“Turns out they thought I was just somebody's girlfriend.”
—A phrase that appears in my fieldnotes with unsurprising regularity.
My supervisor once suggested I wear a fake wedding ring in the field, and other (male) anthropologists have suggested I do the same. But I’m not comfortable lying to people like that—I feel that if I am asking them to share their history and culture with me, the least I can do is be open about myself.
I’m pretty sure male anthropologists are rarely—if ever—encouraged to fake being married to make things easier for them.
Imaginary Astronaut Boyfriends
Imagine how it must have sounded to people when Gabrielle Giffords told them about her boyfriend, Astronaut Mark Kelly…
Astronaut Mike Dexter: “I have to go back in space, Liz. I hope you enjoyed the kissing, followed by my genuine interest in that TV dance competition.”
Liz Lemon: “Bye, Astronaut Mike Dexter!”
Liz Lemon: ”No, I don’t need it because my boyfriend, Astronaut Mike Dexter, will be picking me up… on his motorcycle.”
Yes, it must have been just like that. “In your dreams, girl!” Of course, real life is much cooler than fantasy. Gabby would have been the one on the motorcycle to pick up her space boo when he got off the shuttle.
