By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Since I was born after my father died I was not conditioned to defer to the man as master. My mother never modeled the subtle behavior that young women of her day usually learned in order to attract a man. Since she did not model this behavior, my sisters and I never acted either consciously or unconsciously in ways that would encourage men to approach us. For that reason I spent my teen years without taking part in the dating ritual that most young high school women engaged in. I say “women” because in my view any female past the age of puberty is a woman.

My surrogate father was one of my older brothers who remained in our home longer than my other male siblings in order to help my mother with expenses. He was the typical male of his day, a strapping young fellow who played football and behaved in a manner that was expected of a male. I learned from observing my brothers in action that doors that were not freely open to females were open to males. In the early days, women who wanted to preserve their reputation did not go out to taverns or anywhere alone after dark. In fact, when women later began to frequent such places there were separate entrances for women.

Throughout my life the dominance of males has not changed that dramatically.

The current hype over the Chambers Bay Golf Course is only one example of the money and effort that is put into the sport of kings. I understand that even during practice on this course viewers had to pay $50 just to watch. On any weekend the television stations proliferate with male dominated football, soccer and such. Many families defer to father’s TV preference for sports. Females often assume the role of server of snacks for the males who veg in front of the tube through all the spectator sports that the internet provides.

You already know how I hate to drive past the huge sports arenas which remind me of the money that the men who dominate society can squeeze out of us taxpayers for their own sports preferences. The city is not a natural environment for families. I consider the downtown area a Mecca for travelers who have discovered the wonderful place that Seattle is—nestled in an area of natural beauty. The Olympic Mountains beckon to outdoors people. All manner of outdoor activities are here in our beautiful area. It doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to take advantage of our natural scenery. Hiking is a safe endeavor if one adheres to the rules of the trail, so to speak. For those who aren’t up for taking long hikes there are places to picnic or just admire the gorgeous scenery.

The US Open Tennis tournament (for men only I might add) attracted people from all over the world and was televised so that ordinary TV viewers could tune in and save the exorbitant cost of watching firsthand. Spectator sports bring in lots of money to our area and ensure that these spectators pay for hotel rooms and do lots of shopping.

Driving through the city recently it dawned on me that my once lovely small city no longer belongs to me and my kind. Parking fees and the cost of high level merchandise makes me vow to eat and shop in my local neighborhood. West Seattle is growing but it is still a manageable place to visit and enjoy. With the Sunday market expanding and new little shops springing up there is no reason to travel outside our area to get needs met. We have it all right here.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 206-935-8663.