Our society's readiness for equality...?

The problem is that while altering our roles we try to FORCE men to alter theirs. By telling them what they should be doing and demeaning them if they don't fulfill our expectations we have become just like the people who told women their roles and expected them to comply.

The majority of men have willingly let us do as we choose and haven't stood in our way, they just say 'don't tell me what to do or what my role should be'. I believe that's the same thing we ask for, isn't it.

We have equality and the majority of society is ready for equality. We can choose what we want to be, do or say, we have equal rights and choices....it just seems like men aren't afforded this same option. We expect them to comply with our wishes.

If we want to work, raise a family and have a husband who shares all household, financial and parenting responsibilities we can have that if we choose someone who shares those aspirations, we just can't EXPECT someone to do as we tell them, to change their aspirations to suit ours, or stay in the roles WE have chosen for THEM.

What makes some of you guys in here think that things are not equal between men and women? How have women 'bit off more than they can chew'? And in what way have women (feminist) 'shot themselves in the foot'?

In many ways (in today's age) the playing field has been leveled. We can now hold jobs in any career field of our choice (less some military special forces; but there are some men who can't do that either), We have proven that we can operate and own businesses and still be mothers, we can be both law makers and enforcers, we can even be named on a Presidential Ticket. I think its safe to say that we've taken a number of grate successful strides to make a lot of things equal for women. The only people who see a difference (or who think there will be a difference in the near future) are the ones who come in here with personal hate filled rants and complaints. Our society has advanced and come to far to focus on such pettiness as to who's grater, or what's considered equal.

Now I will admit, there are still many men and women in the workforce (and the world) with a sexist mindset, but most people have been able to grow past those ideologies and live in the here and now, understanding that particular past mind-set needs to stay where it is; in the past.

The society is indeed ready for equality. I also agree that that's a huge generalization, and that it may not apply in all cases/situations. However, the the problem arises because people aren't blind to the fact that groups that were after equality once, want something more now.

People are adapting to changing trends demanded by popular opinion/need. Historically, men may not have shared the work load at home, or there weren't enough women out there in the work-force, but times have changed now, as did the people. More men are sharing the work-load at home, and more women go out and make money. The society is aware of this.

Of course, there will be exceptions, but stating that men didn't change or that women didn't change in the past 50 years (you didn't say that) is just ignorant.

I had to agree with your response in the other question. It's just one professors opinion, which she is entitled to have irrespective of the truth/knowledge in them. I don't see her/him bringing about radical changes to the society anytime soon.

My life would be exactly the same. My husband knew what he was getting when he married me and he knew I wasnt traditional and i am not very domesticated. He knew I wouldnt ever be a housewife.

I knew he wasnt good at so called mens jobs like DIY as to this day the only tools he owns is a screwdriver he got for free. I couldnt care less for gender roles my parents dont follow them and neitehr do we. My husband does 'girly' things and i do 'boys' things but we dont see it like that at all. When I was at school none of the mothers were traditional housewives except the ones who were on benefits, its just not done where I am. I have always seen balanced parenting, sharing of household tasks and both parents working all through my school days.

It depends on how you define "equality".

With the passage of the laws to make things equal between men and women or the different races,all are equal.

The problem is that there are people who claim not enough has been done and more still needs to be done.

You also need to look back at the past and compare that to the present.

If I tried to show comparisons of the past with the present,I'd be typing for quite some time.

But I'll try to limit myself to just a few examples.

1.marriage:Divorce- In the past,a woman automatically got custody of the kids,got the house,got alimony,etc.

Now days the woman can end up paying to her ex and losing custody of the kids.

When the courts started doing that,the women started screaming that it wasn't fair.

2. opening doors: In the past men generally opened the door (any door) for a woman even if her hands were empty.

Now days its open the door yourself,even if your hands are full.

I have seen people wait for some one with their hands full to open a door instead of helping that person.

Even with my hands full,I have never had 1 person offer to open the door for me.

I read a news report about a male Secretary who sued his female boss for sexual harassment.

She claimed that her actions was not sexual harassment-she lost.

Her defense was that men used to do it to women and got away with it so she had the right to do it to men.

The fact of the matter is that perhaps for some people it is more than they can do. Working full-time while having a somewhat SANE family relationship isn't easy, and not everyone can do it.

But that doesn't mean we can't have equality. It just means some people are better at juggling than others. And I think that goes for both genders. Not everyone can handle so much at one time.

Society may or may not be ready - but we are already facing declining birth and marriage rates, suggesting that women have made their own decision about the best solution to the problem. Ultimately, men need a willing woman in order for them to have a family - if they are not willing to share the load equally, they may well find few or no women who want to do it all for them. Individuals forge their own futures from the options available to them - equality minded men may well be benefitting from this current situation, in that they have no problem finding women willing to set up home with them, whilst those who hanker after more traditional ideals may have to accept a decline in the number or quality of the women willing to accept them. Such is life :-)

Social mind set changes are always the hardest part of any movement.

If we wait until the world is ready, there is little need for a movement as the idea has already been accepted.

Like the Civil rights movement here in the US, when my grandmother was 20 years old it was illegal for a black man to walk past her on a the sidewalk. He was required to step down in the gutter/street.

Do you really think that the "world" was "ready" for that change?

We are still not there yet with equality for Africa Americans, but the change within 3 generations has been dramatic. Yet racism and the KKK is still strong in some areas(IN being the worst)

Society will be ready...when it happens..through only societies acceptance will it happen.

Feminists never asked men if they wanted to pick up the slack at home, and men never agreed to. So, women end up working both outside and inside the home.

Now feminists want to complain about guys not doing what they never agreed to do, and don't care as much about anyway. Hey, don't blame us. They should have thought about that before.

I envy Molly B,

She has a better talent of using words to state how she feels better than I ever could.

Once again she is spot on.