Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 12:32:58 -0600 (CST)<br>
 Bonnie Jean Jardine <br>
 
Subject: micro-essay #4

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In class we have discussed cross dressing in the 16th century and its
implications on the society and culture.  We have made vague links of
those same implications that occur in our current society.  I think it is
humorous that our society often takes for granted the thought that we have
gained so much ground in our personal relationships and societal views
and that we are a much wiser society than those we look back upon.  We've
looked at a culture who made a mockery of cross-dressing.  How dare some
one cross the lines that the society had set back then, the line between
decency and shame.  How better to hide something shameful to a society
than to cover it up with humour.  This whole concept sounds very familiar
to me.  For as far as we think we have come in the twentieth century we
really seem to have not come far at all.  Isn't all of this exactly what
we still do today?  Our SOCIETY claims to be open minded but in fact if
you look closely enough , indeed many times you need not look too close to
find the true nature of our society, we mock the idea of cross dressing.
Those that do are often accosted, made fun of, ridiculed.  We have sitcoms
that make fun of it, comedy skits, movies of the week.  We are trying to
do the same as the soctiety's of the 16th century cover up our shame with
laughter, making a joke.  How far we think that we have come and yet it
seems to me that we, as a society, have not moved an inch.     


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