All this talk about women and the need to "protect" them got me remembering the best song I've ever heard on the subject. It's by Ani DiFranco, and in the world of women's music it's considered nigh unto an anthem.
I think you can listen to the whole song here (but I'm not sure because it won't play for me from outside the US): http://www.rhapsody.com/anidifranco/notaprettygirl Here are the lyrics: I am not a pretty girl that is not what I do I ain't no damsel in distress and I don't need to be rescued so put me down punk maybe you'd prefer a maiden fair isn't there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere I am not an angry girl but it seems like I've got everyone fooled every time I say something they find hard to hear they chalk it up to my anger and never to their own fear and imagine you're a girl just trying to finally come clean knowing full well they'd prefer you were dirty and smiling And I am sorry I am not a maiden fair and I am not a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere And generally my generation wouldn't be caught dead working for the man and generally I agree with them trouble is you gotta have yourself an alternate plan and I have earned my disillusionment I have been working all of my life and I am a patriot I have been fighting the good fight And what if there are no damsels in distress what if I knew that and I called your bluff? don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down whether or not you ever show up?
