Equality is in my opinion a Utopian concept. It does not truly exist, nor would, I doubt, it ever exist, at least not in my lifetime.

Discrimination is everywhere, present here and now, in force whether we realise it or not. Discrimination between the races, culture and sexes are among the few examples of the types of discrimination we face everyday. Thankfully the world is opening up and in this 21st century we are blessed with people who are willing to free themselves from the four corners of their boxes and venture out, and embrace new things, new ideologies, new culture.

Discrimination, I believe can be traced back way, way back even to the Stone Age. They may not exactly have any discrimination against race or culture back then, but it was obvious that there was discrimination of the sexes. Which is actually the main topic of this write up today. My knowledge of what I am about to write here, is knowledge I have gathered from talking to people, observing society and reading random materials over the course of the 20 odd years of my life. So please feel free to correct me on points, which you feel, are discrepant.

Back to the main topic, discrimination of the sexes.

When this planet was made, Men and Women were made as well, males and females were made so, that they cannot reproduce without the other, and would have likely died out if not for each other. (Although now with technology, I would actually boldly state that Women can reproduce without men, if you know about Dolly the sheep, you will roughly know where I am coming from, but that’s besides the current point.)

Therefore, since both are needed to reproduce wouldn’t one think that they ought to be equals? Unfortunately, no, Men are Women are made differently; Women are mysteriously made weaker, physically, compared to Men. A man can easily kill a woman with his bare hands whereas the opposite is not true for the woman. (but both are quite mentally competent if I may say so myself.)

Have you ever watched documentaries on animals like National Geographic? If you did, you would have noticed that the alpha male is the strongest in the pack, physically strongest I would add. Hence it could be possible to say that the discrimination of the sexes is an animal instinct. (Essential for the survival of the fittest, if not for such a thing, I think a lot of species would have died out) Men are generally stronger; a woman could exercise the same amount as a man and not get any muscles, whereas the man could easily get bulky. In order to reproduce, we can’t have a pregnant lady fighting a dinosaur and risking a miscarriage, and effectively failing in reproduction and resulting in the death of the species.

Hence it could be likely that the reason Women were not made that strong was because they don’t need that strength unlike Men. So the Men had to do the dirty and dangerous work. But again looking at animal instinct, (as humans have been said to be animals, but the most well evolved one) the physically strongest of the pack becomes the leader. Thus, I would say that it is the most plausible reason why the Women follow the Men.

If a Women refuses to follow it would be quite easy to put her in place by just hitting her (as some beings lower than the human race, nay, they cannot even deserve to be called humans, do even to this very day). Women would most likely lose in a physical fight (forget martial arts, the idea here is if the woman knows martial arts the man knows it as well. She would most likely still lose; it’s a battle of strength here).

Hence, it started the dominance of Men over Women. Imagine in the stone age, when a man saw a woman he liked, he would hit her on the head and drag her back to his cave by her hair!! To be his so-called “wife”. (As there was no such term then) What brutality, even a woman during the Stone Age had no right of choosing her own husband and is instead brutally kidnapped. What discrimination is this?!

This passed on into the centuries, where Women were taken as wombs, and were not educated, nor was the need seen. Being uneducated, Women were brought up to have conservative minds to listen to the Men and just be obedient. (like the case in Salt Lake City if I’m not wrong, some sort of religious sect) This was enforced with the introduction of religion with the formation of governments. (Which I felt was actually meant to control the economy, i.e. the taxation, rules and the beginning of law etc notice that all the religious leaders are all Men!!) And most likely the males all got arrogant, as this kind of act gives them the feeling of power, the feeling of power they have over Women, another human being. Thus, giving birth to ego and most likely the chauvinistic Men.

Women however suffered, brilliant minds were snuffed out, the Men continued to subdue Women and built a society for Men. (Look at history at the ancient civilisations, all ruled by Men, Women had no place in politics or ruling; Women were not even allowed on the Olympic grounds, what more to join in, and could only watch it from a far.)

But, thankfully, I guess the Men started to realise, that having an uneducated Women, as they progressed wasn’t very good. Some Men preferred intellectual Women, and it was better if Women could at least read. And thankfully, there were some fathers out there who felt that his daughter deserved an education (usually happens when they are denied sons and uses the daughters as substitutes, but some really do think that their daughters should have a right to education, thank goodness for fathers like that). Thank goodness for some of the Men who had the right mind to look at the other side of the coin, and decided that Women are not stupid, and ought to be educated as well.

Hence slowly, the females were being educated. But with education, some of them started to think on their own, and started asking for equality, something non-existent, unless in my opinion, the day comes where Men can carry a baby in their body, suffer through the pains of child birth and give birth to it. What they are actually looking for, I would personally say is better rights, less oppression, better access to knowledge, and overall a better life. Not a life hidden away in the shadows.

In those days they even had clubs especially for Men, where Women were not allowed to join or even work in. (That could probably well explain the male domination of most professions as Women were just expected to sit at home and mind the children.) Since Women weren’t educated until later. Women who dabbled in things we would call scientific, such as traditional herbs and healing medicines were called witches and burnt at the stake whereas the Men were revered as Scientists, the injustice of it all.

