Archive for May, 2010
Wait, how can I be sexist?
Clarissa has a quiz about sexism on her blog.
I took it and realised that it needs some work. The average person responding to the first question — In the dating game, nice guys always finish last – might answer based on their limited sample of data: friends, family members and possibly acquaintances. Their answer might not reflect what they believe, but what they notice around them. I answered ‘Disagree completely’ because what is a ‘nice guy‘ anyway?
The second question: I am a heterosexual woman and this question erases my existence. I answered ‘Disagree Completely’.
The third question also seems to talk to a hypothetical male reader. I answered ‘Disagree Completely’.
The fourth question: well, I don’t know the answer. I answered ‘Disagree completely’ but who knows? Perhaps women are seemingly more adept at learning languages but because of nurture, not nature.
The fifth question: once again, nurture plays a role here. This might not have anything to do with nature so I answered ‘Disagree completely’. But let’s face it, men rarely talk about their feelings unless we press them for it. This is because our society believes that ‘real men don’t cry’ and other nonsense like that. Does this make me a sexist cause I happen to notice more women being comfortable talking about their feelings?
The sixth question: Yes, of course women worry more about their weight. We’re constantly bombarded by the media, by friends, by everyone that we should be young, pretty and skinny. This is not due to being hardwired to worry about our weight more often. Does it make me borderline sexist to answer ‘Agree completely’?
The seventh question: Once again we should ask why. Is it because of nature or nurture? Women are conditioned to want marriage and 2.5 children. It aint sexist to agree with this statement.
The eighth question: I can’t remember my answer.But the ‘very emotional’ bit would put me off a guy. Emotional is good on its own 
The ninth question: ‘Agree completely’
The tenth question: ‘Agree completely’. Of course there are benefits to having stay-at-home mother, just as there would be benefits to having a stay-at-home father. It isn’t sexist to accept that. The problem is not with having a stay-at-home parent, the problem is that all too often it’s presented as the only choice available to women.
