Feminism going backwards?
Discussion
Interesting article
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1961661,00.html
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1961661,00.html
The Times said:
We've gone from being Amazons to can't cope, won't cope wusses
Carol Sarler
“I AM WOMAN,” she sang, “hear me roar.” And so, with infectious exuberance, we did: “I am strong, I am invincible, I am wo-maaaan!” Heady, healthy days; by the time Helen Reddy’s anthem became the singalong of the early 1970s, we already had the contraceptive pill, we had legal abortion and the youngest among us, at least, had choices far fitter and fatter than those of our mothers.
We reclaimed the night, we grew shaggy armpits, we had a blast. In 1975, Parliament finally caught up with the prevailing mood and so, 30 years ago today, the Sex Discrimination Act was passed and the Equal Pay Act came into force: a decent crack was ours for the taking and woe betide he who would deny us.
As things turned out, however, it wasn’t to be a he who dimmed the lights; it was a she. Moan all you will about glass ceilings and the still tenacious grip, in some quarters, of Neanderthal man; the terrible truth is that while it was women who fought for — and won — a historical advance for their sex, it was also women, thereafter, who blew it.
The overwhelming achievement of these three decades of feminism and its worker bees in the “women’s movement” has been to turn our triumph on its head. What was once about women’s strengths is now about their weaknesses; where once we celebrated what women can do, we are asked, now, only to make allowances for what they cannot.
The purpose of the new law was to ensure what might loosely be called fair play; it beggars belief, looking back, that its proponents ever expected to see it invoked in so many cases that are, frankly, pathetic. Scarcely a week passes without some female high-flyer running to a tribunal with tales of men being beastly; in one memorable case this year a woman used in evidence the fact that her male colleagues often went to the pub without her. You might think that equality involves an equal chance of being disliked — she called it sex discrimination. (And prevailed.)
Being excessively liked, mind, causes as much grief: vast sums are paid to those propositioned by a sexually uppity colleague, as compensation for the gal being so traumatised that she is forced to retire and spend more time with her stress counsellor. Women in the Armed Forces seem especially attracted to this milch cow, with 2,400 of them last year complaining of harassment — in other words, the very women expected to produce superhuman effort under enemy fire cannot, apparently, be expected to produce a robust rebuttal of a smutty overture.
So here we are: victims all. Can’t help ourselves. And proud of it. You will remember Sara Thornton, who stabbed her husband to death as he lay boozed into coma. She was entirely free to leave him, but given that he’d kicked her in the self-esteem she couldn’t be expected to do that. And when the usual women’s groups fought to have her released in 1995, she emerged from prison gates, clenched fists aloft, to applause fit for a heroine.
You won’t, however, remember “Ann” — even if you did read the story I wrote about her in the same year. She was tied to a brute by lack of money, education, hope, opportunity and, oh yes, three small children. Nevertheless, on the day she determined that she had taken her very last fist, she bundled up her children and left, for ever, to and with nothing. An astoundingly brave move, from my kind of heroine — but, regrettably, only 20 years after the Sex Discrimination Act, a heroism of already unfashionable hue. Nobody even asks now, another ten years on, why a battered woman doesn’t up sticks. Or stand up for herself: research suggests an average of 35 beatings before the first call to the police.
I am strong, I am invincible?
Of course, we are never allowed to forget that it’s hard to be strong when cussed by oestrogen. Where once the menstrual cycle was discreetly left to euphemistic allusions in intimate company, now it demands exemptions fit for war wounds as premenstrual tension has become an excuse for all peculiarities of behaviour. I recently heard an ambitious woman, who doubtless prides herself on being thoroughly modern, boldly blame her temporary ineptitude, to a male superior, upon her “ time of the month”; in other words, “I’m as good as the men, gissa job . . . even though, by the way, I shall be howling at the moon one week in four.”
Still, if our hormonally challenged flesh is weak, it is as nothing compared with our minds. This season’s heated debate, for example, has concerned whether a woman’s consent to sexual intercourse is valid if she is drunk. Feministas are adamant that it is not, arguing that a man who “takes advantage” of a woman rendered compliant by a few pints of snakebite is a fully-fledged rapist; again, their argument weakens us.
Allowing for the tautological assumption that “date rape” takes place on a date, and allowing therefore that both parties probably enjoyed several sherries before engaging in sex, what this means is that a man may be held responsible for his inebriated actions — but a woman need not be. A curious equality, is it not, that disallows an equal right to make our own mistakes?
