“The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, ‘It’s a girl.’
I still don’t believe that America has reached equality between the sexes (although we’re the closest to it compared to the rest of the world). Our legislation has allowed us to work for the same pay, hold the same jobs, and not allow businesses to discriminate against gender. All these forward thinking laws have helped tremendously in launching the woman into a life where she gets to choose her role, how her personality is molded, and how hard she wants to work.
But we’re still holding ourselves back, both men and women. I’m talking about the interactions that we have with each other. I’ve grown up my entire life believing I was as good (strong, smart, resourceful) as any boy, and as good as any girl as well. My body language, inflections, tones, intotations – all these things remained the same when switching between boys and girls. Now, I would not have an attitude with my parents like I would children, but that is slightly different from this scenario. What bothers me the most about the feminism movement is that men want to talk to women like they’re WOMEEEEEN and women want to be talked to by men as if they’re wanted. The basis of this interaction between the sexes hinders women from ever really evolving beyond being good housewives into what our gender has the potential to do.
I see this all the time. Men completely change their demeanor – their body language, their voice level, their friendliness, etc. – to a million times more than it normally is when speaking with a girl. A girl, since all she wants to be is found attractive and possibly flirt with this guy, opens herself up to his changes and fawns on them. It completely and absolutely sickens me.
The first time, man or woman, talks to me, I am completely and utterly myself. I have the same voice, the same attitude, and same body language. My guy friends recognize this and treat me exactly the way they treat their other guy friends. My girlfriends, however, see this and label me as “cool, independent”, and as if I’m trying to keep them away. This is because they are used to the idea that women are there to hinder their advancement in procuring a partner for sexual reproduction, and that only men would address them in a completely frank way.
Yes, men and women are biologicially different. I recognize this fact. What I don’t recognize is why this biological distinction necessitates an interpersonal distinction. Are we not tired of being treated differently? Or are we just so entrenched of the garbage of the past 2500 years of housewife history that we decide it’s not worth it to fight it? It completely boggles my mind. I want to scream at the offenders that I see this happen with, but it feels futile. Until women get to a certain level of development (a la Ken Wilbur), which they might not even ever reach, will we then care about how we are treated?
This absolutely shakes my core with anger, frustration, resentment, and despair when I see these failings of my sex. How can someone like me, who works so hard for us to gain ground, not be affected by those who knock us back (be they man or woman)?
Inequality remains rampant as long as people recognize the differences and choose to act on them. Only when you look at me, realize I’m a woman, then talk to me like you would any person, will I say progress has been made. But I do not think that this fundamental change will take place in my lifetime. And I’m only in my twenties.
