As many of my readers might know I have been going back to school. For me this is becoming a wonderful choice for a number of reasons. I love to watch people and how they interact with myself in or around their circles. SO new to all my wonderful class mates I am learning from watching you. This is not a bad thing nor will I ever make it out to be. In fact some of the lessons I am being taught have really opened up my eyes to Male/female interaction. Now I am not talking about Male Privilege what I am looking at is from my point of view how men talk when women are around them.

For example today I was questioning a quest speaker when experienced something that I have seen men do to women quite often. I am not going to talk about Mansplaining, what it is or seems to be is a disconnection of polite conversational skills. This is not an issue of being rude but more of a point of quite possibly hierarchy and the outdated ideals that what a man might say carries more importance.

It was very unusual experience but when I looked at another woman in the room it felt like there was a form of unspoken conversation that took place between the two of us. So much so it felt like she was saying welcome to womanhood with just a look. I think that men don’t know when they are projecting this form of communication. Much like most men might not understand the nuisances of nonverbal female communication. It does not make it right or wrong but possibly a form of normalization through years of male patriarchy. Now all and all I could be 100% wrong, but I can never recall seeing a woman doing this act.

Learning new things from close interacting thanks to my class mates is the openness that some of them have to say such kind “Female Gendered” compliments. Such as “Ally, you look nice today”. In the beauty of the kindness it took me back a bit as not being used to such a compliment from someone I hardly know. There have been other events that have raised an eyebrow or two, mind you all of them very positive.

The school is also in a learning stage when it comes to dealing and talking with Transgender community. In fact it has been done with so much respect that I feel like I am cared for as a person not just a student. I look forward to each week and the new lessons that I am being taught.