Okay Observations so far...

pink shirt day
Originally uploaded by amcati.

I have a lot to say these days - and time to say it I guess.

My first class was this morning. I am by far the oldest in the class. I would say the next two close to my age are probably, maybe like 28, 30 tops. Everyone is Seniors and many of them are graduating in August. No freshman.

The class is taught by a grad student, which I am fine with, I have had some other good classes taught by grad students before so that's cool, whatever. Here's what was of note;

I almost freaked out when we started with an opening prayer. WHAT? Did we always do that and I forgot? I mean I went here for a long time, I don't remember the opening prayer bit...but maybe I just forgot that detail. That seemed so weird. I mean, it was nice in a way too - but I just feel so...alien to all of this.

Okay the class is on sex and gender and so after we've done all our little introductions and everything (and several people are amazed that I am doing this whole Phoenix commute business), the next thing he mentions is do we stereotype people with facial hair. And I speak up and say "well, you mean mormons...or in general?" and then that's a whole discussion because somehow these people don't realize that our stereotypes of facial hair or not the stereotypes of the world. I mean, sort of they know this, but REALLY they do not know this because they are now - even if they were originally from California or where ever - they are now so deep into the mormon culture thing that they don't get it at all. And for the first time all morning I realize that Mr. Grad Student/Professor has a little goatee. And honest to goodness, I did not even realize it, I did not even give it a second thought but apparently almost everyone else did and they were kind of freaking out because they aren't allowed and here the teacher is wearing facial hair. I was stunned in silence for a minute.

Then next he says "what about my shirt...who noticed anything about my shirt?". And right away about half the classes hands shoot up or they all start talking at once and I am so confused because he's dressed very nice. In fact, I remembered thinking right away that my first impression of him is that he was a well dressed good looking guy, shirt, tie...looked nice, looked good.

I did not take note of the fact that he had on a pink shirt and a lavendar tie. Not except to think that he was well dressed. That's it.

Apparently many, many other people in the class thought that was "off". Apparently it is not "masculine" to wear a pink shirt (did we not break this stereotype somewhere around 1985...I mean seriously?!)

Frankly I am stunned. And I have to speak up. I said "are you guys serious? you realize this is just a Utah thing or a mormon thing right?". And they argued with me. They so said no, it isn't - wherever you go there is a bias against guys wearing pink. I kinda went off at that point. I mean, I have husband, an attorney husband who just wore a pink shirt to COURT last week with his black suit and he looked very nice and certainly no one gave it a second thought. My teenage son wears pink shirts all the time. And I think they have now concluded that I am some sort of "liberal" and "off".

But I'm excited about it because I think I will definitely have things to say in this class. They made us break into small groups for a part of it and I absolutely HATE that, because by nature I am just kind of anti-social. I would rather just stay in my little corner and be anonymous. But I can tell that this class is going to force me into not doing that.

And I think maybe because I am so much older than the rest of them - I can't just keep quiet. Because frankly I am old enough to be some of their moms (many of them) and I have opinions and I'm not going to be able to just sit there and be quiet. Especially because there are only about 20 students in the class.

There is one kid in there who is totally gay though. I am not saying that in any kind of mean way but....the dude is seriously effeminate. And I know I am stereotyping. The guy who owns the Aveda salon where I get my hair done is seriously femmy but he is married with children and apparently not gay. I know it doesn't mean someone IS defintely gay - I get that. But this kid.... I dunno.

But there are other observations too...