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