Neil Bauman [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
*>Clearly, many of the life choices women must make are more difficult
*>than those a man must make. But a woman can make the tougher choice, if
Life is a series of choices for both men and women alike. In a world where
less than 30 years ago women were thought to be unable to run farther than
2 miles it is not unexpected that some of the choices women make today go
against some of the older expectations. Women now have many more choices
available than getting married and having children, depending on first
their father then their husband for their wellbeing.
Men have started to go into nursing, a typically female dominated field.
However, it is interesting to note that among the several I know, none of
them feel as though their gender is a point of discrimination or
stereotyping from their coworkers. But, they do sometimes experience
problems with patients or patients families when they mistakenly call
them 'Doctor', etc. and are surprised to find that they are actually a
nurse.
Both genders can have a rough time of it in a world that resists change.
*>gifts. Men have to become actively aware of their role and the need for
*>their active participation in forming a work (and societal) environment
*>which allows gender-independent contribution to business and society.
Social pressure comes both men and women. A woman recently excoriated me
by saying that I must feel unimportant because I don't have any babies and
that I will die alone and unloved. While I can dismiss that as rabid
psycho-babble, I can admire the probable effectiveness for someone that
isn't absolutely secure in their convictions. It makes me think of Orwell,
all people are equal, just some people are more equal than others.
People in general need to realise that the social order has changed and no
matter what you teach in the classroom, if everything outside the
classroom contradicts that, you lose.
*>Men must start seeing these ads as exploitive. Would you rather have
*>your daughter pose in these ads or using her brain? By staring at these
I find it a bit funny that you paternalise this :) Sex isn't going
anywhere and neither is sex as a marketing tool, but it is interesting how
marketroids really seem to use this technique terribly often in the
high-tech ad space. I don't know that it is such an effective tool in this
particular demographic, especially now with more women and 'alternative
lifestyled' people in the field.
As an aside, ever notice how the smart chicks on the show Baywatch and
it's recent parody are...hmmm..how shall I say....less boobed? I noticed
this after someone else pointed it out and I think it's rather telling.
*>ads you send a message (to your growing-up daughter) that this is an
*>acceptable thing for a woman to be doing. Men must look at these ads and
*>say to themselves 'this is damaging to society (even though it's
*>pleasant to look at).'
You can't filter every bit of media and its message for your children.
What you can do is entertain their curiosity, give them the option to
make choices for themselves, there is no 'can't' only 'won't', and a good
education to build their own opinions and convictions. Obscuring wrong
doesn't make right any more obvious.
Of late, the catchphrase is 'opinionated woman'...as if men were never so
:)
*>Right on! Over time, hopefully, enough of us, both men and women, will
*>raise bright, mathematically-inclined (or other male stereotypically
*>attributed traits) daughters, like my daughter Olivia, and see the 'in
*>your face' necessity of carrying the torch of 'changing societal
*>attitudes.'
I don't know about the 'in your face' sort of attitude, but one of walking
into a space as if you had always belonged there and had no plans of
leaving. Think grand canyon not Vesuvius. :) Hopefully it won't take quite
as long to accomplish.
e.
