James H
"The masculist movement or what ever would never have existed if feminism had not reared its ugly head.( I refer to the ugly side of feminism)"

Can you see a parrallel as regards the development of the feminist movement. People who are respected generally do not revolt.

It is hard to respond to your post without knowing what you mean by the 'ugly side of feminism'. Most feminists I know are more humanist and egalitarian. There is really very few feminists that hate men or believe in a female autocracy, but 'they' are often depicted as the norm rather than the exception.

Suze
Good comment. I also think relationships are better now, more honest and generally (when it works) a sharing of roles. I do lament the decline in the emphasis on raising children - how these changes affect parenting and a shift in the focus on economic drivers rather than family/social ones. Alas maybe we are in an evolutionary process that goes too far one way before there is a shift to the middle ground. We will have to wait and see.

Salt:”Here's hoping for an ever brighter future, but I can't help feeling that some "freedoms", if unfettered, may have a nasty sting in the tail.”

In what way would you suggest we fettered freedom? You wonder if education and career opportunities have frayed cultural cohesion but by this are you only talking about female education and female career opportunities?

The sting is change makes certain people uncomfortable if they don’t see a benefit for themselves in it - maybe.

Oh Vanna, can’t you think of something to make the females that choose to continue further study of science interesting? Tell me which type of science and I’ll go think of something. Are we looking for an overall topic to study science within or a theme or a way to describe how certain things work by using analogies female students might find interesting?

James:”Then Orwells Animal Farm has many of the parallels of feminism.”

Didn’t we cover Animal Farm already? You all liked Clover the best right?

James:”Could you imagine spending your whole life looking microscopically for areas of inequality that only pertains to women.”

Nope – how’s it working for you?

JamesH,

Perhaps you could take note of the response of female posters to Saltpetre's comments.
His were couched in a reasonable and unprovocative style.

As Pelican has mentioned, the emphasis on raising children has declined, as parents are actively encouraged to place participation and consumption as a first priority..
This is a societal challenge - and one in which the onus is on men and women to demonstrate respect and cooperation to find the middle-ground.

Yours and vanna's provocative modes of expression are not helpful to rational debate.

Jewley

>> James:”Could you imagine spending your whole life looking microscopically for areas of inequality that only pertains to women.”

Nope – how’s it working for you? <<

Hahahaha!

Clearly NOT working for Vanna - a little bit OCD, a shame.

Thanks Poirot, this forum has helped me to broaden my perspective, and to question some of my assumptions and prejudices. Refreshing and educational. Values are a little harder to sort out, but the sharing of views helps. I have moved past confrontation and the stubborn retention of at least some of my perhaps outdated opinions.

Jewely,

I'm not suggesting that any particular interest group is responsible for restrictions on female options and opportunity, least of all women themselves, for there are far too many vectors to that equation, summing to a broad cultural perspective at any given point in time. I have only noted a gradual shift, with good points, and, from my viewpoint, some potentially troublesome aspects. Nothing more. A questioning of where we may be heading, and perhaps a caution. I'm not blaming anyone. We are all caught in a moving feast.

Have advancements in female education (or education in general) led directly to a fraying of our cultural cohesion? I don't think so. Advancements in education offering broader opportunity to male and female alike are beneficial across the board. Has this given rise to binge drinking and antisocial behaviour, to juvenile pregnancy, to increasing numbers of street kids, dysfunctional families, drug addiction or of the long term unemployed? Vectors, vectors, but operating within an overriding system, or in spite of it. It is largely your world now, largely in your hands. If I can help I will, but how, and who would listen? I don't have the answers.

And No, I'm not abashed if there is a movement to the general good, that's what life is supposed to be about.

Suze and Pelican made some good observations, and I thank them for their consideration. I'm glad if relationships tend to be more satisfying now, and, though I have no way of knowing if this is broadly the case, I sincerely hope it is. Family is after all the foundation of society and a microcosm of its integrity.

Saltpetre

Are you the same Saltpetre who claimed to be 'unfamiliar with womens' affairs'?

If so, you are an adept pupil.

;)