Shoba Srinivasan comments : what has chivalry got to do with might?
shoba
Meenakshi Madhur comments : Does a woman need to prove her strength only by doing the things that men have shown their capability in ? Do women need to define their 'success' in terms that have been defined by men - that is - in terms of might, power and money ?
A woman who chooses to be a home-maker or a poetess or a beautician or a dancer is just as strong as the woman who flies an aircraft or climbs the mountain ! Let us re-define strength and success in our own terms rather than follow and prove those defined by men !
It is a nice article but I thought I would share my thoughts on the cliche's that are often used when talking about strength of women.
MM
Mamata Misra comments : While this article is trying to encourage women who may believe that they are weak(due to internalization of societal messages), it makes some assumptions that may not be fair to women. The use of the phrase "no longer" means that "once upon a time" women were weak and now they have somehow become stronger. However, if you look at history, there have always been strong women. For example, read Women Writing in India and you will hear very strong messages from women of 2500 years ago. Indian mythology is full of very strong women. At every period of history whether it is middle ages, 100 years ago, or now, there have always been strong women who have not considered themselves weak and have rebelled against the hurdles that society has put on their path to hold them back. My grandmother who could not go to school beyond 5th grade, who gave birth to 8 children after marrying someone ten years older, and stayed home to raise children and ensure that they get educated, was no weaker than her husband; neither was she weaker than her great grand children who enjoyed more opportunity, the opportunity of education that she was denied. What you see is that because women are getting more opportunity today than they did decades ago, they are able to achieve some of the things men achieve. While such achievements may make women feel good about themselves, they do not necessarily make them stronger than their grandmothers.
Another problem with this kind of emphasis on comparison with the past is that it glosses over the problems of women in the present times. True, women today have more opportunity than their grandmas, but the opportunities are significantly less than those men get. One can just look at UNICEF fact sheets to see this. By letting our achievements (which are the natural consequences of opportunities we got) hold ourselves apart from our grandmothers who were denied of those opportunities, and our sisters who are still being denied of those opportunities, we are doing a disservice to our own kind. It is important for us women to consciously try not to internalize the messages of devaluation we may hear. We were never the weaker sex. Forearm strength (which makes the average man stronger than the average woman) is not the only strength of mankind. It might be the kind of strength that won wars but it is not the kind of strength that wins peace.
But I read about this other article... some of y'all might wanna check it out.
"Today, scientists are discovering very real biological differences that can make boys more impulsive, more vulnerable to benign neglect, less efficient classroom learners--in sum, the weaker sex." - US News http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/010730/ideas/boys.htm
JacobH comments : Read the bible it clearly states women are the weaker sex, so take it like a woman!!! God put Men over women for a reason, Because they are stonger!!!
Misha B comments : I liked your thoughts. But you could work on your style and flow.
Mayur comments : some women r getting such stage of women libert that they nacked themselves and makes man to ravana! somw woman are selves- suparnakhas so that they want commission or ghose from visitrs in office and when u go to protest than they take the banner of woman libery or say they r harrassed!
Dalkeith Devaux Jr comments : a women cannot beat a man in a pyhsical fight so that proves men are stronger than women so if you think different pleae call me at 1(917)972-1270 and lets debate
Lauren T comments : Wow. all i have to say is that was so moving, i am writing a paper about women's rights and i just find your article to be totally breath taking. Its about time that women took a stand. You Go Girl!!! oh and for all of you little boys that think that you are better than women are strongly mistaken. and when you look in the bible it says that women are equal. check up on ur reading .
Mr G comments : I am not quite sure why you say this?
"It's about time women are willing to take a stand"
Women have been standing up for themselves for years.
Women have made massive strides in achieving great things, but please do not forget that us men are behind them (you) too.
It is not just women against men, god I hope that is not what you are thinking?
Today, more is actually done for women than men in terms of research and medicine.
I have a very bright and wonderful wife that I will support and protect as I am sure she will do the same for me.
I work 12 hours a day and come home and look after the boys while she goes to work.
I tidy the house and I bring home the money.
