years i have resigned myself to sitting around listening to the music and watching my feel swell under the table 1 Tell myself he s a Good provider loves children and is kind to my Mother in Law. But i could t resist mentioning his Handicap the other night As we watched a period movie. The hero moved across the floor and chose his dancing partner a Beautiful woman of mystery. Together they joined a line of about 50 other people and went through a routine of counting Steps swaying dipping turning bowing and skipping that would have baffled the Ohio state marching band. At the same time mind you the hero carried on a conversation that was provocative suggestive Willy and political without missing a beat. Would you look at that i exclaimed to my husband. Face it. Bunkie. You would never have hacked the Virginia my husband took note of the dancer resplendent in cutaway coat powdered wig. Lace Over the hands Satin Vest and buckled shoes and observed. Without his sup Phose. He d be sitting it out like the rest of us k Al