The undermining of essentially female stoicism does, admittedly, benefit some: workers in equal ops quangos and viragos of agitprops, for instance, are bound to regard the naturally independent strengths of women with the same horror that a tenured environmentalist sniffs clean air.
But those who follow their self-interested lead really must be daft as brushes. The evolution of the “can’t cope, won’t cope” philosophy has done most of us no favours at all — and it was not to make helpless wusses of ourselves that, 30 years ago, we grouped and moved, and marched and sang.
Interesting article
And as with all such discrimination laws it only invites abuse as those incapable, or unwilling, to earn money through hard work seek it through the courts.
I think though that the fundamental problem with the Feminist movement is that they sought to turn women into men. Rather than pursue a policy of separate but equal spheres.
And as with all such discrimination laws it only invites abuse as those incapable, or unwilling, to earn money through hard work seek it through the courts.
I think though that the fundamental problem with the Feminist movement is that they sought to turn women into men. Rather than pursue a policy of separate but equal spheres.
Jaglover said:
Interesting article
And as with all such discrimination laws it only invites abuse as those incapable, or unwilling, to earn money through hard work seek it through the courts.
I think though that the fundamental problem with the Feminist movement is that they sought to turn women into men. Rather than pursue a policy of separate but equal spheres.
Indeed an interesting article. Und I agree. I keep myself "feminine" but am regarded as "boss" at work - und can compete on equal terms there.
I certainly do not howl at moon every 4 weeks or so -ist the catnip und the evening primrose
As for ungentlemanly und unladylike behaviour - perhaps it is part of signals you give to others
I do not get drunk or dress with my boobies hanging out. Choose a sassy style which give tasteful but sublest hints! Und keep conversation on refined keel.
As for the wimmin trapped in these loveless und bullying marriages.....that ist not as simple as this lady make out. Many of these wimmin really do have no place to go und if they do move - he comes after them with worse trouble. Not all have the bravery of "Ann" und there was a very interesting piece on the Vine prog before Christmas on this very topic und Ms Sarler was, as I recall, most unpleasant on air to one victim who left after many years of violence "because she put up with it for so long". Woman pointed out that not so easy to just leave with no money, job, home und danger of being followed und she also mentioned that the sheer fear of her husband kept her there und I do not think we can understand this "fear" which also binds either because we have not experienced this thankfully ...also these wimmin think "they can change him" as well.
Am very lucky girly - married "Mr Just Right for me" really
vixpy1 said:
Women think too much
We have to, we've got to make up for you men
We don't have to think, we know how things work
Now I have heard it all!!!
See, you had to think for 5 mins before you replied
Ar&e!!
Actually I thought the article was quite good.
A woman! Admit defeat???
vixpy1 said:
I'm secure in myself - I can afford to humour you guys
I find most women have the Security of the kind that Group 4 would provide..
ie, the back door is easy to bash in!
You see - even after sharing two bottles of champagne I can sense that this is a turning point in the thread!!
I don't need to swagger around, shouting the odds about being independent, and how I don't need a man.
That's what a lot of feminists think you should be doing. There are more subtle ways of getting through life, you don't have to meet everything head on, there are many ways around things.
I don't need a man, but choose to spend my life with one quite simply because I love him as he does me, saying that I manage quite well when he isn't here but I don't make a song and dance about it. I'm not too proud to ask for help if I need it, I know my limitations but am comfortable with myself and don't feel the need to prove myself equal to anyone.
Oh and I can open jam jars, hot water is good, or jamming the lid in a door and twisting the bottle. Failing that, chuck it and buy another one.
spelling a bit off today
>> Edited by grass widow on Thursday 29th December 18:42
That's what a lot of feminists think you should be doing. There are more subtle ways of getting through life, you don't have to meet everything head on, there are many ways around things.
I don't need a man, but choose to spend my life with one quite simply because I love him as he does me, saying that I manage quite well when he isn't here but I don't make a song and dance about it. I'm not too proud to ask for help if I need it, I know my limitations but am comfortable with myself and don't feel the need to prove myself equal to anyone.
Oh and I can open jam jars, hot water is good, or jamming the lid in a door and twisting the bottle. Failing that, chuck it and buy another one.
spelling a bit off today
>> Edited by grass widow on Thursday 29th December 18:42
BliarOut said:
Women think too much
We have to, we've got to make up for you men
We don't have to think, we know how things work
And can open jam jars on our own
Funny - I do all the jam jar opening around here und I know how most things work...apart from a neanderthal male's mind..
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