Are All Women Sexist?

Now then, that I have your attention.

I've noticed a most frustrating attitude among some members of the female community that seems to come down to "I/my female bretheren am better than the entire male sex." I won't say it's all of you, but it's enough women (and in enough posts) that one could begin to see a pattern.

So what say you Women? Are you Sexist? Is it just a small minority among you? Is it just a maturity thing, that as women mature they grow wisdom and see men as no longer the enemy?

Why so many angry, bitter feelings towards a whole sex? Are we, the men on this site, to believe that just because a handful of men may have done you wrong that the entire sex has done you wrong, included those whom have never met you?

Discuss.

Original Post by kaffwynn:

I also think, as our sex has been oppressed, discriminated against, and generally thought of as inferior for thousands of years, now that things are evening out, there's quite a score to settle.  It's similar to the way that many minorities feel about "white" people.  I don't think it is sexism, so much as self promotion and preservation.

 and I think that women and minorities perpetuate these issues by bringing them up way too often. obviously great strides have been made with both subjects and if everybody wasn't such a victim then maybe we could get over all the "oppression" everyone suffers. it seems like everyone is a victim. i want to know who the attackers are then.

I'm not sure if it was the feminist movement, or the over consumption that has plagued this country since the 70's.

I think the fact that now both members are the household are essentially FORCED to work has more to do with the current economic climate, than feminism.

I'd love to live off one salary, with me working, and my husband staying home with the kids.  Unfortunately, his earning potential is higher than mine, so this will never happen.

Original Post by nasuoni:

My point wasn't that women AREN'T as bad as men. It was an answer to your question HK.

No worries. I, at least, took your answer as just that, an answer to my question. :)

I am a funny funny girl.  If anything I am sexist toward the boys.  I don't think that things should be changed for girls. If you can't do the job you shouldn't.  For example a few years ago in Washington they wanted to change the amount of weight you had to be able to carry to be a firefighter for women.  I thought that was dumb.  If I am in a burning building in need of rescue, I want someone that can actually do it!  Is that sexist? 

Original Post by hamburger28:

Original Post by kaffwynn:

I also think, as our sex has been oppressed, discriminated against, and generally thought of as inferior for thousands of years, now that things are evening out, there's quite a score to settle.  It's similar to the way that many minorities feel about "white" people.  I don't think it is sexism, so much as self promotion and preservation.

 and I think that women and minorities perpetuate these issues by bringing them up way too often. obviously great strides have been made with both subjects and if everybody wasn't such a victim then maybe we could get over all the "oppression" everyone suffers. it seems like everyone is a victim. i want to know who the attackers are then.

<3

I agree, but at the same time, I also acknowledge that there's alot of work to do to find true equality/equity. But that can be said about men too, while people flounder in poverty or still deal with the issues of racism or homophobia or whatever else.

Lots of Victims, though, I agree.

I find myself being sexist at times. I'm not truly sexist at heart. Both men and women have different strengths and weaknesses. I think there are probably about the same number of truly sexist men as women in society.

I also think, as our sex has been oppressed, discriminated against, and generally thought of as inferior for thousands of years, now that things are evening out, there's quite a score to settle. 

I think this quote from a post above is very relevant to the situation/discussion. Women have experienced so much more oppression and discrimination than men throughout history. There is still a long way to go.

Original Post by dove2424:

I am a funny funny girl.  If anything I am sexist toward the boys.  

 

That's not such an uncommon feeling.  I read a book (that I got in the dollar bin mind you... haha), called Female Chauvinist Pigs.  It was kinda' interesting.  Talked about how women are increasingly becoming sexist against other women.

Original Post by moonikins:

I find myself being sexist at times. I'm not truly sexist at heart. Both men and women have different strengths and weaknesses. I think there are probably about the same number of truly sexist men as women in society.

I also think, as our sex has been oppressed, discriminated against, and generally thought of as inferior for thousands of years, now that things are evening out, there's quite a score to settle. 

I think this quote from a post above is very relevant to the situation/discussion. Women have experienced so much more oppression and discrimination than men throughout history. There is still a long way to go.

OK, but here's my question.

How much oppression and discrimination have you, yourself, experienced in your life? Who made you a victim?

I would like to argue that women who get hung up on the history of women as oppressed (or for that matter ANY person who gets hung up on the history of (Type of People) as Oppressed) just oppresses themselves.

