We women are more powerless to control so many areas in our lives, even something as simple as taking an evening stroll around our neighborhoods. In accordance with tradition, we are valued less in all areas than the culturally dominant sex.Institutionalized inequality is just about universal. We are subject to rape, wholesale physical abuse from our own mates, harrassment at work, etc... We are terrorized in parking lots, in schools, in parks and are seen as OK targets for catcalls and demeaning remarks, at the very least. God (!) help us if we get too high at a party or slipped a "date rape" drug. In most cultures, we are considered to be here for the capricious use of any male and we are...

We women are more powerless to control so many areas in our lives, even something as simple as taking an evening stroll around our neighborhoods. In accordance with tradition, we are valued less in all areas than the culturally dominant sex.Institutionalized inequality is just about universal. We are subject to rape, wholesale physical abuse from our own mates, harrassment at work, etc... We are terrorized in parking lots, in schools, in parks and are seen as OK targets for catcalls and demeaning remarks, at the very least. God (!) help us if we get too high at a party or slipped a "date rape" drug. In most cultures, we are considered to be here for the capricious use of any male and we are held (impossibly) responsible for the actions of those males toward us. And what happens if we take exception to these situations and organize or speak out? Why now, on top of being bitches, sluts, whores, harridans, harpies and all the other character slanders, now, we are "feminazis". And who are we to call on for help in these matters, seeing as how the perpetrators and the majority of the authority figures belong to the same class of people?
Plus, most religions teach their girl children that they are dirty, less worthy of spiritual status, and inherently without virtue unless they make special efforts to redeem themselves. The really shameful part is that we women turn to the very organizations that hold us in such poor esteem, hoping that our death will finally release us from this impossible situation, since we are not likely to find justice during life. For many of us, there are not alot of alternatives, especially if we wish to be a part of mainstream society.

debjanew said:

...losing my son a few years ago has made me crave a belief in some kind of afterlife where I can be with him again.

Similarly, I'd like to think that I can be somehow reunited with my wife, but when it gets right down to what I really feel I have no genuine belief that that will happen, so I must be content with a few photos and the attendant memories. On a frivolous nature, I'm appalled at the thought of some of the people I'd have to spend eternity with. Oblivion would be preferable.

mcsmithblack said:

Plus, most religions teach their girl children that they are dirty, less worthy of spiritual status, and inherently without virtue unless they make special effo...

read more»

debjanew said:

...losing my son a few years ago has made me crave a belief in some kind of afterlife where I can be with him again.

Similarly, I'd like to think that I can be somehow reunited with my wife, but when it gets right down to what I really feel I have no genuine belief that that will happen, so I must be content with a few photos and the attendant memories. On a frivolous nature, I'm appalled at the thought of some of the people I'd have to spend eternity with. Oblivion would be preferable.

mcsmithblack said:

Plus, most religions teach their girl children that they are dirty, less worthy of spiritual status, and inherently without virtue unless they make special efforts to redeem themselves.

Try Neopaganism (if you haven't already).

Dear K-J,
thank you for the cultural comparison. It is hard to imagine a sexist-free culture, when one has never experienced it.
I am reminded of 2 stories, one ficton and one autobiography.
The short story by James Tiptree (pen name for Alice B. Sheldon), "the Women Men Don't See", was about a mother and daughter who are vacationing in Mexico, discover a crash-landed alien, and blackmail the alien into taking them with it when the alien leaves Earth. The "moral" of the story, is that the 2 women will be missed about as much as a couple of disappeared 'possums and that any place where they can breathe air that is free from the the incessant judgemental scrutiny that women are exposed to, is ...

Dear K-J,
thank you for the cultural comparison. It is hard to imagine a sexist-free culture, when one has never experienced it.
I am reminded of 2 stories, one ficton and one autobiography.
The short story by James Tiptree (pen name for Alice B. Sheldon), "the Women Men Don't See", was about a mother and daughter who are vacationing in Mexico, discover a crash-landed alien, and blackmail the alien into taking them with it when the alien leaves Earth. The "moral" of the story, is that the 2 women will be missed about as much as a couple of disappeared 'possums and that any place where they can breathe air that is free from the the incessant judgemental scrutiny that women are exposed to, is better than their home planet.
The second story is by Maya Angelou. She is talking about the first time she set foot in Ghana and the experience of feeling free of the same scrutiny that dark-skinned people are subjected to in the U.S., the lifting of that constant and unconscious burden that one doesn't know one has until it's taken away. I imagine that if the judgement of being female had been lifted as well, she might have floated away.

Wow - Chestnut - Wow - this is Really something
1- Digest this clip and commentary SLOWLY

2- Meditate on each and every comment

3- woody guthrie once said - it takes a Genious
to "keep things simple"
4- Faith: true, heartwarming, EMOTIONAL, Illogical (!!) Non-Commen-sensical - ROMANTIC

Faithfullness - I have heard tell - spontaneously,

has come to many people who have experienced

traumatic and extremely Painfull events in their Life-

like a nasty divorce - or even a Heavy Drinking spree !

True Faith can be a life-saver - and inevitably brings on Tears of relief,and - - Jubilation. Are there really more
true believers who are Women, than there are tru...

Wow - Chestnut - Wow - this is Really something
1- Digest this clip and commentary SLOWLY

2- Meditate on each and every comment

3- woody guthrie once said - it takes a Genious
to "keep things simple"
4- Faith: true, heartwarming, EMOTIONAL, Illogical (!!) Non-Commen-sensical - ROMANTIC

Faithfullness - I have heard tell - spontaneously,

has come to many people who have experienced

traumatic and extremely Painfull events in their Life-

like a nasty divorce - or even a Heavy Drinking spree !

True Faith can be a life-saver - and inevitably brings on Tears of relief,and - - Jubilation. Are there really more
true believers who are Women, than there are true believers who are Men ??? Does it really Matter ??
Why even ponder it (well because it IS fascinating,
that's why ) very interesting - thanks for this truly enjoyable clip, Chestnut

Hey Guys (commentors above) - -is there some-kind of war of the sexes going on up there (guys ?)
Maby I have been lucky to live in some other land
where people are just people, male personalities, and female personalities can be held by Either Sex in this modern Unisex world - I don't get it - but I AM entertained by this - I guess it must be true - that women were pressured more to redeem themselves,
in some societal tradition - But Havent we Got beyond that in Modern America - were Gays can be Gay to their Hearts content - etc. ? Hey - reallly I don't know
nothin about Nothin' really - Bob Dylan once said:

"you are right from your side, and I am right from Mine - we are just One T...

Hey Guys (commentors above) - -is there some-kind of war of the sexes going on up there (guys ?)
Maby I have been lucky to live in some other land
where people are just people, male personalities, and female personalities can be held by Either Sex in this modern Unisex world - I don't get it - but I AM entertained by this - I guess it must be true - that women were pressured more to redeem themselves,
in some societal tradition - But Havent we Got beyond that in Modern America - were Gays can be Gay to their Hearts content - etc. ? Hey - reallly I don't know
nothin about Nothin' really - Bob Dylan once said:

"you are right from your side, and I am right from Mine - we are just One Too Many Mornings - and a thousand Miles Behind"

I'll tell ya ONE Thing - Bob Dylan IS a true Believer,
spiritual, Religious, or whatever - It SAVED HIS Life;
that's well known - well whatever - good Clip
Dr. Chestnut