Illusion of Gender Superiority

[Kevin Peña]

Ok, I have come to notice a strange trend going about today. People are so obsessed with a male vs. female battle. People keep complaining that one gender has it worse than the other. I'm here to say that I think that is a load of hogwash.

I come from a third world country. I have starved; I've been beaten on the street, and no one helped me; I have seen women be molested; I've seen men get stabbed; I've seen women be abused; I've seen men get abused, too.

The title pretty much says my opinion entirely. Men can be jerks, and so can women. Ever saw that video of the American helicopter mowing down Iraqi civilians, male AND female, while the soldiers just laughed?

There are people in occupied Palestine being killed and beaten, male and female alike. Men and women get raped, murdered, or robbed. Life doesn't care about your gender. It happens, whether you like it or not.

Unlike feminists or masculists, I actually care about equality. If you really want equality, don't call yourself a feminist or a masculist; call yourself an equalist. People of either gender have to deal with crap on a daily basis. What that crap is happens to sometimes be different for different genders. Neither gender is superior. There are male and female engineers, doctors, and lawyers. All that matters is who you are as a person.

[peky]

What make you so sure you are correct? Your youth? your education? your experience?

[Kevin Peña]

Well, my experience. I think I made that clear. Plus, I said, that I think that it's a load of hogwash. Whether I'm right or wrong is up to you.

PS--> I don't think that any classroom can teach you this, so I don't think that "education" matters here, if you meant education in school.

[Beth Andrea]

I see conflicts like the male-v-female as the opposite of "keeping up with the Joneses"...instead of "I'm better than you because I have _____", we hear "I/we have it worse than you because _____!"

I'm not an equalist, though...there are some universalities, but there are also some generalizations which (kept in context) are true.

[Kevin Peña]

Yeah, it's starting to become more like a fight of who's more pitiful....

When I say "equalist," I don't mean that we should treat men and women as being the same. If we did that, then we would be getting rid of gender. Men and women are different, but they're still people. I mean that, regardless of gender, people should be treated equally with equal rights.

[peky]

PS--> I don't think that any classroom can teach you this, so I don't think that "education" matters here, if you meant education in school.

Education matters a great deal. Education can be obtained through school or by self-education. And by self education, I do not mean: youtube, wikkipedia, or other internet web sites. I mean books. For example, ask yourself: "How many books have I read about the Palestinian issue? Have I validated what I learn in one book with other books?

Do not take me wrong, I like your spirit and your self assurance but you need some education so that your opinions have added value. Personally a bit of humbleness will suite you well too, sister

[Kevin Peña]

I have read books about it in Advanced Placement World History and I have a classmate from Palestine who experienced some serious stuff that he says he'd rather not talk about, so I won't violate his privacy by spilling the beans. All I can say is that it was bad.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against education (just not for real life that can only be learned by action), and some internet sites are good, not just books. Just because something is from the internet doesn't make it immediately bad. After all, there were books trying to validate Y2K. 

My opinions are just that: opinions. If you disagree, fine. I'm not all-knowing. I just happen to state my opinions strongly and proudly. I know that I have a lot left to learn throughout my life, but that doesn't mean that I know nothing now. I apologize for coming across as cocky, but there's a difference between being humble and being completely self-deprecating.

[spacial]

I understand your points Diana.

Do you think perhaps, the divisions are engineered to an extent?

[Kevin Peña]

Well, of course I do. There has to be a reason for such a gender obsession to occur. Society used to be matriarchal, but now it's leaning towards patriarchal in a lot of places. Still, that doesn't change the fact that there are bad things men and women have to deal with. I say "patriarchal" as in a man is expected to be the major earner in a house, but it's not a murder-level issue if a woman is.

The divisions are engineered. People want power, and they sometimes put other people down to attain it, whether male or female. This is an unfortunate part of humanity. 

[peky]

Well, of course I do. There has to be a reason for such a gender obsession to occur. Society used to be matriarchal, but now it's leaning towards patriarchal in a lot of places. Still, that doesn't change the fact that there are bad things men and women have to deal with. I say "patriarchal" as in a man is expected to be the major earner in a house, but it's not a murder-level issue if a woman is.

The divisions are engineered. People want power, and they sometimes put other people down to attain it, whether male or female. This is an unfortunate part of humanity. 

Could you give me some examples of matriarchal societies? And which ones turned patriarchal?

PS Internet references are accepted and welcome

[Kevin Peña]

Remember, society USED to be matriarchal. When I say used to, I mean ancient (except the Iriquois and Mosuo).

Alright, I need to do my homework (been procrastinating for a while). I could get into matriarchal societies and sacred kings who were picked annually by physical competition, only to be killed the next year to have their blood be poured on crops, but you can look that up yourself. Sorry for the inadequacy, but I literally spent 30 seconds on this search.

http://www.iroquoisdemocracy.pdx.edu/html/iroquoiswoman.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosuo