Our cleaning lady Kathy just came into my office all worked up and asked me if I ever talk to the neighbors here in the office. I haven't, but was told by the boys here that it was a Christian feminist organization. That should have triggered something. But it didn't. Regardless, everyday I come to work and see a woman in there sitting quietly among piles and piles and piles of paper...naturally, I thought she was translating a feminist version of the bible. Whatever does it for you, I thought.
It turns out that the "neighbors" happen to be the Ottawa head office of REAL Women of Canada. Apparently Kathy got in an argument with this woman last week about gays and lesbians. The "real woman" thinks that homosexuality is contagious. Kathy told her that she'd better watch out because there might be a lesbian on this floor who uses the bathroom.
Today they were arguing about women in the workforce. According to the "real woman," the reason we have such high income taxes is because women entered the workforce and killed the "traditional" nuclear one income family so now the government can tax two people in one family instead of one person. If women didn't go to work, the government still would only be able to tax one person and, "naturally," tax rates would be lower.
This confused Kathy. A lot. It confuses me too.
I thanked Kathy for making me aware of this and told her that, now that she had, REAL Women should expect to find a wee bit more "literature" sliding under their door. They should also expect to see me drop in from time to time, if only so I can come to a better understanding of "family values," because, to this point, I've always thought that "family values" was synonymous with "intolerance" or perhaps even "hatred."
I just want her to prove me wrong, although I suspect she will prove me right.