a man about the kitchen-rerun

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Sunday, May 2, 2010

a man about the kitchen

Rerun of a previous story



fiction

edward w pritchard



Feminism has come and is now passe. Diversity has moved on to other more challenging battles.



A man in the kitchen is still a no no. Women want the right to write and tell their own story, earn their own living and pursue their own sins; but only the most enlightened will allow a man in the kitchen. A man in the kitchen is subject to criticism, ridicule, and anger.



The French Chef excepted a man in the kitchen is suspect. Relegated to chili or exiled to the yard to a heavy meat concentration of barbecue. The more modern and innovative vegan recipes and haute cuisines are considered beyond a man.



Woman rule the kitchen with an iron hand. It's not about food it's about power. A man can watch the kids, sit at endless soccer games and attend school conferences but not be in the sacred kitchen. That's the woman's domain. Choosing words carefully, drawn sword like, a woman attempts to define the situation and empower herself and emasculate the bumbling male. Man may not enter the hearth, it is un-natural.



A man in the kitchen is considered shrill. A bitch of sorts. Hysterical. Ludicrous for wanting to enter a woman's world. The matriarchal world defines the limits of a man's venturing into her kitchen. Woman forces man to conform to society's expectations and follow the same tired script and stay out of the kitchen.



A man is not entitled to a place for his tools and things in the kitchen. To suggest otherwise is heresy. Man is considered too inept to even put things in the dishwasher. Popular culture enforces these tired stereotypes.



There are too many boundaries on men when it comes to entering the kitchen. Male friendship or comradely in the kitchen is imbibed with innuendo. Man must keep his place, the garage, the study, or worse, the barbecue pit or tail gate party.



When a man does enter the kitchen successfully such as early 19th century cooks they are labeled freaks, interlopers, shrews. Women control the media concerning who may be in the kitchen and their stories and histories ridicule, mock, condemn, or the ultimate in the anti-male/kitchen stereotypes; men are ignored.



Several men of recent history, the last 149 years have boldly ventured into the kitchen. They made their own life, cooked for themselves, wrote about it in a room of their own, and even made a living from being in the kitchen. Ignoring the iron willed women who condemn their efforts for equal opportunity in the kitchen and outside the home these pacemakers are an inspiration to us all. Not wishing to overturn they cook and fry, and they merely cry out and wish to be heard. To have the food smelled and tasted and to be no longer banned from the kitchen the last battleground in the war between the sexes is their modest desire. Equal opportunity in the kitchen is a war fought by men so they may define who they are and make their rules; and then write and preach about it so other men may follow their path.



Men let's get angry, unite, in brotherhood, the time is ripe- the kitchen awaits- boldly venture forth, sans apron, elbows held high, clutching our sacred light beer, meet us in the kitchen, take control of your destiny.

end

Posted by edward pritchard at 4:27 PM Labels: feminism