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Date Posted: 11:40:37 02/01/02 Fri
Author: Sarah
Subject: Re: Yasmin Greer the rest of the uterus crew
In reply to: rich u 's message, "Re: Yasmin Greer the rest of the uterus crew" on 11:57:40 01/30/02 Wed

What a fair and open-minded person you are Rich. I like your response because I have essentially come to the same conclusion. Although gender is a significant issue, when we bring religion into the debate (which is not an objective force but often a subjective, open to interpretation, ideological tool) we are missing the point. Personally I wouldnt go near the bible to find out what my designated role as a female should be, as I have never actually found anything useful on that subject. However, arnt we forgetting the most influential aspects of religion? Need I remind you that christianity tells us to love thy neighbour, forgive our enemies and live a life of goodness? what I am trying to convey to you is that I read the Bible when I need a MORAL direction in my life. I think religion should be used to explore what our role as human beings should be, irrelevent of gender.

When it comes to gender conflict, my mantra is to treat man and woman as they treat me. Consequently if a man patronises me (or tries to guess the size of my skirt as happened to me when I watressed at 14 years old) I dont respect them. I had a traumatic encounter on a school trip to Prague when a male teacher who was meant to be supervising us, instead checked out my ass with Simon Robinson. These are the things that make me angry - actual occurences. No one can completely shut down the prejudices they gain from experience and perhaps this is why I am often disdainful of this sort of 'chauvanism' I have encountered. At the same time I have received disrespect from women and have a similar reaction to them.

I think Yasmin and Tim's frivalous and conventional gender 'put downs' highlight the fact that differences (biological/physical and emotional) seem to grant people the right to argue over who is better. Both me and Umbers (and many others) are sensible to see what an egotistical method of argument this is. If I thought for one minute that Tim actually believed in some of his 'slightly' sexist comments he wouldnt get half the respect I give him.

I'm glad Rich that you agree about biological differences being of less importance now than it was in the past. Masculinity and femininity have such a wider scope for expression nowadays because women can control their reproduction, can earn money equal to that of a man and even join the military forces. Due to the technological development of methods of warfare, one could argue that the physical strength neednt be something a man should wholly define himself by.

Although I must point out that intellect and psychology are different things. Men and women may have biologically different psychology but that doesnt necessarily make one better than the other until you express for what purpose. For instance, I could argue that men are more competitive than women but until you explain why this is good for the human race, how can you say that men are consequently better?I am now expressing my marxist-feminist leanings. Intellect is open to everyone, I believe. I am intelligent and a woman, that is not a paradox.

The problem is however that women are often described as blond and silly and ditzy and I think many deserve these derogatory comments, because they allow themselves to be drawn into this stereotype. I know loads of women who try to appear helpless because they think they will endear themselves to men. What a dum idea. I have no respect for this sort of manipulative behaviour, especially since most men dont realise the technique and become the victims themselves. My distain probably comes from the acknowledgement that I have this within me somewhere, I'm sure due to my socialisation and influence of my mother, and consequently fight an internal battle to live up to the equality that I demand. As my dad says, 'in order to be equal all you have to do is to be equal'.

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