By David Futrelle
Today’s bit of weirdness comes from the online cringe warehouse known as the Am I the Asshole (AITA) subreddit. It’s a post from a woman who says her boyfriend threw a tantrum because she told him she wouldn’t (hypothetically) trade her vagina in for a penis.
Because this is the sort of thing some people argue about, I guess.
He’s obsessed with Jung, you say? You know who else is obsessed with Jung? Jordan Peterson. I’d bet anything that Mr. Boyfriend is a secret Peterson stan. (I mean, assuming he’s real; this is Reddit, after all.)
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I love “Dick For A Day”, because many of the stories are either hilariously funny, or beautiful prose, or just plain weird. And no, I don’t get the point either.
The book is from 1990s and totally lacks trans women’s perspective. As for trans men, IIRC, at least Pat Califia later came out as a man.
Speaking of hilariously funny, you all should try sometime posing a male crotch as a mock “face” with a pair of sunglasses. It’s amazing.
OT, but some mildly good news: A guy who wrote a bestselling “purity culture” manual has now announced that his marriage is over, he’s not really a Christian anymore, and he’s planning to withdraw the book. He also apologized to everyone who’s followed his advice in that book, and specifically to the LGBTQ+ community for having promoted hatred.
It’s always nice when they come to their senses. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/29/author-christian-relationship-guide-joshua-harris-says-marriage-over
My snarky side says that I don’t need to personally have a penis. I have a husband with one and therefore I can get the kind of access I want (with his consent, of course) to a penis.
As a person with a uterus, sure, having a period can be a pain, but that’s the great part about reaching pre-menopause. I haven’t had cramps in YEARS, and considering how often I took Motrin in my 20s, I’m happy with my current situation.
Joshua Harris withdrew I Kissed Dating Goodbye a while back. The statement he issued at that time is interesting, and this latest development is VERY interesting. From his Instagram: “I believe with my sister Julian [of Norwich] that, “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Sounds like he’s lost the church, but found Jesus. I wish him the best.
The thing that jumped out at me from the Joshua Harris story is that he wrote that book when he was 21 years old. Apologies to any 21-year-olds reading this, but if you’re looking for a life-changing philosophy, I think you should probably look for it from someone who has amassed a little more life experience than someone barely old enough to legally drink.
@Moggie
My guess would be that the kind of person who buys this book is not looking for a new philosophy. Rather, they’re looking for support and instructions on a very old philosophy.
I’d certainly love to get rid of my uterus, but I don’t want a penis in trade. Is ‘no genitals whatsoever’ an option on the table? I’d jump at that deal.
I’d trade my penis in for a vagina, with or without an attached uterus. Dysphoria, yaaay.
As I recall from the last time I read it, “Dick For a Day” is decidedly uneven but there’s some good stuff in there. It’s kind of like the “Alien Sex” collection of short SF – sometimes trivial, sometimes excellent and always damned uncomfortable to read on public transportation.
This is kind of a funny story but the first time I saw a penis is when I was 14. I laughed a bit because they were not what I was a expecting a penis to look like at all. I’m sure that really helped the ego of the 14 year old boy who’s penis I saw. That’s exactly what everyone wants I’m sure. For the first girl that see’s your dick is to laugh. I did explain to him wants I stopped that there was nothing wrong with it. I just wasn’t expecting a penis to look like a red arrow from a tutorial on video games. I don’t think I hurt his feelings because he didn’t seem upset or said anything. That’s why its a funny story.
@Lainy:
Any sensible dude understands the laughter. How could we not? Dicks are objectively ridiculous. They just plain look silly.
@Rabid Rabbit
All body parts are funny if you have the right frame of mind and sense of humor. Though genitals are especially so for societal reasons.
For several years during my childhood, owing to perusal of many art-history books, I was under the impression that at least *some*penises were leaf-shaped, and it creeped me out.
I’m sorry @Moon_custafer, but
is hilarious ?
I think @Buttercupskullpants got the boyfriend’s mindset right though. Dude can’t accept that penises aren’t istantly acknowledged by everyone as superior to vaginas. No understanding that a person might hate cramps and still be fine with having a vagina
Coming a little late 2 this discussion (but absolutely loving the commentary) 2 share my own, er, uhm, TMI memory.
As soon as I figured out my parents were serious about the whole puberty thing (no, really, I thought all that was a decidedly unfunny joke my parents were trying 2 play on me), I wanted 2 stay flat all over: flat like a boy in the chest area & flat like a girl below the waist.
I couldn’t imagine having genitals that might take it upon themselves 2 get hard at the worst possible time, & I damn sure didn’t want breasts.
Essentially, I wanted 2 remain as inconspicuous as possible–yeah, that didn’t happen. I might also add that, sadly, like a lot of posters on this site, I was sexually abused by someone I’d known & trusted since I was about 5. The abuse started just before I turned 11, tragically coincidentally right about the same time Aunt Flo came 2 visit 4 the 1st time, & lasted 4 almost a year.
Me? Issues? Naw, perish the thought! Well, not as many after 6 years of good therapy.
But I feel Buttercup got this 1 spot on: dude thinks his tackle is God’s gift & everyone should realize that.
Now, pardon me, while I go laugh hysterically at his hubris.
This sounds like the sort of guy who was entirely convinced that maleness is best and superior and special, a thing to be envied…and then got his feelings hurt when he found out it isn’t true. lol
The same sort as those guys in video games that get upset when a female player corrects him that she’s a SHE, not a he, and then reacts as if he’s insulted at her not wanting to be referred to as a guy.
Side note, sure, periods suck, but getting to “borrow” and enjoy the fun part of his genitals from this side kinda makes up for it. lol
Me too! I knew a small amount about how PiV intercourse worked, and thought that must hurt terribly.