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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Women. The 52 Percent.

If women ruled the world, there would be no more wars.
But once a month there would be intense negotiations.
(Robin Williams)

Several years ago, I read an article in which authentic cave paintings were discovered that depicted women hunting alongside men. It shed light on our modern misconception of gender-based division into hunters and gatherers during pre-historic times.

It made sense. At a time when daily life was inconceivably harsh and mostly life-threatening, the "luxury" of excluding capable hands and minds based on gender probably did not exist, due to the limited resource of available human beings.

At least 52% of the world's population (and climbing) are female. That the 21st century still has inequality based on gender is confounding. Their exclusion from decision making positions is cultural rather than ability or capability based. One hopes that one day we will celebrate international best persons day. In the meantime, I extend my gratitude to all the courageous women, who improve our lives.

Given the current global economic and environmental climate, one cannot help but notice that tribes and countries led by women appear to be more successful in the humanitarian sense.  Some of our most intelligent co-inhabitants live in matriarchal societies; dolphins, elephants and bonobo chimpanzees. Considering that their ancestors have been playing the survival game longer than ours, maybe they are onto something.

13 comments:

  1. Hear, hear!
    And I say this without being prompted by Mrs. Penwasser (who I sincerely call the "brains of the outfit").

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  2. A wee cracker of a post AC.

    Great stuff!

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  3. I completely agree.

    Unlike Al, though, I was prompted to respond by Mrs. C.

    In fact, she's standing behind me right now reading as I type...

    She doesn't seem to approve of me telling you this part, however...

    Actually, she's looking kinda angry now...

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  4. Like the Mosuo Tribe of southwestern China. Run entirely by women. Called the Kingdom of Women.

    Anyway...I don't understand what this Women's day is supposed to be for. I already know how dammed good I am! Heh..

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  5. Thank you for this Antares! I was so upset this morning, about a friend saying women were being hypocrites to ask for birth control yet telling the government to stay out of their uterus. It was one of those pictures going around the web. So, it's okay for insurance to pay for Viagra, but not birth control? I saw red. I'm just tired of the double standards put on women by a few men that want to keep them in a certain place, mainly the kitchen. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite too...

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  6. I wonder how many Conservative women vote the way their husbands tell them to vote, that is, if their husbands even ALLOW them to vote?

    This birth control issue seems to revolve around the freedoms of the religious institutions or the freedom of the insurance companies taking precedence OVER the freedoms of the INDIVIDUAL.

    This argument that certain groups of people object to having their taxpayer dollars go to pay for "________" fill in the blank, is specious. I have a HUGE list of things that our government pays for that I strongly object to. Why are some peoples objections honored and mine not?

    And again, if an insurance company is going to be insulated from the costs of individual practicing contraception, then they should be REQUIRED, therefore, to pay for all prenatal, birth and child health costs from birth to age 18. You can't place a barrier then elect to duck your responsibilities resulting from that barrier. It's called a double standard.

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  7. AC, is your wife mad at you or something?

    But seriously, I totally agree. I can honestly say that my wife makes more than half the decisions in our household, and our lives are the better for it.

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  8. @Al, I second that motion.
    Two brains are better than one.

    @Alistair, thanks mate.

    @Vinny, I do hope she feels better soon.

    @Sprite, I did not know that.

    It's about equality, but I am sure that they'll make an exception for you.;)

    @Meg, it should be about the choices that each individual is free to make. Reproductive health should be in the hands of those affected by it. Same with career choices.
    Maybe next century...

    @HeatherL, thank you.

    @Robert, this particular issue (women's reproductive health) reappears every election. One wonders if it's a diversion tactic.

    Very good point, but it's not being raised publicly. We all know what a failure "the system" can be for unwanted children.

    @Paul, hahahahaha. Uumm, I'm afraid to ask.

    We share responsibilities and decisions, couldn't imagine it any other way.

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  9. This is why the world is going to ROCK when I take over.

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  10. International best persons day! Good on you, Antares. Thanks for sending this out to the world. ;)

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  11. I bet you've known this truth since you were a kid. (Me too.)

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  12. @Kat, yes it probably would.

    @Jayne, wouldn't it be nice if there was more balance?

    @dbs, you win.

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