Comments on: Reversing the Stereotype http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/03/08/249/ Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Luke http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/03/08/249/comment-page-1/#comment-3228 Luke Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:39:21 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=249#comment-3228 The Wikipedia article is certainly biased; I think both feminist groups and mens rights groups are guilty of exaggerating to make their point. I also think that is mostly OK, as long as people realise the exaggeration. You are right about attitudes changing to accept powerful physical women (Girl Power, Buffy, Xena, Charlies Angels, etc). However I think the attitude changes will take time to filter through society; many baby boomers accept feminism and generation X and Y accept girl power, but perhaps people over 50 (huge generalisation) aren't as liberated. The justice system will also lag behind in terms of gender equality, since liberal laws and judges take time to move through the system. Mens rights groups suggest that the family court is biased against fathers, and I think they have a point. However, is this bias due to feminists in the system backing pro-women/anti-male policies, (pro-women discrimination / anti-male sexism) or because older judges and laws perceive women to be better nurturers? (patriarchal benevolent sexism) BTW, the research suggests that the rate of domestic abuse in gay and lesbian relationships is roughly equivalent to heterosexual relationships. The Wikipedia article is certainly biased; I think both feminist groups and mens rights groups are guilty of exaggerating to make their point. I also think that is mostly OK, as long as people realise the exaggeration.

You are right about attitudes changing to accept powerful physical women (Girl Power, Buffy, Xena, Charlies Angels, etc). However I think the attitude changes will take time to filter through society; many baby boomers accept feminism and generation X and Y accept girl power, but perhaps people over 50 (huge generalisation) aren’t as liberated.

The justice system will also lag behind in terms of gender equality, since liberal laws and judges take time to move through the system.

Mens rights groups suggest that the family court is biased against fathers, and I think they have a point. However, is this bias due to feminists in the system backing pro-women/anti-male policies, (pro-women discrimination / anti-male sexism) or because older judges and laws perceive women to be better nurturers? (patriarchal benevolent sexism)

BTW, the research suggests that the rate of domestic abuse in gay and lesbian relationships is roughly equivalent to heterosexual relationships.

]]> By: Sarah http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/03/08/249/comment-page-1/#comment-3227 Sarah Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:04:36 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=249#comment-3227 ...So, in rereading this, I discovered that my comment either is blindingly obvious or makes no sense, which is generally what happens when I try to be intelligent at 11:30 at night after several gin and tonics. ;) What I meant to say is that although societial views towards women have changed enough for us to now recognize that women are capable of "strong and aggressive" behavior as well, they have not similarly changed for men. So unlike women, they have both biological and societal prejudices against them. (I'm not sure why that revelation seemed so profound to me last night but there you go.) However, in saying that, I do think that Wikipedia article you posted is a little biased. I don't see the point in being hostile towards EITHER gender as far as this is concerned. (I also agree that more attention needs to be paid to LGBT partnerships where this is an issue. I knew several individuals back at NYU who were in situations that would have immediately been referred to the police if it hadn't been same-sex abuse.) …So, in rereading this, I discovered that my comment either is blindingly obvious or makes no sense, which is generally what happens when I try to be intelligent at 11:30 at night after several gin and tonics. ;) What I meant to say is that although societial views towards women have changed enough for us to now recognize that women are capable of “strong and aggressive” behavior as well, they have not similarly changed for men. So unlike women, they have both biological and societal prejudices against them. (I’m not sure why that revelation seemed so profound to me last night but there you go.)

However, in saying that, I do think that Wikipedia article you posted is a little biased. I don’t see the point in being hostile towards EITHER gender as far as this is concerned. (I also agree that more attention needs to be paid to LGBT partnerships where this is an issue. I knew several individuals back at NYU who were in situations that would have immediately been referred to the police if it hadn’t been same-sex abuse.)

]]> By: Sarah http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/03/08/249/comment-page-1/#comment-3192 Sarah Thu, 08 Mar 2007 09:44:44 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=249#comment-3192 Well, to answer one of the many questions you pose, I think society views aggressive behavior as the sole domain of men because this is how millions of years of evolution has programmed us to think. Societal changes occur much more rapidly than biological and neurological ones and these gender roles have only very recently (in terms of human development as a whole) begun to change. Men who find themselves on the other end of the stick have both contemporary (societal) AND historical (biological) prejudices to work against if they decide to seek help. Well, to answer one of the many questions you pose, I think society views aggressive behavior as the sole domain of men because this is how millions of years of evolution has programmed us to think. Societal changes occur much more rapidly than biological and neurological ones and these gender roles have only very recently (in terms of human development as a whole) begun to change. Men who find themselves on the other end of the stick have both contemporary (societal) AND historical (biological) prejudices to work against if they decide to seek help.

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