Tuesday, January 29, 2008

"Girl Friday at the University"


Over at Ultra Violet Meena Kandasamy tells us about the tough lessons that young women learn in "the two-hundred-year-old university":

Girl Friday’s Lesson #3:
Your guide is your Crusoe,
Your guide is your crucifix.
Get ready to toil.
Get ready for torture.

Here, she inevitably comes face
to face with the sexual harassment
committee– and its token woman–
that has spent its lifetime bailing out
bald, lecherous supervisors. Here, she
testifies; answers lewd questions;
drives tears back into her petrified eyes.
Here, she carries herself like a bowl
Of milk, ever-ready to shatter, or to spill.

2 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...

    Hi Abi,

    I have been working in industry for 10 yrs in the US and have been offered an associate professorship at IIT-M. I am looking forward to my new position and am also planning to blog about my experiences. I find that you blog with atleast 2 different blog posts everyday. I am amazed at your prodigious output on the blogosphere. When do u get time for research rather how do you divide time between research and the blogosphere? I hope to find time to squeeze in atleast one blog post a week.

    Cheers
    Tanmay

  2. Abi said...

    Hi Tanmay! I'm glad to hear about your impending move to IIT-M. Do send me an e-mail so we can continue this conversation.