I propose we all (both men and women) work towards equal female representations in in jobs that are dirty, physically difficult, require long hours or isolation from friends and family and then we will be somewhat closer to equality. Nursing is one area where a role that is generally dominated by females which ticks a number of those boxes but many other jobs appear to attract relatively few females despite the sometimes relatively high pay.

After all not all that many people go into government representation, get seats on boards or roles as CEOs so whilst part of the issue those boss roles are not the real picture for the vast majority of people.

R0bert

Dr Russell,
Why do social constructs need to be challenged? Social constructs are what bind and regulate a society, it appears as though Feminists, discredited time and time again are simply looking for new ways to undermine normal society. A society which puts women in the place of men is in a state of crisis, the only reason to do so is if the men are dead or absent such as in times of war or natural disaster.
If you want to see what a dismal failure women in combat roles has become for the British army I recommend the series "Bomb squad" which follows a group of combat engineers in Afghanistan. The female team members cannot do their jobs, they can't carry their own gear, they can't keep up with the men and have to be repeatedly rescued and carried, one even gets stuck in an irrigation ditch while she was supposed to be operating crucial electronic jamming gear to protect her fellow soldiers.

http://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/a14211/mean-girls-of-the-er/

Which makes the profession's silent secret all the more surprising:
< rampant hazing, bullying, and sabotage so destructive that patients
< can suffer and, in a few cases, have died. Nurses told me about
<numerous daunting behavioral patterns: colleagues withholding crucial
<information or help, spreading rumors, name-calling, playing
<favorites, and intimidating or berating nurses until they quit.

What I find to be hypocritical is that feminists will concentrate their energy on the negative aspect of the behaviour of some males, and label any one who tries to discuss the negative aspects of the behaviour of some females and try to shut down debate by labelling those people as being misogynists.

Sarah

I understand your comments and have no disagreement with them - in theory. I also note that your OLO commenting history started on 21 April!!

I've been participating on the DV threads on OLO for years now. When I started, I had your attitude - argue the facts, refer to the research and refute it where necessary, respectfully acknowledge where (or if) you get it wrong and don't rise to the ad hominem bait.

I learned very quickly that this is not the game plan of the men here. Dominance and intimidation is their only game plan, even the ones like R0bert and Craig Minns, whose capacity for passive-aggressiveness is as awesome as it is consistent.

Over time, you learn that most of the men who post to these OLO gender threads have extremely powerful triggers regarding anything to do with women-centric issues. They go straight on the attack - either with naked hostility or passive aggressive falsehoods.

But ultimately, ask yourself: Why are there SO FEW women here?

Try and work out the answer BEFORE you make your next apology.

"Passive-aggressive behavior is the indirect expression of hostility, such as through procrastination, stubbornness, sullenness, or deliberate or repeated failure to accomplish requested tasks for which one is (often explicitly) responsible." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive-aggressive_behavior

Craig which of therm have you been doing on OLO. At a guess the stubborness of sticking to your own opinions rather than accepting the feminist line. Perhaps failing to complete an assigned task of changing your views to suit the feminist line. I doubt that procrastination or sullenness are easily applicable.

On the other hand it might be just another insult without an basis in fact.

R0bert

There has been quite lot in press over the past few days about an alleged rape of a woman by three men in Albury. Well what do you know it was a crock of the proverbial, it was just another false reporting of sexual assault. This type of thing with sexual assault and domestic violence happens far more often than the likes of Killarney and the author of the article, I believe, would like the rest of the public to know.

Many years ago I read an article in the Waikato Times, NZ which said the Hamilton police did an analysis of reported sexual assault/ rape cases. It revealed that 30% of allegations were proven to be false. No doubt the percentage of actual false allegations would have been higher than that.

Does anyone know of any research done in Australia on false allegations?

From the Nambucca Guardian:

>POLICE have closed their investigation into a reported sexual
>assault in East Albury.

>Detectives had been investigating the incident since Tuesday night,
>when a 17-year-old girl reported being approached by three men on
>the Dean Street footbridge about 6.20pm.

>She told officers she had been dragged along a nearby bike path into
>bushes and sexually assaulted, with one of the men said to have
>threatened her with a knife.

>Police had scoured nearby businesses for security footage, and the
>girl was assessed at Albury hospital, but officers now believe the
>incident didn’t happen.

>“Detectives from Albury Local Area Command have conducted extensive
>inquiries since the reported incident, including forensic testing,
>and have spoken to a number of people,” police said in a statement
>last night.

>“The investigation has now finalised. Police are no longer seeking
>three men and no further action is anticipated.”

>However, police were adamant they didn’t want the outcome to
>dissuade people reporting similar incidents.