General Discussions => Education => Philosophy => Topic started by: Nero on November 08, 2007, 10:15:30 AM Return to Full Version
Title: Sexism: Theories on How and Why
Post by: Nero on November 08, 2007, 10:15:30 AM
Post by: Nero on November 08, 2007, 10:15:30 AM
Sexism:
How did it develop?
Why did it develop?
What was it's purpose?
And why has it lingered through the ages?
Was it a simple matter of the stronger sex overpowering the weaker sex?
Discuss. Share any theories.
How did it develop?
Why did it develop?
What was it's purpose?
And why has it lingered through the ages?
Was it a simple matter of the stronger sex overpowering the weaker sex?
Discuss. Share any theories.
Title: Re: Sexism: Theories on How and Why
Post by: Doc on November 08, 2007, 06:16:36 PM
Post by: Doc on November 08, 2007, 06:16:36 PM
There's an anthropologist out there who's got a theory that the Neanderthal people went extinct because they lacked gender roles. They've found evidence that all adult Neanderthals participated in big-game hunting. Females would have been hurt and killed doing this just as often as males. For the population, this is much worse than losing males, since a bunch of females sharing one male could have just as many babies as if each female had a male, but a bunch of males sharing one female will produce just the same number of babies as one male and one female.
Homo sapiens living in stone-age societies and upward invariably have a division of labour based on gender which assigns somewhat less dangerous tasks to females. Probably it's written in our genetic code to tend to do this.
But, y'know. Every group has a few raging egos. Those people are always keen to say that they are better than others because of one thing or another. So a tendancy that was of evolutionary advantage to early humans has become lame cultural ideals about men (or in rarer cases, women) being 'better'.
Homo sapiens living in stone-age societies and upward invariably have a division of labour based on gender which assigns somewhat less dangerous tasks to females. Probably it's written in our genetic code to tend to do this.
But, y'know. Every group has a few raging egos. Those people are always keen to say that they are better than others because of one thing or another. So a tendancy that was of evolutionary advantage to early humans has become lame cultural ideals about men (or in rarer cases, women) being 'better'.
Title: Re: Sexism: Theories on How and Why
Post by: katia on November 09, 2007, 02:25:44 PM
Post by: katia on November 09, 2007, 02:25:44 PM
i define sexism as mindset about gender relationships and equality [in the workplace] based upon stereotypes and prejudices untested by real world experience. Sexism is destructive [as is racism] when it informs policy and the judgment of authority figures.
Sexism is showing preferential treatment for one gender in admissions or hiring.
Sexism is expecting females to have limited capacity for intelligence and performance in the professional world.
Sexism is expecting males to be sexist in general.
Sexism is paraphrasing or misquoting someone based on a preconcieved notion that he or she is sexist.
Sexism is showing preferential treatment for one gender in admissions or hiring.
Sexism is expecting females to have limited capacity for intelligence and performance in the professional world.
Sexism is expecting males to be sexist in general.
Sexism is paraphrasing or misquoting someone based on a preconcieved notion that he or she is sexist.