I agree and its all so sad. Really. As a woman - I don't want special rights at all. And, abhor programs designed to give me a leg up over a man. Men today - don't owe me a damn thing - because at some point in history some woman wasn't allowed to do what I do. That is bunk. Its the same whine people use in race problems and "systemic racisim" and its bunk then too. I am responsible for me.
And, honestly, it really frosts me that two drunk people can have sex, but only one is generally charged as a rapist. Why is it ok for a chick to claim she was too drunk to consent, but the same isn't true for a guy. We all know a guy can get an erection even if his mind isn't willing - so what is to say he wasn't passed out drunk, too? Where is the responsibiliy for each person - to not get so damn drunk they pass out or they don't know what they are doing? Its like a weird perversion of the man should take care of the woman theory - women can get as drunk as they want, behave however they want - and there are no repercussions. A guy does the same thing - and he has no way of shirking the responsibility for his actions. That is wrong.
And, good lord, don't even get me started on this "wage gap" BS. Women of childbearing age - are unreliable employees as compared to their male counterparts. That is just the cold hard truth. I take of twice the time for family related issues as my male co-workers. Now, I am also a partner now, and my work doesn't actually end, so even if I take a day off to stay home with sick kids, I am taking work home, working all night after my husband gets home, etc.. so in my case no one is reallly picking up my slack. But, in plenty other places the people left in the office are picking up the slack. THAT absenteeism costs the company money. So, if they offer less to compesnate for that - that should be fine. Addiitonally if women offer to take less stressful or less time insensive positions or trade flexibility for money - I have done that as well - traded more days off for a raise - then that should be their choice as well. And, it doesn't mean - that there is anything inherrently sexist about recognizing that women in the workforce come with different challenges then men and to compensate them accordingly particularly as I point out - it is often the woman ( particularly in a professional capacity) driving that.
And, even working in a predominantly male field with mostly all male co-workers except for the admin staff, with mostly all male clients ( my niche is in construction ) with mostly all male attorney's in my consulting work - I have never ONCE felt like I was treated differently or negatively because of my gender. Not once have I felt like I wasn't taken seriously. Not once have I felt like I was excluded, etc. And, for most of my career - the men I have worked with have been old enough to be my father... so we are talking about guys who presumably would have been raised with these chauvinistic tendencies. So my conclusion that much of it - is basically repeated old wives tales and bad stereotypes.
I tell my daughter and my son, that they can each be whatever they want to be, and can each get whatever it is that they want out of life. Not that my DD can do everything my son can do. I don't compare them that way. There really is nothing holding women back - except women. Unfortunately though, much have that has come at holding back men. And, THAT as the mother of a very sweet, smart boy - is a real problem for me.
connie