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this will be short and sweet.
first of all, i say amen to prince james, particularly on his most recent
tome. as someone who's sympathetic to racial equality, i have to say i love
MLK and the panthers freak me out. additionally, as someone sympathetic to
gender equality (and let no one say i'm not doing my part by eking my way
through this truly male dominated field), the language of radical feminists
also freaks me out. i want a means to an end, and i don't think that
language will get us to the end i desire, because you can't even get ME on
the bandwagon.
The idea I'm referring
> to is the complete abolition of gender aesthetics or
> the categorical denial of any sort of "intrinsic"
> differences in the sexes.
as for this - as a pragmatist, this is just totally impossible. maybe i'm
not fully understanding what you mean erica....but i will always have boobs ,
a uterus, and more estrogen than testosterone. the fact remains that in my
relationship with my fiance, it is I who will get pregnant, have the baby,
and breast feed it. until we become a bunch of ambisexual or asexual beings ,
there is this problem of physical intrinsic differences that cannot be
escaped, and certain things will just have to go with that, and while some
may view that as fortunate, and others unfortunate, it is what it is. i
think equality WITH our differences in mind makes more sense. i used to be
all gung-ho about playing in co-rec soccer leagues. that is, until i
consistently got beat up. there was the time i couldn't close my mouth for 4
days (yes, it was just hanging slightly open) because a guy probably around
my age but with quads the size of my waist kicked a ball that hit me in the
face. i still play, but i'm not so bold as i used to be. that's just an
example, but in sports, in other things...certains will just be. and i'm ok
with that as long as i can still play as much soccer as i want. or work
wherever i want. or drink as much beer as i want. and watch as much sports
as i do. or have sex with whomever i want, and NOT with whomever i don't
want. i don't think any of these things require a rejection of the fact that
there are differences between sexes.
Let's at least agree the
> problem exists and get on to some practical matters.
amen again! i don't have to believe in the above to throw my support behind
these measures. in my mind, they're totally decoupled. but i'd bet you'd
scare away a crapload of people who would support everything below by the
language above.
ok, so maybe this isn't as short as i planned, but i'm done now.
lisa
I'll propose some starters. Since gender
> discrimination is extremely difficult to destroy its
> roots (though we should solider on there as well), I
> think it makes perfect sense to legislate greater
> diversity as a short-term fix. Advocates of equality
> can also point out to wayward companies and
> institutions that their efficiency and bottom line are
> positively affected by greater gender diversity (and
> on average it is). We should make it easier for women
> to access resources that will enable them to
> independently raise their children. A first step
> could be raising the minimum wage and encouraging
> quality daycare centers at work. It is also important
> that everyone, especially those who can't afford a
> fancy lawyer, have easy access to the legal system so
> they can prosecute and punish employers who sexually
> harass them or discriminate against them based on
> gender. We should find whoever is paying women less
> and make them suffer. Legally. We should do whatever
> we can to stop the oppression of women
> abroad--supporting international human rights
> organizations etc. We should stop talking as if we
> *know* what is inherently or intrinsically masculine
> or feminine; as if it mattered; as if the debate is
> even intelligible. This language promotes harmful
> gender stereotypes. Psychological diseases such as
> anorexia should be handled openly and aggressively
> treated just like any other medical disease--without
> stigma or shame. Everyone in the developed world
> should become vegan! Ok, that last thing isn't really
> as pertinent. Foreshadowing anyone? Hehehehe.
> You get the idea. Let the games begin.
> Again, thank you for your endurance. I'm having a
> good time, I hope you are too.
> -Erica
>
>
>
>
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this will be short and sweet.
first of all, i say amen to prince james, particularly on his most
recent tome. as someone who's sympathetic to racial equality, i
have to say i love MLK and the panthers freak me out.
additionally, as someone sympathetic to gender equality (and let no one
say i'm not doing my part by eking my way through this truly male
dominated field), the language of radical feminists also freaks me
out. i want a means to an end, and i don't think that language
will get us to the end i desire, because you can't even get ME on the
bandwagon.
The idea I'm referring to is the complete abolition of gender aesthetics or
the categorical denial of any sort of "intrinsic"
differences in the sexes.
as for this - as a pragmatist, this is just totally impossible.
maybe i'm not fully understanding what you mean erica....but i will
always have boobs, a uterus, and more estrogen than testosterone.
the fact remains that in my relationship with my fiance, it is I who
will get pregnant, have the baby, and breast feed it. until we
become a bunch of ambisexual or asexual beings, there is this problem
of physical intrinsic differences that cannot be escaped, and certain
things will just have to go with that, and while some may view that as
fortunate, and others unfortunate, it is what it is. i think
equality WITH our differences in mind makes more sense. i used to
be all gung-ho about playing in co-rec soccer leagues. that is,
until i consistently got beat up. there was the time i couldn't
close my mouth for 4 days (yes, it was just hanging slightly open)
because a guy probably around my age but with quads the size of my
waist kicked a ball that hit me in the face. i still play, but
i'm not so bold as i used to be. that's just an example, but in
sports, in other things...certains will just be. and i'm ok with
that as long as i can still play as much soccer as i want. or
work wherever i want. or drink as much beer as i want. and
watch as much sports as i do. or have sex with whomever i want,
and NOT with whomever i don't want. i don't think any of these
things require a rejection of the fact that there are differences
between sexes.
Let's at least agree the problem exists and get on to some practical matters.
amen again! i don't have to believe in the above to throw my
support behind these measures. in my mind, they're totally
decoupled. but i'd bet you'd scare away a crapload of people who
would support everything below by the language above.
ok, so maybe this isn't as short as i planned, but i'm done now.
lisa
; I'll propose some starters. Since gender discrimination is
extremely difficult to destroy its
roots (though we should solider on there as well), I think it makes perfect
sense to legislate greater diversity as a short-term fix. ;Advocates of
equality can also point out to wayward companies and institutions that their
efficiency and bottom line are
positively affected by greater gender diversity (and on average it is ). We
should make it easier for women to access resources that will enable them to
independently raise their children. A first step could be raising the minimum
wage and encouraging
quality daycare centers at work. It is also important that everyone,
especially those who can't afford a fancy lawyer, have easy access to the
legal system so they can prosecute and punish employers who sexually
harass them or discriminate against them based on gender. ;We should
find whoever is paying women less and make them suffer. Legally. We should
do whatever we can to stop the oppression of women abroad--supporting
international human rights
organizations etc. We should stop talking as if we *know* what is inherently
or intrinsically masculine or feminine; as if it mattered ; as if the debate is
even intelligible. This language promotes harmful
gender stereotypes. Psychological diseases such as anorexia should be handled
openly and aggressively treated just like any other medical disease--without
stigma or shame. Everyone in the developed world should become vegan! Ok,
that last thing isn't really
as pertinent. Foreshadowing anyone? Hehehehe. You get the idea. Let the
games begin. Again, thank you for your endurance. I'm having a good time, I
hope you are too. -Erica
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