Text and the single girl

Now you know I love the ladies. But something has begun to gnaw at me recently - an impression that was re-inforced last night at the Ballet, where my partner and I had to deal with two college-age girls texting during the performance.

So here goes nothing - why is it that when there's a really obnoxious infringement of theatre etiquette with cell phones, the perpetrator always seems to be female? What is UP with that? Sure, guys' cell phones do ring in theatres - that incidence may be roughly 50/50. But when it comes to actually answering the phone, or even making a call, the perp, in my experience, is always a woman or a girl.

This impression, of course, is hardly of statistical significance - the sample size is under a dozen incidents. Yet they're 100% female - oddly suggestive, wouldn't you say? I suppose some pop psychologist would explain that women are somehow more social, desire more connection, the dudes just don't have any friends, etc., etc., blah blah blah. To which I would answer - ladies, the connection you seek is in the theatre. That is where the "community" exists - not online in some virtual clique of avatars and anonymous commenters, or bff's with OCD. And "community" requires attention and respect. When you're in a community, you owe other people something. Even if it's only your silence.