M
y mom and sister threw Elena a baby shower today. It was a ladies-only affair (with the exception of a pair of bouncing baby boys). This was partly due to practical considerations, and partly at my own insistence. Men are generally less interested in things like baby showers, I've found, but it's also Cool to occasionally have planned events (ideally with some genuine meaning behind them) that are sexed. Obviously, we have girls'- and boys'-nights, but these are mired in the banal -- they don't break out of regular time, and encourage perspective on what makes men and women different. Modern Western culture has lost a lot of this exclusionary capacity -- an exclusion that creates and develops community and identity in a natural way. Personally, I think such things are fascinating and healthy, drawing on our profound nature as human beings, and helping traditions and wisdom to grow. We need more awareness of our differences, not less. If only me and the boys could get some coming-of-age rituals going on...