Defining rites of passage

[jay]

Given a debate in the hallways at work today with hopeforyou, over someone's celebration this evening ... I just don't see how celebrating the onset of an icky, unpleasant bodily function that causes half the population to be cranky and require chocolate and paper products one out of every four weeks is a rite of passage, other than as an affliction. Might as well design a ritual to celebrate, say, acne as the door to adolescence.

In this culture, IMO the things which most clearly delineate children from adults are gaining independent mobility and finances. So I think that a first paid outside job and gaining a driver's license are the true rites of passage in the US, both usually happening around age 15-16.

Comments

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Interesting data point, though it's hard to imagine all of that ooziness not being messy, at least. And I thought that most women (yourself excluded, granted) are/were afraid of getting pregnant during any given cycle... I suppose that choosing to not exercise that power is still affirming, in some way.

[elissaann.livejournal.com]

I don't know any women who are afraid of getting pregnant, because we all know how to use birth control.

[bdot.livejournal.com]

well said!

[tshuma]

I'm mildly afraid of getting pregnant. Birth control is never 100% successful, and I'm as fallible as any other human.

It's practically got me waving incense and chanting over my pills these days. Nooooo babies until after graduation.