[Extract]
Female Embry-Riddle Grad Ready for 2nd Ride Into Space (Source: Daytona Beach News Journal)
In the 1980s, Nicole P. Stott was a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. Last year, however, she got to see Florida from a very different perspective -- from orbit. Now 47, the astronaut spent 3 1/2 months at the International Space Station as a member of ISS Expeditions 20 and 21 crews. This was Stott's first trip into space, but not her last. While still at the space station, she was tapped for the STS 133 mission, now scheduled for Nov. 1. It's the final flight planned for space shuttle Discovery and perhaps the penultimate flight planned for the space shuttle program. (10/24) [End of Extract]

Perhaps not the moon Dane, however, last year I read about a team of Astronauts [including two women] preparing for their trip to visit Mars and other planets again. In the real world gender competition should not exist at all.

You did not answer my question Dane.

Have you had a female role model during your life or present in your life at some stage?

Pelican, you constantly return to the past in these discussions, which I assume is because you can't find any modern examples of discriminatory treatment of women and girls. We all know there were some historical imbalances, but creating a regime that is discriminatory against men and boys is not the way to resolve that.

I've made the point time and again that what is conspicuously lacking in the feminist paradigm is a way to stop the process when it goes too far in promoting the interests of women over those of men. That is what is causing the "backlash", which is growing daily.

Even here on OLO, which has a well-educated, well-paid audience demographic, I suspect, there is a growing number of men adding their own observations of the ways in which they see feminism failing them and their peers. At the same time, the feminist factories in our universities that are called "Women's Studies" departments are still churning out young and not-so-young women steeped in the ideology of resentment and special privilege based on one's (female) gender and our boys are still being expected to try to act like girls at school.

As Jefferson says, there sre significant biological differences between the human genders, just as for nearly all other species. Those differences are far more extensive than just reproduction and physical strength. Socialisation, capacity for multi-tasking, emotional responses, responses to stressors, the very type of environment we tend to choose for ourselves are all very different between the genders. Yes, I know that there is much variety within genders as well, but the shapes of population plots for each of these characteristics is very different between the genders.

Any attempt at "social constructionalism" that ignores those differences requires massive subsidisation, as we see with the feminist-inspired version today. When the subsidy can no longer be afforded, feminism will whither and logical pragmatism will lead to a more balanced schema.

<If we went by natural factors alone women might be permanent slaves to men as we do not have the physical>

Pelican, man Oh man. There is really a fixation or obsession on this slavery business.

Sure there are past examples of slavery that affected women, and men the English had a wonderful term of indentured servant.

To extrapolate these examples to having applied to all human relationships is emotive and inflammatory. Distorts perception and prejudices opinions and creates erroneous beliefs.

In the past the vast majority of people were busy trying to survive, trying to find enough to eat. Serfs, the poor did what ever they could to survive. Sure there were divisions of labour into women's and mens work.

Sure serfs and the poor were abused at times by the wealthy.

Extreme examples of human behaviour are being used to manipulate our perceptions of the past, in part there is perhaps a certain aspect of voyeurism and eroticism in this and perhaps a sense of moral superiority.

Otherwise why would some people be so fixated on past examples of slavery.

"Otherwise why would some people be so fixated on past examples of slavery."
Perhaps because people who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Several posters here have made a big deal about men having been more successful in science and engineering, while blithely ignoring the fact that for hundreds of years women were actively discouraged, if not actually disallowed from tertiary studies.
They and other posters feel the pendulum has now swung too far the other way.
Well, suck it up, lads.
I would have hoped having to wear another's shoes would increase empathy; you have a taste of what billions of women have had to endure for centuries, and you don't like it. But no, apparently you are too obsessed with yourselves; precisely what feminists accuse you of.
Might I say now I do not (now or ever) consider myself a feminist, largely for the reason stated in the article (C+).
I am an egalitarian. I find it unbelievable that in 21st century Australia there are still people in favour of not addressing discrimination, or whining about the cost.
I would suggest that there are still millions, if not billions of women who are still oppressed, still exploited and still treated like chattel, for religious or social reasons ("that's how it was in my parents' day, and it worked alright for them (me)").
Perhaps the pendulum has (in some areas) swung too far. Tough.
It's a sad fact of life that the edges drag the centre. The dialectic is rarely symmetrical.

There is perhaps another reason or benefit by feminists obsession with the past misendeavors real or imagined by men. Firstly it is judging past societal norms, by todays standards and values.

This can then be used to esculate emotional indignation and justify abusive behaviour as righteous indignation. It then creates the enviroment for what is known as Catharsis release.

I wonder if it is possible for catharsis release to become addictive, like people who become hooked of horror films because of the emotional high caused by being scared.

Grim

Most of us have respect for a group of people with a genuine interest in making the world a fairer place. We just aren't gullible enough not to notice self-interest dressed up to look more noble than it really is. We also cannot stand being asked to help those who will-not help themselves.