HIGH LIFE : ‘Have You Ever Wished You Were the Opposite Sex? Why or Why Not?’
In high school, awareness grows quickly of the lifetime benefits--and drawbacks--of one’s sex. Rare is the student who has not at least considered switching sexes, if only for a day.
High Life asks: “Have you ever wished you were the opposite sex? Why or why not?”
“Yes, because it only takes boys two minutes to get ready for wherever they want to go.”
Stacey Clements, 16,
junior, Santa Margarita
“Yes. Because then, I would be able to see how great looking I really am” from a girl’s point of view.
Burney Fernbern, 15,
freshman, Santa Margarita
“No. Guys have too much pressure on them, and they’re too violent.”
Vianne Townsend, 17,
senior, Southern California Christian
“Yes, but only when it’s really hot and I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt, because guys can take off their shirts while we burn up.”
Cari Ota, 15,
sophomore, Villa Park
“I’ve never wished to be of the opposite sex. Yet I’ve considered the fact that this is a male-dominated world, and for that reason I can see why one would wish to change. But instead of me changing sexes, how about the world changing into a female-dominated world? Now, that’s something to wish for.”
Maggie Brown, 18,
senior, Rosary
“No. When I get old, I still want hair coming out of my head, not my ears.”
Amanda Hofstetter, 15,
sophomore, Loara
“Yes, in some aspects, because women are more in touch with themselves and show emotions more than a guy.”
Payman Jassim, 17,
senior, Santa Margarita
“Yes, because guys don’t have to wear makeup, and they don’t have as many bad hair days, if any.”
Jennifer Brooks, 14,
freshman, Los Alamitos
“No. It might be sexist to say this, but men get taken more seriously in higher jobs (more important jobs). And men are taken more seriously when buying cars and when getting cars fixed.”
Julien Laussade, 16,
junior, Villa Park
“No, because guys are pressured more by their friends about things like dating, driving and having a physical relationship with a girl. Also, I’m not one to hold my emotions in. I’m glad I’m a girl.”
Jasel Mehta, 17,
junior, Kennedy
“Yeah, when it comes to basketball. . . . I wish there were more opportunities for girls. I want to run faster, and jump higher.”
Cindy Yamasaki, 17,
senior, Los Alamitos
“Yes, so that I can go out more often without my parents getting all worried. They never want me out late, because I am a girl, and they think I’m too weak to protect myself.”
Muy Chor, 17,
junior, Loara
“When I shop for clothes, I wish I were a girl, because they have more clothing options. Girls can get away with dressing in boys’ clothes, but boys hesitate to wear girls’ clothes.”
Mike Sheldrake, 17,
senior, Villa Park
“Never! Although women have been oppressed by society, we have been strong enough to survive. Women bring life into this world, and we’re the ones who nurture and provide for tomorrow’s leaders.”
Jayshree Patel, 17,
senior, Ocean View
“Once I did, but then I realized I had the best of both worlds. I can participate and compete in the man’s world, but I also can experience the joy of being a woman by experiencing childbirth.”
Erin Welden, 17,
junior, Villa Park
“Sometimes I wish I was a guy, because they have more freedoms and goals. Also girls get too sentimental about stupid things.”
Yong Choi, 15,
freshman, Kennedy
“I would not want to go through life trying to please my ego all day, every day and therefore, no, I don’t want to be male.”
Katie Owens, 18,
senior, Ocean View
Next Week’s Hot Topic:
If you could attend any other high school in Orange County, which would it be and why?
Responses were gathered by Susanna Lee (Ocean View), Darice Liu (Villa Park), Rosalind Blames (Southern California Christian), Dan Eastmond (Newport Harbor), Lara Lagos (Rosary), Christina Ghattas (Santa Margarita), Trisha Ginsburg (Los Alamitos), Abby Fung (Kennedy) and Cara Wilson (Loara).
