Foxy my dear, I have said it before and I will state it again...you girls have it all over the top of we mere males in a multitude of fashions starting with the size of your corpus collosum.

There is no “put another log on the fire” thought process to my “allure” observations.....women were more feminine 50 years ago than now. I blame the bloody hippies and the earth mother movements. I grew up amongst possibly the first new age women’s movement of the 1960’s here in Sydney....feminine is not what those girls were about.

I feel like the character in Life of Brian who was being stoned for blasphemy simply because he said to his wife “that piece of fish was good enough for Jehovah”.

I simply ask for feminine to be feminine....if the girls don’t want feminine....lets step outside and sort this out like men...lol...

Dear SOG,

Today there are vast individual differences in the
way men and women look at each other and interact.
This is to be expected in a post-industrial society
whose hallmarks are choice and diversity.
Yet despite these differences and despite the many
changes of recent years, there seems to be - still
some consensus about what "masculinity" and "femininity"
involve.

What you seem to be saying is that you want women
today to place more emphasis on physical appearance
and to pay attention to diet, make-up, and clothing.
That part of their "allure" is how they look.
Fair enough. Whatever rocks your boat.

But be assured that -

Most women I know do take pride in their appearance,
especially their fitness. And this,
- despite the fact that they
find pursuing the rigors of their careers,
maintaining intimate relationships, and raising
children, are no easy things to balance

Foxy, "Today there are vast individual differences in the way men and women look at each other and interact"

Do tell! Which feminist cornflakes packet did that come from?

Exactly what would you say are the specific differences between couples who could make a go of marriage back when and couples who can make a go of marriage now?

I don't see any difference in the essential qualities and motivation that need to be brought to the table to make a marriage work. For instance, what makes marriage impossible for many women (since the OP is directed at women) is the selfish me, me, me and SFA consideration of the person on the other side of the kitchen table. -With apologies for feminists and 'Progressives' who would believe that kitchen tables are passe and so would be conversations over a cuppa at the said kitchen table.

Honestly, if you are going to be spending your time talking about your own needs, marriage is not for you. If you are thinking exclusively of your own happiness as feminists are prone to do and you don't have any urge to make the fellow sitting opposite at the kitchen table (apologies, once again) happy, then forget it.

Couples always faced adversity and change, sick children, no money and rough times, however if you care for your husband and family and that is reciprocated then it will last.

The elephant in the room is the constant re-jigging of social policy by the egocentric, materialistic, educated middle class feminists and political 'Progressives' and the resultant negative consequences flowing from that. What can be expected from cows in the china shop like Nicola Roxon, Galah'd, Plibersek et al?

Foxy, my dear freedom fighter, you mirror the errant thoughts of my “masters level” educated daughter, she is downtrodden and seeking further emancipation it seems as well....Lets recap the plight of women in the first world:

Fifty years ago when a woman went for a divorce and the subsequent dividing up of the assets of the relationship, if she was a full time housewife, it counted for nothing in the eyes of the law. If she could not show an income stream she got shafted by the system.....that has changed considerably.

Fifty years ago the “housework” was work....laborious and energy consuming. Now with modern appliances in even the lowest of socio-economic households the whole lot can be done in an hour and a half. I can vac, do the dishes, the laundry and associated tidy up chores in that time and if I don’t have kids the day is my own. If the kids go to school, the day is my own.

Foxy>> But be assured that -
Most women I know do take pride in their appearance,
especially their fitness. And this,
- despite the fact that they
find pursuing the rigors of their careers,
maintaining intimate relationships, and raising
children, are no easy things to balance<<

Absolute rubbish Foxy....Women maintain the image sold to them by the media....if anything they “keep themselves” for their peers, other observers and their own self esteem.....not for their partner. They dress up to go out and dress down at home.

OTB....I agree....

Foxy and the other gals....what you complaining about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZMbTFNp4wI