Please be aware that these blogs are not just for women. In fact, I think that most men will find that the opinions expressed here are oddly like their own. That doesn't mean that I am not talking to you ladies as well...it just means that I am trying to look at these issues not as a man (which I'm not) or as a woman (which I am) but as a human being. This is the one group that covers both men and women, so I'll try to take my perspective from that direction.
Life for women has changed a great deal for most of the developed countries. Many countries now allow women to own property, own money, work outside the home, vote, and other not so wonderful rights, such as smoking, divorce, and in some cases, abortion. Some of the less developed countries still have a good way to go before their women join Europe and North America in their quality of life. In Islamic countries, many women are prevented from working, or owning property. Very few have the right to divorce their husband. There are some countries and locales that still practice mutilation of the genitals on nubile young women. We clearly have a long way to go before we can honestly say that we all stand on equal ground.
That being said, there are some equalities between the sexes that still need work. Men have told me in the past, and I see every day that women have an advantage when it comes to custody of children, and the payment of child support. I strongly believe that if a couple divorces, that both parents are equally financially responsible for any children they have. Dad may be working, and paying child support, but Mom needs to work and provide as well. If she receives child support, it should be no larger an amount than she herself provides. If she pays $500 a month for rent and utilities, and another $250 in food for the children, then he should pay half of that amount. Not more than that, and not less. Pulling 65% of his income for his children means that he has trouble paying his own way, and what's the point in that? Child support needs to be more fair for both parties.
Another area that needs work in the equality department is sexual harrassment. Until the number of sexual harrassment charges by men about men increases because of inappropriate jokes, women are definitely in the lead in this area. In business conversations, there should be no such jokes or references. That's not professional. In a general conversation, however, that may occur, and women need to learn to either deal with it, or don't talk to people when conversation with them offends you. Either way, it will save a lot of money on harrassment charges, enforcement, and give the Human Resources department more time to put in all those raises. (Yes, I am joking. I know better.) If we take the enforcement of sexual harrassment away from those who get offended by raunchy jokes, and put it more into who is being victimized or forced for the sake of a salary, that is where the attention actually belongs, and for both men and women.
Come back tomorrow for the next part of the discussion of the battle of the sexes.
