Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Arachnophobia: An Indication of Gender?

One of Charlotte's babies has taken up residence under my eave. Protecting her safety has become an act of daily vigilance on my part.

Why are bearers of the Y chromosome so horrified by spiders?

Some of the burliest men I know (my brother and the four penis-bearers in my house, as well) can be reduced to wimpering ninnies at the sight of a spider in their path.

And I don't get it.

Spiders eat the other insects that aren't as pleasant to be around. They protect small pink pigs (one of my favorite books as a child) and they do cool things in space.

What's to fear?

Now disease carrying rats, venom-spewing snakes and squirrely administration officials--that's the stuff of horror films.

20 Deserve Mamma's Love:

Bananas said...

I agree. Well... mostly. Except for last night when there was a spider the size of MY ASS (and we all know that's big) in our basement and I squealed like a little girl. It was purely physiological... I couldn't help it.

Unknown said...

I love spiders. LOVE 'EM!!! Seriously. I loved the spiders we had in S.C. Those things were massive. And then I'd show them to people visiting from the north. It was AWESOME.

Cathy, Amy and Kristina said...

My husband HATES them. And this is the same guy who wandered up to the house one night, holding a snake he'd found in the backyard.

Thing is, I don't like them either. I think it's all the legs. And the fact that some of them are furry.

Mitch McDad said...

I have no particular political views with regard to spiders. I'm Switzerland.

Whit said...

As long as they are poisonous I'm okay.

Chris H said...

Spiders ..... I am a real girl then, cos I hate them! Well, the bigger ones anyway, baby ones are ok - you can squish them really easily!

Kimberly said...

I can deal with the little ones but the big ones make me shudder...

I throw a telephone book and run!

Blog Antagonist said...

We have some truly gnarly spiders down here. When they are outdoors, I am can be perfectly magnanimous. Indoors...not so much. But I do try.

QT said...

This post is right on! I try my hardest to let them be, but my bedroom is off limits! I don't like it when they surprise me, either, by suddenly dropping down from the ceiling on a thread - that freaks my shit out...

Marie Green said...

I don't like them, but I'm not AFRAID, unless the spider is bigger than a nickle. But I don't like how they spin their webs everywhere, making me look like a terrible housekeeper. Usually I take the vacuum to their creations...

Lawyer Mama said...

I have a deal with the spiders. If they leave me alone, I leave them alone. They eat the mosquitoes we have that are the size of small dogs, and I like that. But I don't want to find one of them in my bed. If that happens, it's war. So far the arachnid peace treaty has held.

Marty, a.k.a. canape said...

Spiders get a free pass at my house. I will try to catch and release and wish them well, hoping they will set up shop right outside my door and eat lots of other bugs.

Neil said...

I am afraid of ALL insects... except ants and spiders. They are so amazingly productive that I respect their work.

Anonymous said...

Dude. Spiders are EVIL. Kill it before it kills you.

Amie Adams said...

You guys have totally screwed up my theory.

Bitches!!

Anonymous said...

Must be spider season.

I have one that is growing so fast, soon he'll overtake the entire house...


I should try to snap a picture.

Julie Pippert said...

I'm with you. I respect and support spiders.

They eat mosquitos.

But...my husband agrees with me. He's an animal lover, though.

Julie
Using My Words

Jennifer said...

My husband has NO fear of spiders or any other pest, for that matter. He's like a little kid, bringing home (dead) black widows and other DEADLY pests just to "show me."

I'm definitely the ninny in this house.

Jen said...

I guess this makes me a man because spiders have terrfied me since I was a kid.

You're brave.

Kevin Charnas said...

Spiders used to bother me when I was a dumbass...or a dumberass. Now I'm their fierce protector.

Although, I did get large one in my mouth one night when riding an elephant through the Royal Chitwan Forest in Southern Nepal. That wasn't very fun.