Gender Reversal Poem by gershon hepner

Gender reversal can lead to chaos.
Men, we must stick to our roles
with our specific gender goals
or women never will obey us.
However, there is one reversal
in both the sexes I approve:
it’s stating one opinion you’ve
opposed before. It’s universal,
they say, in women, but although
I’m quite contented with my gender,
I am, though male, a views amender,
an obliging gigolo.

Inspired by an e-mail by S. Tamar Kamionkowski, Vice-President for Academic Affairs at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Seminary and author of Gender Reversal and Cosmic Chaos, JSOTSup 368 (Sheffield,2003) . I had told her that I found problematic her dissent with Meir Malul regarding his suggestion that Ezek.16: 6 contains an adoption formula. Her response inspired this poem because I am entirely sympathetic with what she wrote since it applies to me as well:

Frankly, I'm not sure if I agree with myself either, but I enjoy the creative process of considering different paradigms.

8/19/08