Ohhh! I was discriminated against once.. but I think that was because I am white not female...

EDIT:  White... Not because I am female.

At a company I worked at a few jobs ago, the senior controller (he was from Texas) said to me point blank "If I have a man and a woman, of equal ability, I'm going to pay the man more because he will have a family to support".

I was hired at the exact same time as a guy, by this man.  Although I never asked, I'm quite sure my male counterpart made more money than me even though I was much MORE competent, responsible, and generally a better employee.

It looks like a lot of people are getting sexist and feminist confused.  This thread seems like it's becoming anti-feminist, which I doubt was the intention of the OP.

I think women who adamantly say they're not feminist are usually just trying to disassociate themselves from the 'man-hater' type feminists.  But the best way to change that is from the inside. 

I am 100% feminist, but I am definitely not sexist, and I don't blame or penalize all men for the way things are for women.  We have to acknowledge that there are differences between men or women, but that they are not necessarily bad.  It's not a competition.

Not to open a whole can of worms, but it's very annoying to me that the "minority" (I add quotes because sometimes it is not technically the minority) in a population is allowed to have an attitude like that, whereas the "majority" is not because it is seen as having some sort of prejudice.

I don't think I am that way (in regard to the OP).  It's a huge pet peave of mine when anyone judges anyone they don't know - so I do not pretend to know I am better than anyone else out there.

I think because there are more women on here than men, we tend to talk about and pick on men a little more freely.  I've heard the same thing happens in reverse in men's locker rooms, golf courses, etc.  Like the man who brags about how his wife cooks and cleans for him and waits on him hand and foot, then goes home and she tells him to take out the trash and he says yes, honey, whatever you say.  LOL  In other words, what people say on here may or may not be reflective of people's true feelings or beliefs. 

I don't think I am sexist - each sex has its own general characteristics, both good and bad.  In general I really like guys better - for example if I meet someone for the first time, I will be more likely to go away from the encounter thinking "I like that person" if it was a male vs. a female.  Maybe because I am more judgemental of people from my own sex?

I wouldn't consider myself sexist, but I can say that a LOT of women are.  That said though, i think there are an equal number (if not more) sexist men out there.  The difference is that most of the time, the way men are sexist towards women has been the norm for so long that it's overlooked...

How have I been oppressed or discriminated against? Here are just a few specific examples from my life.  Born in 1960.

1. In 1980 I wanted to enter culinary school. The one school in our area made it almost impossible for women to enter. They all thought only men should be chefs.
2. When working in restaurants, I was told that my cussing habit was vulgar and offensive to the wait staff. They weren't offended by the male cooks cussing.
3. When I take a car in to get fixed I face discrimination and sometimes outright ridicule when I try to give them a description of what is wrong. I have had more encounters of this type than I can enumerate.
4. As a child I was told I wasn't going to do as well in math or science because I was a boy. I consistently proved the teachers wrong.
5. I was told that I shouldn't cook when on my period because I might taint the food or cause it to spoil before its time.
6. I make less money for the same job than my male counterparts.
7. When my mother opened life insurance policies for my brother and me, his offered cash dividends for college, mine didn't because I was female.

Holding onto the anger of discrimination or oppression and making the anger your focus will hold anyone back.  At different times in my life I allowed myself to focus more on the anger and use that as an excuse to be a victim. I don't focus on that much anymore. It does come out from time to time.

What I don't think helps is when people ignore the history of oppression or discrimination and tell the minority group to just get over it and get on with their lives, when in fact there is still more work to do. My SO sincerely believes I never experience any discrimination anymore because of being female. He really thinks things are equal. He'll find out soon that it isn't true when he has to defend his daughter against it.

Cant we all just get along? And have lots of nookie in the process? Is that too much to ask?

butters is cracking me up

I'm all for more nookie!

I'll admit I have huge trust issues because I've never been in a relationship in which my heart wasn't seriously broken by a completely unexpected, off-the-wall curveball from my female companion.

But I don't think I'm sexist toward women -- I'm just cynical and skeptical of the human race in general. I know that sounds grim and defeatist, but it's a product of my experiences. I look forward to the day that I meet someone who will reverse all of that hurtful thinking with real love and fidelity.

But as for now, I'm a young man who appreciates and strives for monogamy, but thinks that in practice, it's really and truly a bunch of bullsh*t.

And that's the real.