posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 04:13 AM
Maybe I should have put this under the RANT forum, but as it contains the eternal debate/bash between the sexes, I'll post it here on
relationships.
I am extremely alarmed by the recent threads which start off as one topic and end up in a bash against women, our values, our 'real' intentions, our
dishonesty and apparantly our blind love for nasty bling.
Sometimes I read the threads with wry amusement and other times I groan and/or grit my teeth. A few times i've made that face one makes when one
sucks a sour lemon.
It seems to me that while political name calling and bashing has a zero toleration policy on ATS (as does racism) attacks, jibes, taunts and
completely unintelligent one-sided woman bashing is still allowed and even encouraged.
I have seen many here both male and female attempt to introduce logic, history, culture and relevant discussion in an effort to better educate others
- it always gets quickly followed by another 'Yeah but women like bling' post.
I can only conclude that the majority of the woman bashers must therefore be:
1. Young and inexperienced
2. Sorely lacking in companionship of the opposite sex variety
3. Going through a bitter break-up
4. Have no real experience with women unless they are a. textual or b. pixelated c. splayed out on a magazine
5. Misogynists
6. Sad, insecure and deluded
7. Have no female friends or positive female role models
8. All of the above
I have read other women post intelligent, interesting rebuttals stating pages and pages of how they are NOT like the perception people have of them
and again this leads back to, 'Yeah, but women like expensive cars and stuff.'
I feel strongly that women should NOT have to post 3 pages 'in defence of' arguments just to contradict these sadly misguided people. Some of us
stay quiet for a reason having to do with diginity, fear our responses will get us banned and in large part, the hope that these useless threads will
either get shot down or go away if we stay quiet. They seem however to be spawning and so I felt the need to speak.
I've read in defence of the 'simple man' posts (and you don't really want to hear what I want to say about that) hunter gatherer examples, genetic
make-up threads, metrosexual responses and attempts to explain the discourse of power in the sexes, and this has been just the last few weeks!
There will always be battle of the sexes. I hold my ground that this is what makes the chase and the chasing between men and women so exciting. What I
feel disappointed by is the downward spiral of unintelligent, borderline sexist remarks lately, that are SO poorly thought out and seem to be
regurgitated from some primal fear place rather than with the true intention to discuss, debate or inform even. I can't believe that people are
getting away with such biased rhetoric in this day and age.
By all means - let's debate, but let's respect one another and our differences. I no more want to be protected by 'men' then I want to roll down
the street in your red convertible (or geek squad car) with my neck bent over with your ghetto jewellery, which by the way makes my neck turn
green.
I do not want to belittle men either, prove that I can make more money, am more intelligent or can outsurvive you in a desert island. I love men. I
have many male friends and I for one would be devastated in a world without them. They see the world differently to the way we do and perhaps if we
would address the topic differently, I would feel compelled enough to want to share my respect, admiration and interest in the male species.
I do not want to post pages to convince you of who I am and why I don't fall into the stereotype in your currently limited mind gap on women. No
explanatory essays should precede me, trail me or continue to have to be the way in which we communicate. I am who I am and as I take and respect you
without a CV, resume, life history attached that is how you should take me. Otherwise our presence on ATS is rendered useless.
If you insist on posting ignorant threads with the intenion to poke fun at, insult or malign women - I for one will not jump in and attempt to educate
or try to deter you from your pathetic posts. But note that my silence is my objection and NOT my approval of your opionins.
Oh and diamonds are NOT a girl's best friends - shoes are - and I've yet to find a man who I can shoe shop who was not of the 'metro-sexual'
variety. Women either go with the MS guys or with their girlfriend or even ALONE. Most of the time with their own (watch this space) MONEY *gasp*. So
get your facts straight y'all. Some women like money and power some just like men who they can stand shoulder to shoulder with in equality,
intelligence, kindness and humour. Yes, sadly it means a lot of work for you and for us as well. It also means educating yourself so you aware of the
pleasant differences and those not so pleasant but still interesting varieties of why we are (plain and simple) NOT men.
This of course would mean you would have to step out of your box and actually make an effort instead of picking up the first assumption your heavily
media cultured bias throws at you.
[edit on 2-10-2005 by nikelbee]