We are in some sense lucky that some Men had loved their wives, daughters, sisters or mothers enough, and revered them a higher standing and allowing them to inherit property. (Such as the ancient Egyptian empire, if I am not wrong, the mother of the King holds and honourable position) Thus in effect, raising the status of Women in society, and allowing it to evolve into what it is today.

There are Men out there who don’t view Women as sexual objects but as human beings like them, who should be given, whenever possible the equal opportunity as Men, and thank goodness for Men like that. Though now as more Women get educated, they are also learning to fight for their rights, as human beings, Women should not be treated like a slave, or a womb, just to give birth, or cook and clean for the family.

Unfortunately I’ve noticed that although society is changing, a number of Men still cannot except that Women are being independent, especially the urban Women, and most Men feel threatened by that. Threatened by the fact that they are no longer needed to put food on the table or as the protector of the family because the Women are capable of that. Thus they think independent Women are not cute, and buy brides from other countries. The Men’s chauvinistic character it would seem unfortunately did not recede with the change of position and status of the Women folk. We could also say that society does not really allow them to as well. (But it can be seen that the younger society is attempting to change.)

It is like a stereotype that we were born with, where boys were wrapped in a blue blanket and girls in pink. However, we can note and see that girls will wear blue and play with cars and trucks, but the same is usually not true for boys, though some of them may now wear soft pastel pink, but they frown against playing with dolls and see it as wrong. The society’s perception set in their minds since centuries ago, that these are Women things, Men will not do it. And the Women’s thinking that, she no longer wants to be oppressed and will break into the Men’s world and do what the Men can.

I think it is a fact, Men can never be Women and vice versa, what is left is to just respect each other. Women should respect the fact that Men are physically stronger and are meant to do certain kinds of work, which actually by fact, if the Women really wanted it, and with the help of technology she can do as well. (It’s like girls playing with cars but boys not playing with dolls.)

And Men should respect Women, understand that they are the weaker sex, but they definitely should not be oppressed and be given better or if possible equal rights/opportunities (such as equal opportunity for education). Society should be taught that girls are okay too (China should stop killing baby girls). We are not stupid or useless; we can inherit property as well. And we can actually carry on the surname as well (as in Japan where the son-in-law may be adopted into the family and carry the wife’s surname).

What I’ve noticed in society is that there is still a general lack of respect for Women, sure the highly educated/professionals respect, or at least try their best to respect each other no matter the sex, but when you get rapists and molesters, this are typical Stone Age Men who have failed to evolve, and still wish to empower Women, and who do not respect Women and most likely think they don’t have to be respected.

Society deserves a hard smack on the head, and taught to think with an open mind, it doesn’t matter if this discrimination has been so deeply embedded in culture, if there are people, Men and Women willing to fight for it, someday, we may be looking at a future where Women will have rights almost equivalent to the Men, where Women will get the respect their deserve; respect almost, or I hope actually equal to Men. It feels like a Utopian dream, but it could be possible with the right education, and with the right minds, and will to change societies.

Men on the other hand shouldn’t be thinking that because Women want equality that they should do everything themselves, like from what I’ve noticed in my scouting, for example in chopping wood, the boys will not help the girls saying they are strong enough. I don’t really think that is the point. As stated it is a fact, Women are the weaker sex, we don’t have as much physical strength, besides it is being courteous to help a friend, is it not? If your friend, regardless of sex were having difficulty chopping the wood, which you know you’re most likely capable of, would you not offer your help? (You should, it’s manners. So learn, society lacks manners, especially, sadly, in this country as posted before based on the little survey I did sometime back around last year.)

So yes, respect each other, and help each other, you chop the wood & I can help you sew, I don’t really see the problem with that as long as Women are not treated as objects but normal human beings like the Men. (We were after all made differently) I think that is in effect what Women are actually looking for, but couldn’t word properly. (Hence the word “equality”) So to the, Men please respect the Women, and to the Women, please respect the Men, and to both sexes, please continue to strive for better rights for Women. (We should not be locked at home, not allowed to leave the home unaccompanied, we should not feel fear walking out on the street alone, we should all be given equal education, we should have the right to choose our spouse, we do not need to hide. Society can free Women, and the first step has to be taken by us all)

Also this might seem quite feminist, but I think Men should just endure it when Women say it’s the Men’s fault for a certain number of things (such as society’s mentality and way of thinking), as we can all associate it to the discrimination of their fore fathers and fathers before that, i.e. the Men of old, it’s the least they could do for the centuries of oppression of Women, though they will argue that they aren’t like that. But it’s a fact that society was made like that, and it’s good that they realise that though, and are hopefully willing to change society, cause if they don’t aren’t they then the same as their forefathers and fathers before that?

To the Men, hey what’s wrong with wearing florescent pink and playing with dolls?

-Oracl3-

P/s: this discrimination of the sexes can actually be applied to the discrimination of races etc, one race thinks it’s more superior than the other, and well they have the numbers to enforce that thought by forming society, and there you have it. Discrimination, again I would say, education and teaching people to broaden their horizons will help to alleviate this problem somewhat. And people need to stop thinking they are so damned special when we are all humans, when we get cut, no matter the skin colour, our blood is all red. (But as I said it’s a Utopian concept or we wouldn’t be having any wars now would we?)