“ MALE FANTASIES , MALE FANTASIES , IS EVERYTHING RUN BY MALE FANTASIES ? UP ON A PEDESTAL OR DOWN ON YOUR KNEES , IT ’ S ALL A MALE FANTASY : THAT YOU ’ RE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE WHAT THEY DISH OUT , OR ELSE TOO WEAK TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT . EVEN PRETENDING YOU AREN ’ T CATERING TO MALE FANTASIES IS A MALE FANTASY : PRETENDING YOU ’ RE UNSEEN , PRETENDING YOU HAVE A LIFE OF YOUR OWN , THAT YOU CAN WASH YOUR FEET AND COMB YOUR HAIR UNCONSCIOUS OF THE EVER-PRESENT WATCHER PEERING THROUGH THE KEYHOLE , PEERING THROUGH THE KEYHOLE IN YOUR OWN HEAD , IF NOWHERE ELSE . YOU ARE A WOMAN WITH A MAN INSIDE WATCHING A WOMAN . YOU ARE YOUR OWN VOYEUR .”
Margaret Atwood The Robber Bride 1993
CURRENTS 59