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Old 06-01-2014, 10:02 PM   #586
Minnie
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This is going to sound contradictory because misogyny and sexism can very much go hand in hand, but I think they are also fairly separate things in this discussion. At least to me; I realize others may see it differently.

Misongyny is so pervasive and ingrained, in a sense, and I don't think some men mean to be that way, I truly think they don't recognize it. For thousands and thousands of years, women were nothing but chattel. I mean, it hasn't even been 100 years since women attained the right to vote in Canada, and women weren't granted personhood until 1929. So while I think a lot of good progress has been made, there are thousands of years of the whole chattel thing yet to overcome. Would it be nice if further progress happened a lot quicker? Well yeah, sure. But there's that old adage - "when you know better, you do better" - and we know better and we are doing better - but it's always going to be a work in progress. But, progress is happening.

Part of that progress is that women are more vocal now and men are are actualy listening. I'm not trying to suggest men have never listened but again, each decade, each century, there is growth and realization from the male population.

As a for example, my father and my father in law were and still are, to an extent, very ingrained in the old ways where they walk in and expect to be handed it all on a silver platter, you know? I have heard my mother in law say "oh but your husband has worked all day blah blah blah - he shouldn't have to change that diaper or help chop veg for supper or whatever." Uh, no. We've BOTH worked all day, and we both need to contribute to this family unit we've built. My father in law has outright said 'such and such is women's work', has said some pretty misogynistic things - and when my father was alive, incredibly similar comments. However, my husband is not similarly persuaded and my sons definitely aren't of that mindset. Again, it's the growth and education, the knowledge that the world has changed/is changing, and they need to keep up.

I don't know - maybe that made zero sense typed out. Made more sense in my head but I'm also on some strong pain relief right now so....

On the whole, I find myself much more encouraged about how things are going these days, than less discouraged, and I definitely appreciate the effort I've seen from men.
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