Sigmund Freud once said that, even in his 30 years of studying the human psyche, the one thing he can't seem to answer is, what do women want?
Well, now we know Freud was a quack, but his statement brings up an interesting question, what do women want?
This might sound like an ignorant question that the y chromosome in my body brings out, but it is actually not too far from the topic I want to address.
The true question I wish to address is, what do females want as someone in our society?
Do they wish to be treated as equals?
Now, let us assume they DO want to be treated just as a man is in society.
If they do so, would they then lose what makes them females? Would men be allowed to hold door for women or pull chairs out for women or would that be seen as some insult to women? would they get offended at the inequality that this brings out?
Would the whole idea of what makes a woman today have to be completely changed just to fit this new equal status?
Would equality turn women essentially into the same as that of a man?
Now, assuming they DON'T want this, and they wish to have their chairs pulled out for them, doors opened for them and coats given to them.
Is this advocating gender inequality? Is doing this demeaning women in some way?
What about sexuality? Would equality of both sexes cause a loss in sexuality for, perhaps BOTH sexes?
Or, is there some balance of both that one can achieve? But is that REALLY equality or some false form invented to please the female sex?
The question, although it perhaps sounds a bit ignorant in the start, really is;
What do women want?
Well, this is a good question, and the answer is we don’t know or at least I don’t know. I say this because there are many ways you can look at this situation. It’s true that women prefer men pulling their chair, and hold the door for her, and give her a coat, but I don’t necessarily say these things are what women want. I say this because these things that you mentioned are more for showing respect, or being a good gentleman. However, what woman wants in our society could be power since we were higher than females for a long time, which in our times changed. I believe that woman in our society just want to be treated equally in kindness, fairness, and equal human rights. I don’t think that would make then lose their feminism.
ReplyDeleteI think that gender equality is very possible, but the society is confused about what both genders desire. Also, the way we interpret things (Lens) has to change if we want to achieve this, and it could be difficult.
Lastly, as I said before, the answer to your question is difficult to answer; we would need the options of females, and what they should be equal to answer this type of question.
I see your point. I think that the things you have mentioned are just signs of respect. I don't know why some women see them as being offensive. I mean come on, pulling chairs and holding doors seems like a nice thing to do. In my opinion people take things to the extreme. Just because men pull out chairs for women, it does not mean that women can't pull out their own chairs or hold their own coats, etc.
ReplyDeleteThis negative thinking is ridiculous.
I think that gender equality has already been achieved. Think about it, all of the negative things we hear are just stereotypes. In today's society ( at least in North America) women have as much rights as men do. There is no discrimination.
Women rights outside of North America is a whole different story.
Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece. ~Author Unknown
I believe that if there was full equality between men and women, the world would be a difficult place to live in.
ReplyDeleteWomen and men would work day and night making money, and that would cause their home life to be disrupted.
I know many business oriented women who do not even think about having a family until late 30s or 40s. even if they do settle down and have children, no one would be around to give the kids the attention they need to be nourished, therefore causing the kids to be influenced by negative things, not having a stable personality, etc.
Having equality in men and women sounds like a very liberal and positive thing, but it does have its cons.
Well Safar, saying that they're "just stereotypes" would be wrong.
ReplyDeleteLike for example, how about the phrase, "you throw like a girl"? thats inequality right there
I just want to go back to safars comment. You say women in North America have already achieved equal rights and that there is no discrimination, "I think that gender equality has already been achieved. Think about it, all of the negative things we hear are just stereotypes. In today's society ( at least in North America) women have as much rights as men do. There is no discrimination." I agree that women in North America have more rights and freedoms than many other women around the world, but I disagree that there is no discrimination. There is still the ongoing debate about equal pay and women still are not treated with the respect that they deserve when working with a male co-worker. Many times, women are pressured to "go have a baby" or "spend some time with the husband", which aren't all bad things, but it seems that although women are just as easily accepted into the job world, they are also just as easily pushed away from it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that some form of gender equality has been realized, but you got to remember, this all started less than 100 hundred years ago and although significant progress has been made, it has yet to reveal its full results. To answer your question Samuel, what do women want? It seems obvious. Not jewels, big mansions, fancy cars or a private jets(although they are cool). They want what they need, freedom.
