Bluestocking - Learned Chicks & Garter Clips

Blue stockings.
(photo by Saffronie)

 BLUESTOCKING

Adjective & noun. Derogatory. Late 17th century.

[from BLUE adjective + STOCKING noun.]

A1 adjective. Wearing blue worsted stocking; in homely dress. archaic. L17

A2 adjective. Designating or pertaining to (those frequenting) assemblies for literary conversation, etc.

held at Montagu House in London about 1750

(where some of the men wore the blue stockings of ordinary daytime dress). L18

A3 adjective. Of a woman: having or affecting literary tastes, learned. E19

B noun. A female supporter of bluestocking assemblies; a learned woman. L18

Also: blueism & bluism noun. archaic. The characteristics or behaviour of a bluestocking; feminine learning. L18

Also: bluestockingism noun E19

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold your horses mankind: not only can women now vote, work, wear trousers, drink, smoke, divorce their husbands, choose their husbands and (heaven forbid) choose not to have a husband, there are also women out there who are affecting literary tastes and aspiring to be educated. This is a dangerous thing - the feminine mind cannot handle the higher intellectual pursuits. And what next? Will there be female bloggers? Authors? CEOs? Presidents? Aeroplane pilots?

Bluestockingism: that's what this is, and it's a dangerous game for all. That twittering socialite Elizabeth Montagu and her "Blue Stocking Movement" from the 1750s are what's behind this, and I've been raging about it ever since I first read of its feminine aspirations last week. And do you know the most shocking thing about these Blue Stocking meetings, where so-called educated ladies discussed literature and education? Men attended. Men! Invited male guest speakers of sufficient intellectual calibre would speak as if both sexes could share common goals. Pff. This is what it leads to - men turning on their own kind. "A learned woman" - I ask you!

Therefore, the next time a woman, girl, chick or strumpet says something even mildly-thought provoking or suggestive of her having a mind of her own, I say do not hold back, do not bother to think of a thoughtful, well-reasoned response, and do not even consider for a moment forming any kind of logical, intelligent answer. Rather, raise your hands, clap them over your ears so that her affected feminine words will not infect your superior brain, and scream "Bluestocking! Bluestocking! Bluestocking!" until she desists from her churlish impudence.

That is what this is, brothers. That is what this is.
(photo my Martin Thomas - a man)

Are you as enraged as I am about the emergence of bluestockingism?

Have you ever heard anything as preposterous as the oxymoron "a learned woman"?

Do you actually own a pair of blue stockings?

Do please comment below.