What's with her? says the painter. She's mad because she's a woman, Jon says. This is something I haven't heard for years, not since high school. Once it was a shaming thing to say, and crushing to have it said about you, by a man. It implied oddness, deformity, sexual malfunction. I go to the living room doorway. I'm not mad because I'm a woman, I say. I'm mad because you're an asshole.
The exchange between the painter and Jon reveals underlying societal issues regarding gender and emotional expression. The painter is confused by a woman's anger, while Jon attributes it to her being a woman, reflecting a dated perspective that implies women are inherently emotional or irrational. This response highlights a long-standing stereotype that women’s frustrations are indicative of their gender rather than specific circumstances.
The protagonist challenges this assumption, asserting her anger is not a matter of gender but a reaction to Jon's behavior. This emphasizes the need to address individual actions rather than generalize based on gender. It points to a reclaiming of agency, where the narrator seeks to clarify that her feelings stem from specific grievances rather than a broader societal narrative that often diminishes women's experiences.
