Comments on: Think women have achieved equality? Think again.

By: Akiyama

Akiyama — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:14:55 +0000

I completely agree with everything on this post! I’m from Asia so the social pressure to be subservient, quiet and obedient is even greater over here. Even in class, there’s this general atmosphere of disapproval every time a girl says something or voices her opinion. We feel bad because it seems like we’re interrupting the boys (who are constantly dominating discussions 90% of the time anyways).

I also especially agree with the point on how the use of language can be a discriminatory factor against women. See a boy taking charge and ordering people about, it’s LEADERSHIP. See a girl doing the same, it’s called being irritating and bossy…

It’s sad that even after so many years of Women’s Empowerment in my country, people (even the educated ones) still cling on to such negative stereotypes and refuse to change.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:58:35 +0000

I liked this article a lot. It definitely touched on a lot of clear issues that people don’t think about a lot. This article is actually on my syllabus for my women’s studies class. I think it’s kind of funny how men are getting all bent out of shape about there not being enough stuff based around men. It’s kind of ludicrous, especially considering it’s an article based around female equality. It’s funny, because there are plenty of things related to men, more than I expected, or hoped for. I have come to the point where being called a pussy or a faggot isn’t insulting anymore. They have negative connotations, but in general the words don’t mean anything bad. I firmly believe that it’s important to realize that all of these words – bitch, cunt, faggot, pussy, etc… are not going to stop being used. However, an alternate solution is to help people to realize that they, much like most curse words, DON’T HAVE TO MEAN ANYTHING BAD. I mean, mostly so that in future generations it just becomes a meaningless word, because while many people are against the idea of these words becoming slang, it is a step forward from actually being hateful.

By: Male Privilege vs. Female Privilege | AlekNovy

Male Privilege vs. Female Privilege | AlekNovy — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:15:03 +0000

[...] continue to believe and perpetuate gender essentialism based on bad science or using actual studies to “prove” the innateness of gender roles when the study itself [...]

By: ala

ala — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:51:40 +0000

“”Being called “girly” or a “sissy” or “pussy” are some of the worst insults you can give a man.”"

As most of the privileges list on this list, these are actually demands for keeping the status quo. This goes both ways. Its the way in which society tries to institutionalize the classical gender-roles. Being called “manly”, “tomboy” etc… are considered insults towards women.

Society tries to push (shame/guilt) “masculinity” onto men, and push “femininity” on women.

“”When a woman shows confidence in herself, she is said to “have balls”, or conversely she is a “man-eater”, “ball-buster”, or a “bitch” because she was “too” assertive.”"

Again, goes both ways. This is the way in which society tries to prevent people from overcoming the status quo. When a man shows confidence and asserts himself, he is called a “jerk”, an “asshole” and told he is selfish.

Society in general tries to:

1) Keep the status quo (make sure most people are average worker-bees)
2) It does this by opressing different groups, in different ways…

For example, it forbids men from going left, it forbids women from going right… etc… etc. The really sneaky part here, is that by doing this, it creates this situation where instead of blaming society, we blame each other. We feel resentful that women can go right (and we’re not allowed to), forgetting that we can go left, and she’s not allowed to.

Playing the privilege game, IMHO, only allows opression to go on… since as long as we view things in one-sided manner, there will always be backlash from the other group who feels like “you” have it easier. Truth is both groups have difficulties, but but groups are too selfish to view its own privileges and the difficulties of the opposite group.

By: What to Read for the New Feminist? — rosemarieberger.com

What to Read for the New Feminist? — rosemarieberger.com — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:08:30 +0000

[...] Think women have achieved equality? Think again. [...]

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:23:22 +0000

I just wanted to add that eating disorders are not “caused primarily by our society’s unhealthy obsession with fat” . It’s not healthy to further promote this misconception. The ‘fat’ aspect is used as a vehicle to express what are actually much deeper problems originating from a whole range of issues (security/control/responsibility/past abuse etc). They’ve been around for a long time – long before we ever had this obsession with being a size 0. I’m not arguing that society as it is now does not perpetuate the problem, just that it is certainly not the primary cause.

By: Z

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:56:42 +0000

I find the repeated attempts of commenters, predominantly male, to take over this discussion with male concerns particularly interesting. It reminds me of a classroom study where instead of the teacher calling on girls 30% of the time (the norm) the teacher called on girls 40% of the time. In response, children in the class, both boys and girls, complained that the teacher was favoring girls. In other words, the predominance of male concerns is such a given that any discussion concentrating on female concerns -a comparative rarity, in no way achieving parity in terms of gendered public discourse- prompts complaints about favoring women and ignoring men.
Indeed, the entitlement and privilege carefully inculcated into males balloons into righteous anger when experiencing the new and uncomfortable sleight of not being the center of a discussion. Additionally, the urgent and *caring* need to correct any mistakes about what may or may not warrant listing as a female concern seems to arise for other male commenters.
I wonder if these heartfelt contributions perhaps sought to challenge stereotypes that men are less emotional than women? Or perhaps they meant to challenge stereotypes that men are more rational than women by failing to follow the parameters of the discussion? But maybe its just what it seems, boorish attempts to re-assert control and and regain the spotlight by those unaccustomed to being without either.

By: kongming

kongming — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:08:38 +0000

“I agree that somebody should never get angry from questioning, but it is really, really, really annoying when you get called misoginistic when you are being polite.”

It’s also really, really, really annoying when you comment on a list of women’s problems with a bunch of whiny “BUT WHAT ABOUT MEN” crap. Oh, boohoo, some mean old feminist mistook you for a sexist one time. Do you also speak up when you see REAL instances of sexism, or is all your effort devoted to defending men from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?

By: Tasa-arvoa käytännön ja asenteiden tasolla « Maailma feministin silmin

Tasa-arvoa käytännön ja asenteiden tasolla « Maailma feministin silmin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:32:02 +0000

[...] Lopuksi vielä linkki listaan naisten kohtaamista tasa-arvo-ongelmista: Andrea Rubenstein: Think women have achieved equality? Think again. [...]

By: Are there any feminists in this forum ?? - Page 15 - Interfaith forums

Are there any feminists in this forum ?? - Page 15 - Interfaith forums — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:45:11 +0000

[...] Re: Are there any feminists in this forum ?? back to feminism, from a site pathless put in another thread Official Shrub.com Blog Blog Archive Think women have achieved equality? Think again. [...]