Think of me tomorrow ...

[AnnieLobeseder]

...as I am forced to swallow my feminist principles for the sake of family calm.

It's my nephew's bar mitzvah, at an Orthodox synagogue, which unlike my own matriarchal Reform synagogue., still demands that women sit behind a screen, heads covered, out of the sights and minds of the men, for over 2 hours.

It will take all my self control not to explode.

Tell them about the anti-lust goggles I just posted about. All the men will want a pair (for when the women aren't behind a screen).

DH told me about those. Idiots.

But back my dramas, what makes it even more annoying is that B&SIL aren't even observant. They just pretend to be to get their DSs into the local top school.

Good luck Annie!

Poor you. Is there any way you could subvert the situation? Women only spaces are hard to come by Do you have a Kindle? You could d/l the entire radfem archive and discuss it (by passing notes if necessary) with your fellow banished female relatives.

Nope. Anything entertaining counts as Work (Kindle, being electric, is Right Out) since it is the Sabbath.

I will have the DDs with me, they will be bored stiff within 2 mins and I have have to Take Them Outside. Hurrah! My only consolation is that DH, as a Person Who Counts in the synagogue, will have to stay for the whole thing. Shabbat morning services are notoriously dull, and go on far too long.

Dear Annie, I am so sorry you will be feeling faint tomorrow and will need to go out for some fresh air

The sheer fury I will be feeling at being shut behind a partition because I won a vagina is likely to make me hyperventilate and faint, I can tell you that!!!

own. I did not win my vagina. It came free with the rest of my body.

Poor you, I'm sure it will be dreadfully dull too.

Our local synagogue (reform) has a woman Rabbi and she's a lesbian. I was (shamefully) a bit surprised.

I LOLd at "win a vagina." I thought we were supposed to believe it was just a consolation prize for not getting a penis! :)

Gritted teeth and lots of daydreaming in order. Best of luck.

Could you play hangman with your DDs?

Annie, I'm so sorry, I did actually PMSL at "won a vagina" (I'm 30w pg, pelvic floor's not up to much just now )

In the meantime - I think you have the best of it, despite the irritation factor - yes, you can escape! Yay! Pity your DH being stuck in there for the duration. You really wouldn't want to be stuck in there too, would you?

I hope you survived.

Not even at the synagogue yet and SOL, eternally rude as she is, has me pissed off. Started ranting about DD1 wanting a glass of water without even saying hello first. Oh now I hate her. It's going to be a long day.

I have DVDs in the car for the DDs and my Kindle for me. We shall make our escape ASAP.