Mack, I also read it as decrying dumbminded stereotyping, which some people tend to do. My mother has an unnaturally low voice - she was born with it - was made fun of as a kid, and has had to endure a lot of stuff because of it all her life. Every time she speaks on the telephone to a business, she is addressed as "mister" and "sir" and people who don't know her often say "she's one tough old broad" or that she reminds them of Bea Arthur in "Maude" (ack) when in reality she like neither of those descriptions and is a very sensitive and vulnerable person. Awhile back she had to have surgery on her throat and it left her with this part helium, part basso profundo voice for a long time - poor thing! I think when Joni talks about American women speaking in an unnaturally high voice, she may be thinking about what she hears a lot in Southern California - there is a sort of Cheerleader/Valley/Surfer girl vocal affectation that runs through the speech here (and which I, too, succumb to at times :-)
Kakki > I guess I read this differently. Reads to me like she is decrying the > homophobia in America, which is prevalent. > > Mack
