Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site dciem.UUCP
Path: utzoo!dciem!martin
From: martin@dciem.UUCP (Martin Tuori)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: new discussion: can a woman ...
Message-ID: <665@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-Feb-84 10:18:57 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.665
Posted: Wed Feb  1 10:18:57 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Feb-84 13:25:29 EST
References: <1343@stolaf.UUCP>
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 23

---
Tom Twiss asks:
... can a woman be a good musician without agressiveness, or i.e. can only
men or women with male traits be good musicians/presidents/astronauts/ ...

I think there are stereotypical assumtions hiding in the question, Tom.
How would you define a 'good musician'? Shall we define it in terms of
precise, controlled, (dare I say?) mechanical playing of classical
music, that should be listened to by a perfectly silent audience dressed
in evening wear? Shall we measure the quality of rock music (in part)
by the volume a band can crank out? These are the kinds of qualities
that I sometimes see used in measuring a person's performance, and it
disturbs me. I don't mean to suggest that these characteristics aren't
important; but so are feeling, and above all, an audience that's having
a good time.

There may well be behavioural differences between the sexes, originating
in biological differences. In discussing them, let's seek measures
that transcend the male-dominated and Victorian history from which
we are (hopefully) emerging.
-- 
Martin Tuori
{allegra,decvax,duke,floyd,linus}!utzoo!dciem!martin