Women!
National Women's Day
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Last night Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win (well deserved) Academy Awards for best director and best picture for her movie, "The Hurt Locker." And today is "National Women's Day"! Wow! Women are having one hell of a week!
Now, I don't think anyone appreciates women more than I do. A woman brought me into this world, women have loved me, taught me, given birth to and raised my children, and been my wonderful companions and fun-partners for as long as I have been alive.
Now, here comes the other shoe! (Surprise, Surprise.) I am one who truly believes in equal rights, equal pay and equal everything else that comes along in this "Vale of tears" we call life. But, where is "National Men's Day"? Now, I do not need there to be a "National Men's Day," but with all of this equality going around you would think that if there is a "National Women's Day" men and women alike would insist on a "National Men's Day"! But no! There is no outcry for a day to celebrate the men who fathered us into this world, played and taught us how to play sports and be good sports, supported us through our childhood and beyond, and advised us on everything from how to show respect for women to what profession we might be suited for.
Far from it! In this world, most of the time, men are treated like second-class citizens! There seems to be no end to the the things that men are notorious for doing wrong, from refusing to ask for directions to leaving the toilet seat up. On TV men are ridiculed for not using the exact politically-correct term when addressing females, in commercials males are constantly choosing the wrong product and being corrected for their stupidity in their solution to one problem or another. Men are portrayed as listless dolts who cannot solve the simplest problem without the help and patience of a women, who roles her eyes and tolerates this less-than-equal being that she must tolerate and apologize for.
So, to women everywhere, I beg you to get over yourselves and seek true equality and have a little humility by doing less strutting and show a little more kindness in your behavior towards men.
Voting and Women's Rights
A piece of history we need to remember, or perhaps become aware of, told in a brief and moving way. I never knew this anyway. This is the story of our Grandmothers, and Great-grandmothers, as they lived only 90 years ago. It was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote. The women who made it so were innocent and defenseless. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic'. They beat Lucy Burn, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms. When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because--why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?
Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels' starring Hilary Swank. It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use--or don't use--my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'
HBO released the movie on video and DVD. I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum. I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote. History is being made. Now read what I think~ next email.
Women and Sex!
Man comes home and finds his wife with his friend in bed. He shoots his friend and kills him.Wife says "If you behave like this, you will lose ALL your friends!"
For a man sex is a privilege! To women, sex is an entitlement! Women have the say as to when and if they will have sex with you. Men are taught that "No means No!" Women, on the other hand, have no understanding of the word "No."
If women come on to a man and he says, "No", she will not only be disappointed, she will be angry and you will be punished. You see, women do not respect "No means No!" Women are prepared for and will only accept, "Yes!"
That's why women cheat so easily and don't see anything wrong with it. If the lady in your life decides that she needs more servicing than you can supply, she will not hesitate to get it somewhere else. And unlike men, she will never tell you. Unless it is to punish you for not being man enough to take care of her needs.
Women have a secret code word for cheating! They call it, "Shopping." If you do not believe this, test it. Start to leave your home with no explanation. When the little lady asks, "Where are you going?" you say shopping. This will stop her in her tracks! She will say, "What do you mean, who are you going with, what are you shopping for, have I done something wrong?"
You see, gentlemen, to her, the phrase, "I'm going shopping" means that she is going to get laid. Now, people are bound to say that I am generalizing and I am because, you see, when I generalize I am generally correct, but when I am specific, I am specifically correct but generally incorrect. If I say that, "Irish people like to drink," someone will always jump to say, "I know an Irish person who doesn't drink at all!" And I think, yes, and that's a lovely dress you're wearing, sir!
And I am,
Kip Addotta
Women in the Dictionary
How to address women
I have noticed that people seem to have no idea of how to refer to or talk to women, if they do not know the woman's name.Let me offer a few guidelines.
When addressing a female it is not necessary to mention her station, age, marital status or looks. All of these can get you into trouble. If you say, "Hey lady" she might think that you are objectifying her. If a man says, "Listen girl" she could think that you are inferring that she has no experience. If you say, "Madam" what she hears is old.
