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history lies in the development of this human…ness。
Our historic period is not very long。 Real written history only goes
back a few thousand years； beginning with the stone records of ancient
Egypt。 During this period we have had almost universally what is here
called an Androcentric Culture。 The history； such as it was； was made
and written by men。
The mental； the mechanical； the social development； was almost wholly
theirs。 We have； so far； lived and suffered and died in a man…made
world。 So general； so unbroken； has been this condition； that to
mention it arouses no more remark than the statement of a natural law。
We have taken it for granted； since the dawn of civilization； that
〃mankind〃 meant men…kind； and the world was theirs。
Women we have sharply delimited。 Women were a sex； 〃the sex；〃 according
to chivalrous toasts； they were set apart for special services peculiar
to femininity。 As one English scientist put it； in 1888； 〃Women are not
only not the racethey are not even half the race； but a subspecies
told off for reproduction only。〃
This mental attitude toward women is even more clearly expressed by Mr。
H。 B。 Marriot…Watson in his article on 〃The American Woman〃 in the
〃Nineteenth Century〃 for June； 1904； where he says： 〃Her constitutional
restlessness has caused her to abdicate those functions which alone
excuse or explain her existence。〃 This is a peculiarly happy and
condensed expression of the relative position of women during our
androcentric culture。 The man was accepted as the race type without one
dissentient voice； and the womana strange； diverse creature； quite
disharmonious in the accepted scheme of thingswas excused and
explained only as a female。
She has needed volumes of such excuse and explanation； also； apparently；
volumes of abuse and condemnation。 In any library catalogue we may find
books upon books about women： physiological； sentimental； didactic；
religiousall manner of books about women； as such。 Even to…day in the
works of Marholmpoor young Weininger； Moebius； and others； we find the
same perpetual discussion of womenas such。
This is a book about menas such。 It differentiates between the human
nature and the sex nature。 It will not go so far as to allege man's
masculine traits to be all that excuse； or explain his existence： but it
will point out what are masculine traits as distinct from human ones；
and what has been the effect on our human life of the unbridled
dominance of one sex。
We can see at once； glaringly； what would have been the result of giving
all human affairs into female hands。 Such an extraordinary and
deplorable situation would have 〃feminized〃 the world。 We should have
all become 〃effeminate。〃
See how in our use of language the case is clearly shown。 The
adjectives and derivatives based on woman's distinctions are alien and
derogatory when applied to human affairs； 〃effeminate〃too female；
connotes contempt； but has no masculine analogue； whereas
〃emasculate〃not enough male； is a term of reproach； and has no
feminine analogue。 〃Virile〃manly； we oppose to 〃puerile〃childish；
and the very word 〃virtue〃 is derived from 〃vir〃a man。
Even in the naming of other animals we have taken the male as the race
type； and put on a special termination to indicate 〃his female；〃 as in
lion； lioness； leopard； leopardess； while all our human scheme of things
rests on the same tacit assumption； man being held the human type； woman
a sort of accompaniment aud subordinate assistant； merely essential to
the making of people。
She has held always the place of a preposition in relation to man。 She
has been considered above him or below him； before him； behind him；
beside him； a wholly relative existence〃Sydney's sister；〃 〃Pembroke's
mother〃but never by any chance Sydney or Pembroke herself。
Acting on this assumption； all human standards have been based on male
characteristics； and when we wish to praise the work of a woman； we say
she has 〃a masculine mind。〃
It is no easy matter to deny or reverse a universal assumption。 The
human mind has had a good many jolts since it began to think； but after
each upheaval it settles down as peacefully as the vine…growers on
Vesuvius； accepting the last lava crust as permanent ground。
What we see immediately around us； what we are born into and grow up
with； be it mental furniture or physical； we assume to be the order of
nature。
If a given idea has been held in the human mind for many generations； as
almost all our common ideas have； it takes sincere and continued effort
to remove it； and if it is one of the oldest we have in stock； one of
the big； common； unquestioned world ideas； vast is the labor of those
who seek to change it。
Nevertheless； if the matter is one of importance； if the previous idea
was a palpable error； of large and evil effect； and if the new one is
true and widely important； the effort is worth making。
The task here undertaken is of this sort。 It seeks to show that what we
have all this time called 〃human nature〃 and deprecated； was in great
part only male nature； and good enough in its place； that what we have
called 〃masculine〃 and admired as such； was in large part human； and
should be applied to both sexes： that what we have called 〃feminine〃 and
condemned； was also largely human and applicable to both。 Our
androcentric culture is so shown to have been； and still to be； a
masculine culture in excess； and therefore undesirable。
In the preliminary work of approaching these facts it will be well to
explain how it can be that so wide and serious an error should have been
made by practically all men。 The reason is simply that they were men。
They were males； avid saw women as femalesand not otherwise。
So absolute is this conviction that the man who reads will say； 〃Of
course！ How else are we to look at women except as females？ They are
females； aren't they？〃 Yes； they are； as men are males unquestionably；
but there is possible the frame of mind of the old marquise who was
asked by an English friend how she could bear to have the footman serve
her breakfast in bedto have a man in her bed…chamberand replied
sincerely； 〃Call you that thing there a man？〃
The world is full of men； but their principal occupation is human work
of some sort； and women see in them the human distinction
preponderantly。 Occasionally some unhappy lady marries her
coachmanlong contemplation of broad shoulders having an effect；
apparently； but in general women see the human creature most； the male
creature only when they love。
To the man； the whole world was his world； his because he was male； and
the whole world of woman was the home； because she was female。 She had
her prescribed sphere； strictly limited to her feminine occupations and
interests； he had all the rest of life； and not only so； but； having it；
insisted on calling it male。
This accounts for the general attitude of men toward the now rapid
humanization of women。 From her first faint struggles toward freedom
and justice； to her present valiant efforts toward full economic and
political equality； each step has been termed 〃unfeminine〃 and resented
as an intrusion upon man's place and power。 Here shows the need of our
new classification； of the three distinct fields of lifemasculine；
feminine and human。
As a matter of fact； there is a 〃woman's sphere；〃 sharply defined and
quite different from his； there is also a 〃man's sphere；〃 as sharply
defined and even more limited； but there remains a common spherethat
of humanity； which belongs to both alike。
In the earlier part of what is known as 〃the woman's movement；〃 it was
sharply opposed on the ground that women would become 〃unsexed。〃 Let us
note in passing that they have become unsexed in one particular； most
glaringly so； and that no one has noticed or objected to it。
As part of our androcentric culture we may point to the peculiar
reversal of sex characteristics which make the human female carry the
burden of ornament。 She alone； of all human creatures； has adopted the
essentially masculine attribute of special sex…decoration； she does not
fight for her mate as yet； but she blooms forth as the peacock and bird
of paradise； in poignant reversal of nature's laws； even wearing
masculine feathers to further her feminine ends。
Woman's natural work as a female is that of the mother； man's natural
work as a male is that of the father； their mutual relation to this end
being a source of joy and well…being when rightly held： but human work
covers all our life outside of these specialties。 Every handicraft；
every profession； every science； every art； all normal amusements and
recreations； all government； education； religion； the whole living world
of human achievement： all this is human。
That one sex should have monopolized all human activities； called them
〃man's work；〃 and managed them as such； is what is meant by the phrase
〃Androcentric Culture。〃
OUR ANDROCENTRIC CULTURE； or； THE MAN…MADE WORLD
II。
THE MAN…MADE FAMILY。
The family is older than humanity； and therefore cannot be called a
human institution。 A post office； now； is wholly human； n