Friday, November 02, 2007

Men and Women

Mini-rant coming up.

I have read that astrologers, presented with the natal chart of an unknown person, cannot tell whether the owner of the chart is masculine or feminine, or indeed, gay. I'm glad about that - very glad. I feel it reinforces my own view that men and women are not as different as many would have us believe. It's a myth - another one! Life is filled with them.

I'm aware that many don't agree with me on this point. Discussions about differences and difficulties between the sexes, the relative talents of one over t'other....etc are legion. One could fill a library with books written on the subject. There does appear to be some evidence to support my theory though: "The Truth about Gender Differences". Studies show that one's sex has little or no bearing on personality, cognition and leadership.

What does make a huge difference in personality, cognition and leadership, of course, is the natal chart, about that much I have no argument whatsoever!

Physical differences are not in question. I'm well aware that men have dangly bits and women have rounded bits, and men can lift heavier weights, and women can bear children. Full stop. Outside of that, men and women are the same - simply human beings. Men are not from Mars and women are not from Venus (but writing about that myth can make a lot of money, I guess). The myth exists from centuries of suggestion, which have led to personal expectation, which has led to experience.

Women were held back, by suggestion, for too long. But now many people seek to keep the idea of differences alive by manufacturing them, to provide reasons for stuff which is really just basic relationship business - human being problems. Most, if not all of these stem from individual life history and experiences, not from any fundamental psyschological difference between men and women.

There are already enough "differences" to deal with in our world - political left and right, religion and atheism, rich and poor, healthy and sick, all kinds of discrimination, nationalism, patriotism...... we don't need to invent or encourage another one. If we are guilty of doing so, it will only serve to hold back the flow of progress women have achieved to date. Equality is the watchword - not difference or superiority.

Leading off from this topic is something currently in spotlight in the USA - the possibility of a woman president.

If mainstream media and the corporations get their way, Hillary Clinton will be the next US Prez. Some people think that a woman president would be something to celebrate - just because she is a woman. Huh?? Why?

Yes, women have been held back for too many years, and still have that legendary glass ceiling to negotiate before they can get a look-in. That does not automatically mean that a woman who manages to negotiate the glassware will make a good president or a good anything. There's as much chance of a woman being a good president as there is a man - good/bad = 50/50.

Let's not get all starry eyed about women in charge. They are no better and no worse than men - it's just that there are fewer of 'em in that position. My own life and work experience has led me to trust women in charge less than men - due purely to experience, not because I think they are less able or psychologically different. My own experience has taught me that the old myth that "if women were in charge this world would be a better place" is wishful thinking, at best.

A woman could make the best president ever seen in the history of the world - but equally, so could a man.

Matriarchal, patriarchal - schmatriachal. Society must move on beyond that sort of stuff now - this is 21st century! We human beings ought to be aiming to become one race, undivided, citizens of Earth.

End of rant. I've just noticed, tranisting Mars is 4* from my natal ascendant - which may account for the current period of bolshiness yours truly is experiencing.

(Illustration from www.primitivebirdgroup.co.nz/mgal5k.html)

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I'll never get it right. Mommie told me that girls and boys are different and now you tell me girls and boys are the same...

    (Sigh) I'll never get it right.

    ReplyDelete
  2. But you're so cute when you try!
    ;-)

    ReplyDelete