Women's rights

[newtron]

Women's rights to me seems to be a much more complicated issue than equal right between races.  So I am interested how most women view this issue.  Are you satisfied with the way things are now, concerning this issue?  If not how do you want things to change?  Is media's focus on women's looks and sex appeal helping or hindering women's rights?

[natalie_1982]

I feel sorry for men as I feel women's rights have overtaken men's in some circumstances.  On a really simple scale, men are nowadays expected to do 'womens' chores like dusting and cooking, but how many men expect their wife to mow the lawn and wash the car?  Also, as far as parental rights go I think women have the upper hand, when sometimes the child may be better off with the father, but because the law is in the mother's favour he doesn't stand a chance and could risk losing all access.

However, in other situations women, I believe, are still held back by men i.e. in the workplace.

I don't think things can ever be truly equal and their will always be a slant from whqatever viewpoint you are in, or what you have experienced.  I;m sure there are many women who believe that they are still being discriminated against for being female.

[newtron]

I agree natalie that things can never truly be equal.  We can make all the laws in the world, but true equality between two or more groups of people requires each individual to consider every other individual (independent of  group affiliation) equal to him or herself.  This is definitely not the case these days and will probably not happen between men and women because men and women are different.  But I think the situation can improve.  I do think that women should try to fight for more recognition and respect in terms of intelect.  A few years ago, my wife and I were hiking in the mountains when we heard a loud  scream, resulting from a person on the other side of the canyon falling and breaking his leg.  We went to try to help.  My wife hiked out to inform the rescue team where the person was while I stayed behind to help the injured person.  Well when my wife showed the location of the injured person on a map, the rescue team didn't believe her, because the location didn't match the description  by the injured party (he had a cell phone).  However, my wife knew exactly where they were as we had a compass and map unlike the injured person.  Well, when I finally hiked to the rescue headquarters, I pointed to the exact location that my wife pointed to, and everyone believed me.  Needless to say, my wife was a little upset.  This same type of situation seems to come up on a regular basis. 

[nicola_red]

This is way too complicated an issue to be able to address here...nevertheless I would say that whilst the media scrutiny on women in terms of their appearance and sexuality is often a hindrance to equal rights, it's ingrained in society and I don't think the Western focus on appearance is about to change anytime in the near future.  Therefore women shouldn't feel bad about seeing their sexuality as a source of power and using it to their advantage; often it's the only weapon at their disposal.  The alternative - denying it and trying to look and act like men - isn't much fun and on past evidence just doesn't work. 

[netibiza]

 I have always stood up for myself as a human being - womens' rights never came into it - if something was unfair I objected and it worked even in the Dickensian offices of the '60's.My husband and I have "equal rights" although they may be different ones.

[smudge]

Ditto netibiza!

[FP]

Ditto too

[netibiza]

 Heavens above smudge and FP can you imagine anyone trying to mess with us three????

[smudge]

Not on your nelly, netibiza!

[netibiza]

 I know grammatically it should have been, we three, but then I feel I have to add" kings from Orient are" so leave the error.

[smudge]

LOL net!

[Maggie-Mae]

Im afraid that I think Natalies comments about men not expecting women to do things like washing cars and mowing lawns is a load of old toffee.  I wash my car and mow my lawn and dont expect a bloke to do it for me.  Ive even laid floor tiles/carpets etc in the past myself which some people may think is a mans job. I dont fix my car because im not a mechanic, not because im a women and its a "mans job".  If i can do something myself, i'll do it.  Women can hardly complain about men being chauvanistic about doing housework, if theres still women out there who think that washing cars and mowing lawns is mans work.  Double standards ladies!.

[smudge]

You sound just like me then Maggie! I love to do all sorts of manual jobs too. I love mowing the lawn, digging & cleaning my car - all out in the fresh air!

(Having said that, Natalie is entitled to her own opinion & it is just how she sees it. :o}

[netibiza]

As my husband works hard and long hours I therefore do most of the repairs at home ie electric wiring, plumbing and sorting out the digital tv when needs rebooting also cooking cleaning and I raised the kids but only because he was working and I wasn't.  When we both were were working we both did the cooking etc.(he wasn't very good at bedmaking)

[FP]

I don't mow our lawn or clean my car.  However, I have done my fair share of house building, working as a builder's labourer whilst we renovated our cottage.  I have put up ceilings, plastered,  barrowed tons of rubble, etc. etc.  So please can I be forgiven for not mowing our half acre lawn.  Thanks.

[josieann]

Why oh Why should women have to prove they can do all the what is considered masculine roles, ie do diy, cut the lawn, build a house just to claim equality. Do men prove they can do the feminine job to prove they are worthy.  NO.  There are some men that cant lift heavy objects but many more women that probably can so why is he given more respect and treat equal to those that can ie other men, whilst a women wil be considered butch.   Equality is about being given the same rights irrespective of gender or ability or race.  There is the sex discrimination act just like the race relations act we women should learn to use it more to fight our ground.   

[smudge]

I agree, there is still some forms of discrimination in the work place. But it just so happens that my husband finds cooking relaxing & I 'enjoy'' manual work because not only is it good exercise - it gets things done!

I know so many women, who belong to the 'Oh, I can't change a lightbulb, or an ironig board cover' brigade - but in actual fact they are just too lazy to do so!

Being disabled, or not being able to do so, is of course another issue.

[smudge]

*are still

[smudge]

*ironing

Less haste, more speed - I'll now get to my brick laying!

[clairus99]

I agree to a point but what about maternity rights, and pay?

2005 and a man still gets more than a woman for doing the same job.

Something very wrong there.

[natalie_1982]

That was my point Maggie_May, how can women preach that men are chauvinistic if they are not willing to do 'masculine' jobs.  I'm not Penelope Pitstop, I didn't say whether I do or do not do 'masculine' jobs, so I'd appreciate it if you weren't so brash, I think it's rude.  As Smudge pointed out I can hold an opinion without being told it's "a load of old toffee".

We're not talking about laziness or disability are we?

Women's rights are what they are, there are areas where men will fight tooth and nail and still not come out on top, and there are areas where women will struggle and suffer, and too, still come below men.  We will never be truly equal, it's smply not possible, and I enjoy the fact that I am capable of something's my partner isn't (like getting rid of spiders and choosing good colour patterns) and he is better than me at some things (like getting a well paid job as a labourer in the sunshine outdoors throughout the Summer!).