Skip to main content

Grinning Cat's definitions

man box

The rules for "acting like a man"; the mentality, behaviors and restrictions that many men and boys are socialized to conform to. These tenets of the "cult of masculinity" are both symptoms and enablers of Dominator Culture. They can be so pervasive as to be almost invisible; yet they lead men to disrespect, mistreat, and abuse women and each other.

---
THE MAN BOX

Demonstrate power/control (especially over women)

Aggression - Dominance - yell - intimidate

Do not cry openly or express emotions (except for anger)

Do not express weakness or fear - "take it"

Don't back down - don't make mistakes

Do not be "like a woman"

Heterosexual

Have lots of sex with women - "conquests"

Do not be "like a gay man"

Tough/Athletic/Competitive/Strength/Courage

Make Decisions - Never ask for help

Women viewed as property/objects (especially sexual objects)
---

(Based largely on Tony Porter's TED talk "A Call to Men")
This is the love of my life, my daughter Jay. The world I envision for her -- how do I want men to be acting and behaving? ... I need you working with me and me working with you on how we raise our sons and teach them to be men -- that it's okay to not be dominating, that it's okay to have feelings and emotions, that it's okay to promote equality, that it's okay to have women who are just friends and that's it, that it's okay to be whole, that my liberation as a man is tied to your liberation as a woman.

I remember asking a nine-year-old boy ... "What would life be like for you, if you didn't have to adhere to this man box?" He said to me, "I would be free."
by Grinning Cat March 28, 2013
mugGet the man box mug.

IRS

"Infernal Revenue Service", how many Americans feel about the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. federal tax collection agency.
Legend has it that IRS employees scrutinize handwritten envelopes containing tax returns, and any addressed to the "Infernal" Revenue Service are flagged for audits.
by Grinning Cat April 18, 2008
mugGet the IRS mug.

Partnership Culture

A model of culture and human relations based on partnership, linking, and respect. Women and men are equally valued; both men and women can be nonviolent, empathetic, and caring.

Opposite to Dominator Culture.

In a partnership system...

Humans have many possibilities.

Difference is valued.

Power is used to empower and nurture through hierarchies of actualization.

Competition means striving for excellence.

People cooperate for mutual benefit.

Economic structures are equitable.

Nature is highly valued.

Morality of sensitivity, caring, and respect.

(Based on the Center for Partnership Studies' summary of points from Riane Eisler's _The Power of Partnership_ and David Korten's _The Great Turning_)
We, too, in America are in the mist of an revolution. A transformation from a domination culture that views the world as fleeting and open to exploitation, to a partnership culture that wants its society to be permanent and seeks to partner with the world to create harmony.
(Eric Stewart)
by Grinning Cat March 28, 2013
mugGet the Partnership Culture mug.

cereal monogamy

The custom or practice of eating only one type of cereal at a time. Cereal monogamists view the casual alternation of cereals, or, worse, mixing different cereals in the same bowl, to be simply wrong.

Not to be confused with serial monogamy.
"I eat Cheerios for breakfast. I eat only Cheerios; no other cereals. Cheerios are the greatest thing since sliced bananas! Wait-- I'm out of Cheerios... time to get some more cereal... I eat Frosted Flakes for breakfast. No other cereals; just Frosted Flakes."
That's an example of cereal monogamy.
by Grinning Cat January 18, 2015
mugGet the cereal monogamy mug.

picardize

To change the ending of a minor-key piece of music to a major key, adding a Picardy third (tierce de Picardie).

One can loosely refer to music that already has a Picardy third ending as "self-picardizing". Some examples include the "Little" Fugue in G Minor by J.S. Bach, "And I Love Her" by The Beatles, "Roundabout" by Yes, and N.I.B. by Black Sabbath.
"The last chord here is D minor. Do you really want to picardize it, using D major instead?"
"Yes, Number One, make it so."
by Grinning Cat March 10, 2012
mugGet the picardize mug.

Share this definition

Sign in to vote

We'll email you a link to sign in instantly.

Or

Check your email

We sent a link to

Open your email