Friday 29 February 2008

The Ladies Privilege


Day 3, post 3. Undacova is smokin'!

Apparently, there is an old wives tale regarding February 29th.

February 29th is known as The Ladies Privilege day, and as is the case with most old wives tales, there are a number of explanations for its origins flying around. Here are a few:

St. Bridget's Complaint
It is believed this tradition was started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.

February 29th in English Law
According to English law, February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also have no status on that day. It was also reasoned that since the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage.

The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves

Sadie Hawkins Day
In the United States, some people have referred to this date as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
Sadie Hawkins was a female character in the Al Capp cartoon strip Li'l Abner. Many communities prefer to celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in November which is when Al Capp first mentioned Sadie Hawkins Day.

I suppose my question to Men is this - how would you feel if a Woman proposed marriage to you? I don't mean if a woman asked you out on a date. I mean proposed marriage, which presupposes that a relatively advanced relationship is already in place (it would be freaky otherwise, of course and you'd be justified in telling the woman to buzz off!). I really hope no one brings up that whole hunter-gatherer crap (yes...that is the technical, anthropological term) whereby men will not appreciate something unless they work for it...yada, yada, yada cos that just makes me yaaaaaaaaaaawn.

And my question to my Ladies is this - would you propose marriage to a man on Ladies Privilege day, or any other day for that matter? Again, i stress the distinction between asking one out on a date and proposing marriage.

15 comments:

Afrobabe said...

Bloody, you dont update for ages then suddenly come up with 3 posts within a week...its got to be a week cos I've been here...

Afrobabe said...

I for one would not...even in my dreams...or nightmare propose to an African man...lol....Any other race, yes but African man? No ways....

tobenna said...

The thing is, ladies have a lot of tact when it comes to this subject with their man and everything they do, quite literally is a proposal without the actual words.
I digress....
What would I do if I'm proposed to?
Firstly, I'd be ashamed of meself. (because I'd know that was a last resort), then I'd say yes, if I love her.

@afrobabe: it's a tradition that's not restricted to African men
http://www.askmen.com/love/vanessa/51_love_secrets.html

UndaCovaSista said...

@afrobabe - Lol! You're right. It has been within a week. There must be something in the water!

Why not a African man. What's the difference?

@Tobenna - Wordless proposals? Hmm...but what else are we to do when we're only allowed (apparently) one day every 4 years to actually speak the words?!

Funny you should mention you'd be ashamed. of course, all the radio stations over here have jumped on the band wagon and today i heard 2 different stations give 2 women the chance to propose to their men live on the air.

The only thing is that one of the guys was actually on his way to meet up with the girl, with the ring in his pocket! Now, if i was that guy, i wouldnt find it funny at all...

guerreiranigeriana said...

wow indeed you are smoking!!!...hot!!...

guerreiranigeriana said...

nope...don't think i'd propose to a man...for me, there's just something about the man chasing...i'm somewhat of a traditionalist...

Ubong Da said...

I had just come out of a long relationship and wasn't in a hurry to jump into another. She was just a close friend. we were driving out for lunch that day. she was unusually quiet and after a while she asked "Are you going to marry me". I was shocked but quickly recovered and told her "but we ain't dating" so how can we make that big jump.

A few days later I heard she was engaged to a brother in church. This happened 10years ago. We met a few weeks back and one way or another the topic came up. I accused her of not waiting for me and she responded that I wasn't ready when she was.

Anonymous said...

men...i cannot propose o!i think many men have to be really ready and mature enuff for marriage and most men propose after they have played around and they r now ready to settle..so i'd rather wait for a man to rid himself of childish behaviour,bachelor life and then propose to me....i dont want to marry someone who is not ready!

@ ubong da!wat a few days later she was engaged..omo that girl was on a mission to find mr.available...

UndaCovaSista said...

@guerreira - i'm with you on that one...I don't think i'll be rocking any tradition boats any time soon myself!

@Ubong da - Wow! As Pink satin says, that girl was on a MISSION! But if she's still happily married to that guy then it all worked out fine for her...Altho' when you get to the stage where anyone will do...that's not pretty!!!

@pink-satin - I hear you, girl! My theory is that if he does say yes, that will just be the beginning of my having to take charge over things he should be taking charge over...Not attractive!!

Anonymous said...

If my missus had proposed to me, I'd have been flattered. However, I proposed to her, so there you go. As for the whole 29th Feb thingy, na all shakara in my opinion. :-)

'Yar Mama said...

As liberal as I am, I still feel a woman should let the man do the chasing, the spoiling and the proposal. I guess the fairytale of the white knight in shining armour is never far from our minds...

UndaCovaSista said...

@akin - I think flattered is a reasonable response...

@Yar Mama - I agree...darn those fairy tales...Lol! Thanks for stopping by

Flourishing Florida said...

wen i was 22, i was stupid enough to have done that. that stupidity has since left me o. sorry, but i fitn't, ladies privilege or not

@ ubong da: lmao. 'are u going to marry me?' live & direct, men. no beating abt d best. i dig dis chick o. i wasn't dat brave. i just asked him what he thinks of us marrying. he said great. but den he was 23, i was 22. we were both stupid enough to play those games

UndaCovaSista said...

@florida - FITN'T! I love it!!! You crack me up, babes...

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