The Neverending Story
It looks like there are some real, and very good reasons that boys are less engaged in school and academic pursuits than they used to be.
Even so, it isn't enough for feminists llike Barbara Ehrenreich to rejoice in girls' burgeoning successes -- because, in their minds, the fairer sex (how they'd take umbrage at that term!) will always be oppressed by big bad men. In lamenting what she sees as the newest manifestation of sexism, Ehrenreich -- who would no doubt be one of the first to caterwaul about insulting stereotypes and characterizations of women -- can't wait to do the same thing to men, thereby proving conclusively that the impulse to demean the opposite sex is hardly gender based.
Even so, it isn't enough for feminists llike Barbara Ehrenreich to rejoice in girls' burgeoning successes -- because, in their minds, the fairer sex (how they'd take umbrage at that term!) will always be oppressed by big bad men. In lamenting what she sees as the newest manifestation of sexism, Ehrenreich -- who would no doubt be one of the first to caterwaul about insulting stereotypes and characterizations of women -- can't wait to do the same thing to men, thereby proving conclusively that the impulse to demean the opposite sex is hardly gender based.
posted by LadybugUSA at 9:53 PM
7 Comments:
Nothing like kicking a little boy when he's down.......Such is the dream world of radical fems liek EhrenREICH.
How would you know, ditto? Are you a woman lawyer?
In fact, I did work in a large firm -- where I found no glass ceiling for female lawyers who were willing and able to work as hard (and as well) as the males.
It is a neverending story, but attitudes have changed in this country. For the worst I'm afraid. Women no longer need to respect men at all, no matter the position of that man.
My wife was in traffic court the other day (she's a lead foot), and she observed that not one single woman addressed the judge as "sir" or "your honor". But almost every man did address the judge with that respect. My wife made it a point to say "yes, sir", "no, sir" when she got called up, but that's it. Do you think there is anything to the lack of respect?
If you watch commercials, it's obvious they often half men acting as dolts, but you'll never see a woman who isn't the master of her domain.
This is good clarity on lawyers from you commentors. They don't have any solid ethics. It seems to be eat or be eaten. No wonder they are perceived as lower than low leeches by us average Joes.
On a completely different note (not being an atty of any stripe):
This is preaching to the choir, but if any era in American History ever needed a father in the household, this is it. This article about the state of schools speaks to a culture that cries out for fathers.
When I was a boy (70s), fatherless households were not that common. However, all of society and its institutions seemed to get that "boys exist" and "boys are different from girls."
Teachers would often remark how we "boys" are - but I wouldn't get into trouble that often. Moreover, to take from the article, I do remember asking the teacher "why is this important?" and being dignified with an answer. That meant a lot. I appreciated that. (In fact, in ninth grade history, our teacher, a man, made a point of having us learn "why it's important".)
Going beyond school, and fatherly figures were very common. This structure is badly, badly lacking today.
Speaking as a dad, I often find myself the only person to regularly supplant my kids' understanding of how boys think and are supposed to think.
I wish this would come up more often in discussions of same-sex marriage, but: A boy who is raised in such a household may grow up to be very very confused, regardless of the love or intentions of the parents, regardless of their genders. This will be all the more so if this article is accurate.
This isn't a reason to bury the idea of same-sex marriage. But it is a consideration to make: Fathers are needed.
Fathers are needed for perspective, guidance, and assurance, for boys in particular but also girls.
That's fair. When I said "father," I meant a father who was a positive male role model. I realize that's not automatic.
Here is my question for Ehrenreich (sp?) and all the other feminists: If men and boys are taught at the outset - throughout education, the media, entertainment - that they're automatically immature or losers or at a sub-par level, if fathers are taught that they are such dummies anyway, then what possible incentive do boys or men have to try harder?
Put another way, if we get no credit when we do things right, what is the point of doing it right? And if we're presumed immature, why not have some fun and always be immature anyway? Ehrenreich?
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