"Equal Rights?"
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4305174.stm
[quote=bbc_web_site]
[b]MY TRAIN SEAT FOR YOUR VOTE[/b]
In these days of so-called equal opportunities, it seems to me that some women are adopting an à la carte approach to women's rights and civil equality, asserting their rights when it suits them and reverting back to another century when it doesn't.
Every day I commute on the train from Fife to work in Edinburgh. And every day the train is packed to capacity with scores of passengers being forced to stand due to the chronic shortage of carriages.
Standing room only - but who gets the seat?
This is always a stressful and uncomfortable experience for everyone but is usually accepted by millions of Britons as part-and-parcel of the daily drudgery of commuting.
Last week, however, events took a nasty turn when I was angrily harangued by a 30-something female passenger, for not doing the "gentlemanly thing" and giving up my seat.
My response: "You're joking, aren't you? What? You want my seat and the right to vote? Forget it."
This was not well received and resulted in other female passengers interjecting and saying how rude I was.
[b]Genuine need[/b]
Can I be alone in finding this hypocrisy astonishing? Why should I give up my seat to someone solely on account of their gender?
Have these women never heard of the suffragettes? Do the phrases "women's liberation" and "sexual equality" mean anything to these women?
Like many men, I often give up my seat for passengers who have a genuine need - pregnant women, elderly, and visually impaired passengers, for example.
These are valuable commodities on busy commuter trains
But give up my seat purely because someone is female? Dream on.
Am I being selfish, insensitive, ungentlemanly or unchivalrous? No. In sticking to my guns I'm standing up for equal rights, of course.
It seems to me that these complaining women are the same verbose characters who would are the first to sound off about women's rights and equality of opportunity on issues like equal pay, equal pensions and such like.
[b]No 'special rights'[/b]
I'm all for equal rights. But not special rights. People like this want to have their cake and eat it.
But, I suppose, being a member of THE most discriminated against minority (white, middle-aged, heterosexual males) that my opinion will be dismissed as male chauvinist claptrap.
It was interesting that as I was leaving the train at Edinburgh, a number of fellow passengers who had witnessed this exchange, commented in passing: "Well said, mate", "Good on you, pal."
Guess which gender they were.
It's your choice ladies; my seat on the 0755 from Dunfermline in exchange for your right to vote. You can't have both.
[/quote]
Right on, brother.
Being a gentleman doesn't mean being a mug. Nor does it mean allowing oneself to be taken advantage of. If we are now "equal" shouldn't [i]both[/i] sexes demonstrate chivalry and fair play?
[quote=bbc_web_site]
[b]MY TRAIN SEAT FOR YOUR VOTE[/b]
In these days of so-called equal opportunities, it seems to me that some women are adopting an à la carte approach to women's rights and civil equality, asserting their rights when it suits them and reverting back to another century when it doesn't.
Every day I commute on the train from Fife to work in Edinburgh. And every day the train is packed to capacity with scores of passengers being forced to stand due to the chronic shortage of carriages.
Standing room only - but who gets the seat?
This is always a stressful and uncomfortable experience for everyone but is usually accepted by millions of Britons as part-and-parcel of the daily drudgery of commuting.
Last week, however, events took a nasty turn when I was angrily harangued by a 30-something female passenger, for not doing the "gentlemanly thing" and giving up my seat.
My response: "You're joking, aren't you? What? You want my seat and the right to vote? Forget it."
This was not well received and resulted in other female passengers interjecting and saying how rude I was.
[b]Genuine need[/b]
Can I be alone in finding this hypocrisy astonishing? Why should I give up my seat to someone solely on account of their gender?
Have these women never heard of the suffragettes? Do the phrases "women's liberation" and "sexual equality" mean anything to these women?
Like many men, I often give up my seat for passengers who have a genuine need - pregnant women, elderly, and visually impaired passengers, for example.
These are valuable commodities on busy commuter trains
But give up my seat purely because someone is female? Dream on.
Am I being selfish, insensitive, ungentlemanly or unchivalrous? No. In sticking to my guns I'm standing up for equal rights, of course.
It seems to me that these complaining women are the same verbose characters who would are the first to sound off about women's rights and equality of opportunity on issues like equal pay, equal pensions and such like.
[b]No 'special rights'[/b]
I'm all for equal rights. But not special rights. People like this want to have their cake and eat it.
But, I suppose, being a member of THE most discriminated against minority (white, middle-aged, heterosexual males) that my opinion will be dismissed as male chauvinist claptrap.
It was interesting that as I was leaving the train at Edinburgh, a number of fellow passengers who had witnessed this exchange, commented in passing: "Well said, mate", "Good on you, pal."
Guess which gender they were.
It's your choice ladies; my seat on the 0755 from Dunfermline in exchange for your right to vote. You can't have both.
[/quote]
Right on, brother.
Being a gentleman doesn't mean being a mug. Nor does it mean allowing oneself to be taken advantage of. If we are now "equal" shouldn't [i]both[/i] sexes demonstrate chivalry and fair play?
I'd give up my seat for someone who needed it more than me.
I'd also give up my seat for a woman, if a shag was on the cards.
I'd give up my seat for that 30-something woman in the article ................ then stand in front of her with my crotch in her face for the full journey.
