While listening to a TV program recently, I was intrigued by a panel of women who were in a heated discussion on the history of the feminist movement. The chief issue was when the movement got its start. One averred it began when women were given the vote; another when the "Burn Your Bra" movement got national attention; and so on. They fought for their positions like it was the day-after-Christmas sale at Loehmans. I disagreed with all of them-naturally I have my own idea, albeit a male's.

            In my opinion, the feminist movement began when the Weber Company designed its famous kettle barbecue. Women's role in relation to men forever changed. Think of it. Women's traditional duty of cooking was thereafter transferred to men. Men put on aprons with funny slogans on them---and chef's hats that made them look like backyard members of the Klu Klux Klan. They were given cooking utensils as gifts for birthdays, Father's day, and Christmas or Hanukkah. Men giggled when they opened their presents and thought the whole thing was kind of a joke. But it wasn't.

            Women found out how nice it is to sit on the couch, watch TV, and have a delicious beverage while the men slave over the meal. The new cooks first tried hot dogs, then hamburgers, and then, the piece de resistance, ribs. When families' cholesterol levels surged higher than a perfect bowling score, men were given recipe books written by women who included recipes on how to cook fish, vegetables, and other foods that aren't first marinated in beer.

            In fairness to men, they have tried to become good cooks, but their hearts are not in it. The problem stems from the fact that while men are cooking, they refuse to give up their habit of drinking an adult beverage, which, more often than not, is a recipe for disaster. The meat is either over cooked, under cooked, or both; sometimes its salty tasting after being dropped on the ground.

            Plus, men cannot give up their passion for sports, which they try to combine with cooking. Look at them making perfect baboons out of themselves while they attempt to cook at football tailgate parties. They can't leave their mitts off the turkey legs they are roasting on the old barbie. They pass them back and forth like footballs to vent the testosterone they used to burn while hunting.

            However foolish their attempt at cooking has become, the result is that few complaints are uttered from the "weaker" sex. They know that once the responsibility for cooking is in the hands of the "stronger" sex, there is no turning back. Once the hunter has been changed to a gatherer and a cooker, leave things alone-and don't whine.

            As to the future, it is clear that there has been an even greater change in the sexes' roles above and beyond cooking. Feminism has marched forward, and men have assumed more and different gatherer roles. There are now Mr. Moms, male nurses, and even male strippers. Just how far will the feminist movement go? God only knows. Just ask HER the next time you say a prayer asking for a rare steak.

By Charles Shepherd

Charles Shepherd, after a successful career as a lawyer and an investment banker, retired and pursued a creative writing talent which had burbled to the surface in the past but was never satisfied. After pursing writing classes at Northwestern University as well as numerous writing seminars, he found that his latent talent was of interest to others, too.

Charlie's sense of humor thrives in the ironies of life he sees and laughs at daily. His philosophy, "Life is too serious to take serious," is the common denominator of most everything he writes.

A number of his essays, short stories, and articles have been published, and his first novel, In the Shadow of Ambition, has been well received.