As I reflect on my life and how “gender wars” has affected it not too many instances come to mind. The only examples from my personal life don’t even have to do with competition or grudges towards each other. It has more to do with segregation and difference of interests.
At recess in elementary school, boys would play baseball and the girls would sit on the merry-go-round. In high school boys would be in shop class and girls would be in choir. We all know that there is one boy in the outfield more interested in what’s going on on the merry-go-round, and that girl that just wants to go show the boys that she can do what they can, may be even better. And if there was a boy on the merry-go-round it wasn’t that the girls were mad, it was the guys that didn’t understand why he wasn’t playing ball. That is the same with the girl playing baseball with the guys.
I wouldn’t say that “gender wars” is a war with two oppositions going head to head, it is more like the “War on Drugs.” It is an idea that needs to be dealt with. Not so much for the one boy or girl that shows different interests, there are many kids that it don’t bother, but for the group of boys and group of girls to be able to accept everyone for their own interests and beliefs, and not always have to compare it to their own to decide if it is “ok” or not.
To me, that is where the problem is and where this “war” needs to be fought. “Gender Wars” in the workplace and in society as adults, doesn’t seem to be an issue to me. I know many people will disagree with me but I feel that the most qualified candidate will get the job without taking into account what sex they are. In years past of course there were people that favored men over women, and in some cases, this still holds true. For this reason I believe that the battlefield for this “war” is in our high schools.
Questions:
1) Do you think that the battle with bullying in today’s schools has anything to do with “Gender Wars?”
2) In occupations such as nursing and teaching, stereotypically women’s jobs, do you think men are ever discriminated against in their job search?
You really struck a chord with me when you brought up parallels between 'the war on drugs' and the 'gender war.' You're absolutely right; it's an idea that needs to be dealt with, not battled. Though, not unlike the battle of Gettysburg, dealing with it head on may prove to be the most effective. The more we side-step issues, the less we progress.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to an article you may find insightful; while it doesn't head on address your second discussion question, like our current take on the gender war, it "side-steps" it nicely:
http://splitsider.com/2011/01/why-more-women-should-write-comedy-a-mathematical-but-not-boring-study/
In response to your questions....yes to both. I absolutely do believe that bullying in schools is, in part at least, directly related to the idea of "Gender Wars," though not necessarily due to the fact that a boy identifies with girls or vice versa, but because that person is different and people are, for the most part, fundamentally resistant to change. Also, I tend to agree with you that I like to believe that the best candidate for any position will get the job, however, I am not naive enough to believe that discrimination does not exist and that it does go both ways.
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting that you bring up bullying. I think that "Gender Wars" has somewhat of an influence on it. Boys usually "bully" by fighting physically, which is considering more manly if you say. Whereas girls tend to do it quietly through what they say. Sometimes it can be reversed ofcourse.
ReplyDelete