Life is about respect and a partnership if you are a man or a women!
J.R. comments : I don't believe the term "weaker sex" is meant disparagingly. It is a term of respect, akin to the term "gentleman". When I think of my wife as a member of the "weaker sex," it's only to treat her with the utmost care and respect; it's not meant to imply that she can not do something. I appreciate her strengths -- physical, mental, and in character -- yet I also know that women are more sensitive then men. They are much less likely to enjoy crass humor, like "The Three Stooges," and more likely to appreciate kindness and temperance more deeply. Just a thought. I don't disagree with your reasoning, I just wanted to say that not every reference the "the weaker sex" is a demeaning one.
Van comments : this is a very interesting article and i enjoyed reading it. women are certainly no longer the weaker sex. its has been proved to a certain extent that in fact, women can be (mentally) strong - if they choose to. that is what is probably meant when people say that us females have to take a stand and partially because till today there are women who are simply happy to just stand behind the stove all day long! i really like the idea or thought that was mentioned half-way. "but (women's) talents and capacities were not allowed to be given expression". however nowadays, a little over some men, do not look down/ discriminate women anymore. thus it is not fair to go around raising fingers at all men; because there are men whom fight for women's rights and equality. their thinking is different, updated and fair. -cheers-
Jack M. comments : you make it seem like all men are complete douchebags and hold no respect for women. You my dear have found yourself on the ignorant side of the median. yes indeed women were considered inferior to men...in the 50's... and here we are more than half a century later, and women can vote, have great jobs, get a wonderful education, and yet, we still make you sick. WHAT THE HELL. look at the advances in medicine made on women's behalf. Men have incredible health risks that have tended to go unnoticed for the sole reason that doctors and researches have been studying femal physiology. and what's this talk about 'women finally being able to take a stand?' what about women's rights movements and rallies that have been taking place for years. would it make you happier if all men shot themselves tonight? or what if i slit my wrists and died? remember... you'd have to clean the mess, cause there'd be no men to do it for you. hell, if you have that big of a problem with men... become a lesbian.
AP comments : It was a moving piece, but it doesn't prove that women are NOT the weaker sex. Where are the clinical studies? If you were to simply google for the studies, men are smarter (in terms of average IQ points), physical strength, leadership ability (by poll), work better under physical and psychological pressure, and more.
Really, it's poignant. You have a point. But do the research and support an ARGUMENT, not a feeling that women are stronger. You need proof.
Farook Hossain comments : hi i m farook hossain boy banladeshi i like evry time injoy
Pyrophoenix comments : There is no point to debate upon!.. Miss world? Miss Universe? Man... Thats the most feminist shit around!... It proves nothing about how women are better off than men! Do you suppose a man could Contest for Miss Universe?? Its point less, baseless Infact!
Karl Llewellyn comments : Intresting peace. I am an anti feminist and proud of it. That being said I believe in female equality. I believe women should be able to do anything men can do. Case in point women in the military. Despite the militarys views on women in combat I know plenty of combat vets that are women and have in some cases done far better then men (not that PFC that was captured in Iraq).
That being said if women want equality they need to seek the dangrous jobs men do (and no we are not keeping them from such jobs) and stop complaning about wage gaps.
I believe like everything elts in this world there are Strong women and Strong Men and weak women and weak men. If this is truly to be an equal society then so be it. Feminism needs to stop complaning, Men need to stop placatting to them (It will only make them more power hungry), and we need to get rid of laws that could be concidered keeping either gender down. Ideas like only Men are abusers need to go out the window.
Feminism has played on Men as the big bad for too long. It is time this stopped. Both Men and Women have aggression and the potentual for violant behavior. Men through sports and other physical activitly have learned to control them. Women from childhood have learned that thouse fealings are wrong and should be suppressed. This has lead to teengaed girl violance. Don't lett me Women are the weaker sex when I see on the news teenaged girls fightning.
In short Get over your selves Ladys. You may not be the weaker gender but you are far from perfact as you want everyone to believe.
