Hiya Jill
> Why did men let themselves suppress women?
I ask myself this a few times a year. I didn't want to cause any offense
thinking out loud, but it does sometimes seem odd that one gender has been
so unsuccessful in obtaining equality when it has the same resources, skills
and intelligence as the other gender.
> As for apathetic, I agree with Liz.
This was a very emotive word, perhaps its better to observe just how
ineffective women have been in the past two millennia in obtaining equality.
It begs the question as to whether this is because of complicity.
> Would you ask the same questions about black people, or the working
> class, or religious minorities etc etc?
I would to be honest. I don't think any of these questions can be answered
purely in terms of the oppressor or colonist. Men have been far more
effective in ridding the world of colonialism (though not its effects) than
women have been in terms of gaining equal status within societies. This
can't be down to violence or militarism as we know that this is not a
natural feature of either gender.
> Goodness gracious me. I think the words violence and legal (and
> religious) sanctions are relevant here. Sure, there is often what you
> might like to see as complicity - when people cannot find freedom they
> may become, to some extent, complicit so they may survive, or their
> children etc.
I think there's a lot of truth in this. But I can still hear my mother
saying to me that women shouldn't have the vote because there's no point.
And that men must fight or they are cowards.
I think I sense that it is important to recognise that the society we live
in is made by both genders -- the balance is changing and I'd certainly say
that women now play a more prominent role in Britain -- but but its odd to
consider that if I was an opponent of the church I'd hardly choose to join
it. Men have throughout history changed their societies -- perhaps we are in
the midst of such a change conducted by women -- but I can't honestly see
it. It very much looks to me as if both genders are perpetuating the system.
It's also interesting to note that most Western Capitalism (imperial)
economies are now almost exclusively supported by shopping -- and there is
strong gender shaping to keep women shopping. The best way to bring down a
government is to stop shopping.
Best as ever
C
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