Going where no woman has gone before
Today I went to my Rotary club´s meeting in order to talk to my host counselor about service project ideas. Afterwards, I was given a tour of the Union Club (where the club meets) by one of the Rotary associates.Historically, the Union Club was a very exclusive, upper-class club of the forties and fifties where the movers and shakers met to drink, smoke, and make their business deals. Women were not permitted. Not even in the building.
Now, the Union Club does let women in the building, but only if she is invited, and there are still rooms that she is not permitted in. Like the back bar, for example.
Well, our Rotary tour guide brought us to the entrance of the bar- the doors were wide open and several of the leather seats were filled with men drinking scotch on the rocks with cigars in hand- just like in the movies. And he said that we could look- so I kind of stepped into the bar, did a 360 degree turn, and stopped facing the bartender who politely told me that I had to leave.
Oops.
Adrien on the other hand, walked several meters into the bar while involved in a conversation with her friend Bryan who is here visiting from North Carolina, so she didn´t notice the nasty stares coming from all parts of the room, nor did she hear when the bartender told her to leave. After only about five seconds, she was encouraged (or escorted) out of the room. She had misunderstood when our guide had said that we could look- apparently she went a little too far.
I am sure that at some point, some woman had to have entered that room, although my best guess is that it was to clean it, and not to sit down for a drink. I find it funny that the Secretary of Defense in Chile is a woman, yet there still exists absurdities like this. Although we didn´t sit down, maybe the prescence of two women in business attire made an impression on the few men sitting in that exclusive room today.
On Another Note...
I threw a "Welcome to Your New Home" Party for my new roomate, Hector. Here's a pic of the toast to our health-
Salud!!
and the two of us with our matching wine stains.
Good times.
<< Home