The grey divorce trend is interesting. I don't think there is any use blaming one gender or the other, it is simply the case that more people and especially women resent the passing of the years and believe they will be re-born and have a fresh chance at life through sloughing off old what's his/her name.

dane, you really and sincerely believe that men valued the traditional women's role in the home? From Hasbeen's BBQ, it doesn't appear so, only more fodder for humour.

I think this thread should have been titled The Femininity Crisis as clearly no-one seems to know what it is that women are meant to do or be. Everyone has a different idea about the women's role - do the washing...don't do the washing...stay at home...don't stay at home...do the housework...don't do the housework...go to work...don't go to work...look after your man...don't look after your man.

Issues of the home are between a man and his wife to sort out and what suits one couple won't suit another. Complaining about how easy women have it and how hard done by men are is a bit rich given many women now work outside the home and come home to more work and childcare responsibilities, hopefully shared with her husband, but sometimes not.

It comes down to individuals not genders, that is really all I have left to say on this topic. It is up to all of us to be the best person we can be and to treat people with respect regardless of biology. For me anyway, it really is that simple.

Pelican

Your post is the definitive last word on this overworked topic.

I had to laugh though, when you wrote >> Issues of the home are between a man and his wife to sort out << Imagine the hysteria if you had written "between a woman and her husband". I imagine an outbreak of psychological meltdowns among some posters to OLO.

In conclusion, to judge from the difficulty a few men have in treating women as equals - that IS the crisis. As you say the title does not express the sentiments of many who have contributed here.

>> It is up to all of us to be the best person we can be and to treat people with respect regardless of biology. <<

Exactly.

Severin wrote "to judge from the difficulty a few men have in treating women as equals - that IS the crisis"

I found the tone of your entire post as patronising and demeaning....Can you not read that the men that have commented about negative experiences with woman, have expressed they feel they have been treated poorly by both woman and the system?...I've read most of the posts and haven't seen much relating to men not wanting to treat woman evenly...What most of us men are saying it'd have to come our way a very long way before it was equal again....

You quoted pelican who said "It is up to all of us to be the best person we can be and to treat people with respect regardless of biology". You then obnoxiously wrote "Exactly".

Do you not think we all feel this way..... BUT.....don't feel that's how we've been treated?

AND, if you're not a moderator who are you to tell us "Your post is the definitive last word on this overworked topic"...I think you are being confronted with some truths that may be difficult for you to digest or take ownership of...

It's not easy to tell what gender Severin is by name, but man I can tell by the comments...

This is a very well presented media release from the Fatherhood Foundation. I hope that it gets a good response

What an interesting discussion. Still think Lillian summed it up best in the very first post, though.

In my view, masculinity has always been in crisis, it's just taken thousands of years for the violence and misuse of power to be called into account.

Women have a wonderful opportunity to help shape the future men of our world, and so must also bear some responsibility for the failings of the past.

As a mother, I am doing everything I can to help my beautiful male child grow to become a useful and engaged member of our society.

I am hoping that with an unselfish and optimistic approach, I can help him become as considerate, responsible, masculine - and loving! - as my own husband.

Unfortunately, our current public culture is one of a combative, manipulative and negative debate. Our children are carefully schooled in just such a culture.

Men are granted a great deal of freedom in our society. They should therefore step up and take collective responsibility for the 'grey areas' of their own sexual and sporting cultures. Men must hold themselves accountable for the general denigrative attitudes towards women, sex and even responsible living in general.

The positive aspects of male culture, of which there are many, should be celebrated by all. Unfortunately, we as a society do not applaud our wonderful men nearly enough... and that is very definitely part of the problem.