>> Edited by swilly on Thursday 6th October 11:11
I'd also give up my seat for a woman, if a shag was on the cards.
I'd give up my seat for that 30-something woman in the article ................ then stand in front of her with my crotch in her face for the full journey.
>> Edited by swilly on Thursday 6th October 11:11
"You're joking, aren't you? What? You want my seat and the right to vote? Forget it."
Absolute classic!! its odd, as some women find it nice and chivalrous to open a door for them , or what have you, and other get all miffed and consider it patronising.. Its a complete no win situation...
Absolute classic!! its odd, as some women find it nice and chivalrous to open a door for them , or what have you, and other get all miffed and consider it patronising.. Its a complete no win situation...
Damn Right!! But I have found that a lot of people like to believe this: "All are born equal." But what they really mean is "All are born equal, but some are more equal than others."
I have met a number of women who harp on about equal rights and equality want it selectively. ie when it benefits them. When it means they don't get what they want you are being sexist. When it mean they have to do the same as you, you are being ungentlemany to the weaker sex.
Having siad that there are also women who stand on their own feet and have no problem with genuine equality.
I have met a number of women who harp on about equal rights and equality want it selectively. ie when it benefits them. When it means they don't get what they want you are being sexist. When it mean they have to do the same as you, you are being ungentlemany to the weaker sex.
Having siad that there are also women who stand on their own feet and have no problem with genuine equality.
I may get flamed by the female PHers for this but.....
There are also women who think that the whole equality thing is a pile of crap, who want a man to be a man, to look after them, provide for a family when the time comes so that they don't have to work and raise the children ( yes I know men play a role in that too ). Who want their men to muck around with cars, fix the dripping tap, and provide a role model to male children.
They also want to play the role of home maker, making the house nice ( interior design and all of that ), cooking good food, looking after there man and supporting him in his career. And they do not necissarily want to have a job.
I think that women who feel this way often feel as though they are letting women down if they say any of this and so keep quiet about it whilst expressing there fervant desire to have a 'career' because that is what is expected of them.
Where did I get all of the above from? My Mrs, who interestingly gets far more outraged at ongoing media attempts to debase men than I ever do.
There are also women who think that the whole equality thing is a pile of crap, who want a man to be a man, to look after them, provide for a family when the time comes so that they don't have to work and raise the children ( yes I know men play a role in that too ). Who want their men to muck around with cars, fix the dripping tap, and provide a role model to male children.
They also want to play the role of home maker, making the house nice ( interior design and all of that ), cooking good food, looking after there man and supporting him in his career. And they do not necissarily want to have a job.
I think that women who feel this way often feel as though they are letting women down if they say any of this and so keep quiet about it whilst expressing there fervant desire to have a 'career' because that is what is expected of them.
Where did I get all of the above from? My Mrs, who interestingly gets far more outraged at ongoing media attempts to debase men than I ever do.
andy mac said:
"You're joking, aren't you? What? You want my seat and the right to vote? Forget it."
Absolute classic!! its odd, as some women find it nice and chivalrous to open a door for them , or what have you, and other get all miffed and consider it patronising.. Its a complete no win situation...
chivalry? wasnt that the way you got your woman to go through the tent flaps first in the dark ages? so if anyone was waiting to hit you over the head, you got a warning?
fulham911club said:
What a bunch of cave men.
So if a seat came free and there was you and a woman standing (regardless of what she looked like, how old, etc) you consider it quite normal to take the seat and let her stand?
Come on. I think you'll find women prefer gentlemen to neandethals.
I think you miss the point he was asked to give his seat up that he already had, so that she could sit down. On your daily commute, I don't think so. if a woman is in front of me then fine, yes, but just because she is there and no.
fulham911club said:
What a bunch of cave men.
So if a seat came free and there was you and a woman standing (regardless of what she looked like, how old, etc) you consider it quite normal to take the seat and let her stand?
Come on. I think you'll find women prefer gentlemen to neandethals.
fulham911club said:
What a bunch of cave men.
I think you'll find thats "New Men"...
fulham911club said:
So if a seat came free and there was you and a woman standing (regardless of what she looked like, how old, etc) you consider it quite normal to take the seat and let her stand?
Do you commute into London? Whenever I go I let people go first, allow ladies to sit and generally behave like a tourist.
fulham911club said:
Come on. I think you'll find women prefer gentlemen to neandethals.
Anyone will prefer people who are kind and considerate to them rather than people who are not. Stating it in a non-sexist way.
The question is whether or not it is reasonable for a woman to DEMAND of the poor bloke that he GIVE UP the seat he was ALREADY IN simply because she was a woman.
Bless him. The bloke made a witty retort when the rude cow said something utterly unreasonable. Good on him.
Whilst boarding a train yesterday, a woman tried to 'overtake'* me on the way to the only available seat, I actually noticed what she was up to and put my arm out to block her. But I live in Japan where women are 2nd class citizens anyway 
Don't worry ladies, I'm chivalrous when back in Blighty
*that's just reminded me of the superb 'do you ever feel guilty overtaking?' thread from a year or two ago
Don't worry ladies, I'm chivalrous when back in Blighty
*that's just reminded me of the superb 'do you ever feel guilty overtaking?' thread from a year or two ago
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