Emancipation... liberation of women... yes, it is what we wanted! We have struggled for so long to be treated on the same level as men... to be seen as not inferior to them, to be seen as not superior to them but to be seen as equal. And, thank God, we are slowly getting there. Not that long ago, men and only men held all the important positions, worked for government, were chief directors, doctors and lawyers. Not that long ago, women had only marginal roles, were men’s secretaries, receptionists and nurses, or simply stayed-at-home servants and housekeepers. It has all changed and today, more and more women are doctors and lawyers, many occupy significant managerial and government positions.
But has the situation changed for the better...?
I think we pay a high price for our emancipation... Yes, we want to be free. Yes, we want to be liberated and modern. Yes, we are hungry for the same opportunities men have got. But we didn’t say we wanted to be treated like dudes...
I think that women tolerate men’s rude behaviour to a great extent. They accept men who treat them badly, who do not take care of them, who treat them like dirt. Is a rude and offensive guy more manly and macho because he acts like an idiot? I don’t think so. I am sure many women (and I hope men as well) would agree with me when I say that ignorant, impolite and bad-mannered guys are not sexy at all. They are repulsive, unappealing and simply dull.
Where are all the gentlemen and nice guys gone? Why don’t men treat us like women anymore? We didn’t ask them to stop caring for us, taking care of us, loving us. We are still attracted to romantic guys. We are still attracted to men who open door for us, bring us flowers, offer us seats, take our coats... We still want some love, affection and romance... We still want to be admired, glorified and adored... Do we really want too much? Is this treating us like dudes a price we have to pay for wanting to be respected and appreciated on the same level as men?
Our society becomes more and more intolerant, narrow-minded and simply rude. I really do not expect men to offer me a seat in a tube. I am a young, healthy person and do not have to sit down wherever I go. What makes me mad, though, is when I see a visibly pregnant woman struggling to protect her belly from elbows of other passengers or an elderly lady who can barely stand on her own while a young, “cool” dude sits on the bus and pretends he does not see them. That is what really pisses me off.
I think this is a really big problem. Many people lack simple courtesy. And who is responsible for teaching them good manners? Parents. School. Society. We experience the world on our own but it is up to our parents and teachers to show us how to behave and conduct ourselves. They should be the ones who have formative effects on our minds. They should be the ones who influence our characters, values, ideas, principles and morals.
Even animals have principles. It is really sad that people, equipped with an indispensable skill such as logical and coherent thinking, still lack certain commonsense standards.
I agree with you, even though I am a man. But not every women are like you. I was shocked to see when my female colleague opened the door for my male teammate. Here, in Ireland Women's Day is unknown - (at least among those people I am surrounded with.) The lads didn't even think about buying flowers. And some girls actively take part in the burping competion after the company pizza day. So, not every women need what you mentioned. I see drunken gals every day lurching in front of the pubs, spitting, vomiting. It is a challenge to treat them as a lady... But once again: I agree with you. Women should behave like ladies and lads should be gentlemen. I have no objections against seeing women in jobs or positions which used to be privileged to men. And yes, not offering the seat to the elderly or the pregnant is rude.
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ReplyDelete11 June 2009 22:23
ReplyDeleteMarcos Vinicius Gomes said...
Animal havent' principles, they act as their instincts command. And compare animals with human beings isn't good, let comparsions only on the level of medicine ou biology on his apllied experiences. Men or women are directed by their group, and in all societies man despite woman. And isn't because of some feminists mottos, protests of women that burnt theirs brassieres that men lost macho-man mind. And in spite of occidental world has fed us throught centuries with romantic tales and his simbology of purety and christian love in all leves, occidental civilization has been sexist. Always. We have to left our demagogy and forget our prepotence of "model of civilization", leave our affections, our megalomany desiring change the world, bringing to our lifestyle the "barbarians" - includind Africa, Asia, Muslim world, all of these that disrespect women and put off freedom of women and childreen. We have to do our homework firstly, after that to teach the world to do right
I have never compared people to animals. In the animal kingdom everything is organised in a certain way. Animals don't behave aggressively towards each other just for fun, they don’t upset one another on purpose. They hurt and kill simply because they have to survive. It is the rule of the circle of life and that is what I meant by writing that animals have principles.
ReplyDeletePeople, on the other hand, do bad things intentionally.
I also did not state that men treat women badly only because of our liberation.
Not every Muslim or a person born in Asia or Africa disrespects women. To put everyone in the same box is just wrong. I have got Muslim male friends and, believe me, Marco, their families are their priorities; their wives are treated with highest respect.
What I wanted to state in my post was my own, humble opinion: I don’t like and don’t tolerate rude and disrespectful men. I was born in a Western country and I did not suffer any traumatic experiences. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t know what happens in other parts of the world and it certainly doesn’t mean that everything that goes on around is okay and that I accept it. I don’t and will openly talk about it. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting a nicer world, a world where people are courteous and kind to one another.
Anyway… Everybody is entitled to their own opinions. So am I. So are you.
I, thus, appreciate your comment and thank you for visiting my blog :)