Ok, freedom? Well..I kind of have a problem with that statement becuase it brings up a bigger and more head hurting question;
ReplyDeleteWhat is freedom?
Even if women have the freedom to vote, the freedom to run for presidency, the freedom to become world leaders in various fields (which, really, we have already), stereotypes can still exist that demean them. It doesn't mean that the aren't FREE do do anything, just that they're not able to get positions like this as well because of the stereotypes that are placed upon them.
I'm sure you understand what I'm saying, and perhaps you meant something different, but just saying freedom is probably not the best choice to describe it.
women want respect and love. Although they want money, mansions and etc but this is not what they are always interested in. I know a lady who married a rich men. She didn't like her relationship because he would always insult her and sometimes even beat her up. She got sick and tired of this so she got divorced. Meanwhile her little sister married a poor men. Okay, he wasn't that poor but money was a problem that she faced in her marriage. Her husband was very sweet and caring. He would do all of his work. He would take care of the children sometimes. Help with chores. But he didn't had a good career. All her friends use to tell her to get divorce because she was very pretty and can marry some rich person. She refused, and decided to live with her husband and share his problems. In some situations she had to sleep hungry, she wore very old clothes. She sold all her jewelry that she had from the beginning of the marriage. She loved her husband a lot. After some while, she got at this rich lady's home. She use to wash her dishes and do all the other house work. That lady passed away after 2 years and left all her property to her since that rich lady had no children.
ReplyDeleteNow she and her family are rich because God knew how they loved each other a lot and they sort of deserved this wealth. Some people on earth love each other but they don't get their award on earth instead they get it in their next life. But lucky for her that she got it in this world.
Her sister who married for money but now she married a guy who isn't very rich, good looking or fit but instead he was very respectful and a loving person.
Now these sisters tell others to marry those who can love you forever and can respect you because that love will make a women small house into a paradise on earth.
(By: Raisa)
To Sam:
ReplyDeleteStereotypes will ALWAYS exist. You cannot control a person's mind. In my opinion, we have already achieved legal freedoms such as voting, careers, etc. The freedom you are talking about is unachievable. The same stereotypical restrictions you talk about can also apply to males.
The world isn't perfect.
I was never saying freedom was possible by the way, I think that post's more to Granit :P
ReplyDeleteOf course stereotypes will always exist, but do they have to be all negative stereotypes influencing gender inequality?
I believe women want to be treated equally when it comes to decision making, education, job promotion and their rights. However, when it comes to etiquette they want to be treated slightly different. A way which makes them feel special and the night memorable! =)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Adilah. When we speak of equality what women are trying to gain is the same if not even more equality to that of men where they won't be judged or discrimanted for. Ex. engineering and plumbing and any other manual work is that of a mans job because woman aren't physically capable of doing these types of jobs. Whereas such jobs like nursing are mostly careers of women. But women don't want to actually like men they just want the same level of respect given to them. In the end they still want men to treat them kindly like opening the door for them etc.
ReplyDeleteI believe that woman want to be treated equally as men, since early history woman have been treated poorly with little rights and recently have been getting more rights. Such as in the late 70's woman in Canada were given rights to vote, which at the time was considered big because they were acknowledged real citizens. Also even now around the world woman are being treated very poorly, like in some countries woman can not drive ( no joke), they literally are forbidden on the drivers seat. Finally the way I see it is woman do not to be discriminated and want to live in this world with proper respect.
ReplyDeleteI believe inequality comes from man thinking their superior over woman, thinking they own woman, and thinking there smarter then woman. I dont believe we ask for too much! We want to get paid the same amount for the same job! We want to make it to the top as a CEO without having to sleep around! We want people to take as seriously in court when defending a client! We want to be able to make a decision and not be judged because we were going through hormonal changes! We just want to feel like we can be ourselves without having to constantly been looked down upon because of our gender. We just want to be take seriously where our looks don't play apart.
ReplyDelete