Any one that has a problem with what I have said write me at coolcat201us@yahoo.com. Tell me where you found my name.
Rhea comments : come on all u girls and guys ... y is always women vs men... y comparison? allah (god) created to maintain the equilibrium u know north/south pole , +ive -ive charges... we never say +ive charge is better or stronger than the -ive
it's life live it n enjoy it and let other tooo ;) so y this debate
Gurpreet Bhullar comments : u r article is relly fabulous,,,,,,,,,,every single word is absolutely true,,,,,,,,
Mark Spies comments : I hate to criticize an essay in english by an writer whose first language is most likely not english, but I will seek to leave stylistic commentary out.
I do, however, take issue with many of the assertions put forth. I feel even more strongly that the evidence with which these assertions are backed is not only weak, but non-representative of the true state of affairs.
Back to the beginning. In the beginning, humans existed in the state of nature. Might was right. Men (and I'm sure we can all agree on this as a general statement of fact) are better anatomically suited for physical combat. Women are anatomically better suited for child rearing. We're not only talking reproductive systems here. Women carry the fetus for 9 months, and then carry the baby around for the next few years. Women have greater lower body strength.
Thank God we've progressed from our humble origins.
This doesn't exempt us from the history leading up to our current state of affairs. Women's position of child rearing excluded her, in one sense, from holding political power. This isn't to say that women were ever weaker in the larger social context. Consult classical, medieval, Renaissance, Victorian, and modern literature for examples of strong women.
Women have, however, been markedly absent from political power throughout history. This, in and of itself does not make them weaker, just less represented. Do you doubt that the wives of prominent political movers and shakers throughout history exerted strong influence on their husbands?
Even now, women are under-represented in the political sphere. However, things are changing rapidly (from the historical point of view, not the personal). This is not a function of government meddling in society (ie: Title IX in the U.S.), but a technological progression away from sexism because of the changing nature of human society and existence.
Physical might (on the individual, not collective level) no longer makes right. Institutional might (steered increasingly by both sexes) takes the day. Women have equal education (Title IX and its ilk be damned).
C'mon ladies and gentlemen. Let the issue die. Please. We (rational people worldwide) are sick of it. It's a waste of time and energy. Women and men are different. Yes, it's ok.
Now to the article itself.
"After the discovery of fire she was given the responsibility of cooking food, but still they came to be labelled as the weaker sex. Isn't that ironic!"
What does cooking food, in and of itself, have to do with being weak? And why is it ironic? Look to today's "American Manly Barbecue God" culture for reference to cooking and weakness.
"The result was that the man was given nine years imprisonment. Does it not prove that women can even move mountains ?"
I would assume that men involved with the situation were just as appalled by the incident, and sought to let the law serve justice. Maybe the second sentence should have been changed to "does it not prove that men and women are treated equally under the law?"
" Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen who took the world in their stride becoming Miss Universe and Miss World, one after the other."
Last I checked, men weren't able to compete in female beauty pageants. Maybe this evidence would be better suited to an argument that Indian women are achieving parity on the world beauty scene.
"Women are shining in the sports area too, bringing laurels for their country."
See above comment.
"Women have been to space...etc"
These are ventures which resulted from technological advancement and opportunity, rather than women's physiological suitability to them.
I feel I have made my point by now. Ruchi, don't take this too harshly. You're a budding writer, writing in a non-native language. Keep at it. Just make sure that your improvement in argumentative content improves along with your style.
ps; Despite your stern warning, I am still unwary of being on the receiving end of a Judo throw or a Karate chop as payment for opening the door for a lady. Be content with having the door opened for you. Consider it an apology for millennia of political subjugation. :)
Feel free to contact me with your thoughts. Please reference the article the subject line so I don't let the spam filter eat it.
Best Regards,
-Mark Spies mlspies@gmail.com
Wahid Malik comments : I think this article is not really a good attempt in justifying the fact that women is no longer a weaker sex. I respect the dignity of women. I dont doubt women strength but I surely doubt the psychological growth of the author (Ruchi Goenka). What a pity dear! You forgot that your father is a man ?
