From: utzoo!decvax!genradbo!mitccc!jfw
Newsgroups: net.women
Title: Re: a compliment (?)
Article-I.D.: mitccc.373
Posted: Mon Feb 21 23:18:12 1983
Received: Tue Feb 22 10:43:14 1983
References: ubvax.119

"But you're just like one of the guys..."

"But you're different.  You have the mind of a man."

It seems to me that these statements are not similar, even in their
mental topology.  The first is expressing a sense of belonging, the
second is stating an assumption that men and women have completely
different minds, except for those who have the "wrong" mind.

Context is not merely something used to provide a cover for a silly
statement.  Context provides *meaning*.

As far as taking things as a compliment or not, the first statement is
clearly intended as a reward for having become part of a social circle,
whereas the second is indicating that the person's accomplishments, in
effect, are "not her fault".