Fractelle,

'always a good antidote to any who would try to intimidate them.'

Well, of course. They will obviously be in grave danger, seeing as how all the men in the world are out to intimidate and probably rape them huh?

I did stupidly also advise them that boys have feelings and that flirting is fun but be careful about misunderstandings. I suppose one cant be perfect, and obviously that kind of information is redundant as women never tease or are cruel or abuse power in any way.

'No comments vis a vis Steve Biddulph's suggestion of regulating children's television & advertising?'

Naturally. The guys a tosser, and anyway I look after my own responsibilities and I'm not really interesting in telling other people how to bring up their own children. He can suggest what he likes, I'm sure people who advocate a free and open society will thwart him at every turn.

Severin:"Benk and Anti are actually agreeing with Suze,"

Actually, she's agreeing with me. I always knew she was more capable of learning than most of the rest of you lot.

BTW, I love it when the childless try to tell parents how to bring up children...

Severin

"What I find amusing is that both Benk and Anti are actually agreeing with Suze"

I would dare disagree with Suze, that would be controlling.

Benk is quite right...he would disagree with me at his own peril :)

A detailed and frank discussion with young teenagers about the pus oozing out of a syphilitic penis, or the large blisters of herpes covering the male or female genitalia so badly that they need a catheter to pee; usually holds off the thoughts of sex for awhile longer Benk!

'Septic, I would never go so far as to say I agreed with you, because I so rarely find any gems of wisdom from you that did not include a barb aimed at any and every woman known to man.

Even during this current discussion of the fight against childhood sexualisation, you still find a way to bring up your so called 'evil, money grabbing, child-stealing, loose single mothers' that seem to inhabit your narrow world.
How boringly predictable.

Silly Suzie:"Even during this current discussion of the fight against childhood sexualisation, you still find a way to bring up your so called 'evil, money grabbing, child-stealing, loose single mothers'"

erm...I did? Where?

Never mind hon, it must have been a shock to realise that you actually agreed with me and put it in black and white.

You'd best be off for a nice cuppa and a good lie down, you poor old dear. Perhaps you'll have that lovely dream where all the penises of the world ooze syphilitic pus... you know that one always makes you feel better.

Benk: <"One problem that teenaged boys face is that the men that they idolise tend to be footy players or wrestlers. Very strong, blokey sorts of guys. The men that teenaged girls admire tend to be singers in boy bands and actors. There seems to be a huge disparity between what boys want to be (and have been socialised to respect) and what girls want. The women that teenaged boys admire are often the same as the women that many teenaged girls want to be. Sorry for introducing another men-are-worse-off-than-women theme, but boys do face some different problems to girls.">

I've come back to read this a couple of times and think about it Benk. You've hit on something very important.

Could you talk a bit more about it?

If girls want boy band/actor types; and boys want to be tough-types - isn't what girls want strong enough to influence how boys shape themselves?

If girls are wanting to be like the women boys are interested in - why so? Why do girls want to be like that? (To be what men want, maybe?).

I'm interested in hearing more (especially male) opinions on all of this. I hope you all post a lot of opinions so that I can read and think about it at length.