There is one term that will never get you into trouble. This magical term is "Miss." Women will gladly answer to "Miss" no matter what their marital status, age or looks are. You can address a women of ninety as "Miss" and she will not only accept it, she will think that you are kind, intelligent and experienced. Mrs. Jones may be happily married but when she is not with her husband she will delight in being called "Miss." "Miss" is the secret word that never fails to get you points.
Also, "You look good in that outfit" will be taken as "You look good in that outfit but not in the other outfits you wear. The correct way to say it is, "You make that outfit look great!" "You look good" is better than, "You look good, today", as opposed to some other day.
Furthermore, women and men do not want to hear who they look like even if the person, you think they look like, is rich, young and beautiful! If you insist on being one of these idiots who go around telling people who they look like, here is how to do it.
"You look like Nicole Kidman" will get you into trouble. Believe it or not, the women you are addressing may not have a high opinion of Nicole Kidman, "Nicole Kidman looks like you" will be accepted! "You look like Brad Pitt" is wrong! "Brad Pitt reminds me of you" will be tolerated.
If you want to avoid trouble all together, it is wise to never infer that one person looks like someone else. You see, we all want to believe that we look like ourselves which is always closer to the truth! Think about it. When have you felt good about someone telling you that you look like someone else?
And I am
Kip Addotta
Women
A woman is a female human. The term woman (irregular plural: women) usually is used for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent. However, the term woman is also sometimes used to identify a female human, regardless of age, as in phrases such as "Women's rights".Women Derivation
Symbol of the planet Venus, also used to indicate the female gender among animals which reproduce sexuallyThe English term "Man" (from Proto-Germanic mannaz "man, person") and words derived therefrom can designate any or even all of the human race regardless of their gender or age. This is indeed the oldest usage of "Man" in English. It derives from Proto-Indo-European *mánu- 'man, human', cognate to Sanskrit manu, Old Church Slavonic moi, 'man', 'husband'.In Old English the words wer and wyf (also wæpman and wifman) were what was used to refer to "a man" and "a woman" respectively, and "Man" was gender neutral. In Middle English man displaced wer as term for "male human", whilst wyfman (which eventually evolved into woman) was retained for "female human". ("Wyf" also evolved into the word "wife".) "Man" does continue to carry its original sense of "Human" however, resulting in an asymmetry sometimes criticized as sexist.
A very common Indo-European root for woman, *gwen-, is the source of English queen (Old English cwen primarily meant woman, highborn or not; this is still the case in Danish, with the modern spelling kvinde), as well as gynaecology (from Greek gyne), banshee (from Old Irish ban) and zenana (from Persian zan). The Latin femina, whence female, is likely from the root in fellare (to suck), referring to breastfeeding.
The symbol for the planet Venus is the sign also used in biology for the female gender. It is a stylized representation of the goddess Venus's hand mirror or an abstract symbol for the goddess: a circle with a small equilateral cross underneath. The Venus symbol also represented femininity, and in ancient alchemy stood for copper. Alchemists constructed the symbol from a circle (representing spirit) above an equilateral cross (representing matter).
Women Age and terminology
Painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau- BatherWomanhood is the period in a female's life after she has transitioned from girlhood, at least physically, having passed the age of menarche. Many cultures have rites of passage to symbolize a woman's coming of age, such as confirmation in some branches of Christianity, bat mitzvah in Judaism, or even just the custom of a special celebration for a certain birthday (generally between 12 and 21).The word woman can be used generally, to mean any female human, or specifically, to mean an adult female human as contrasted with girl. The word girl originally meant "young person of either sex" in English; it was only around the beginning of the 16th century that it came to mean specifically a female child. Nowadays girl sometimes is used colloquially to refer to a young or unmarried woman. During the early 1970s feminists challenged such use, and use of the word to refer to a fully grown woman may cause offence. In particular previously common terms such as office girl are no longer used.
Conversely, in certain cultures which link family honor with female virginity, the word girl is still used to refer to a never-married woman; in this sense it is used in a fashion roughly analogous to the obsolete English maid or maiden. Referring to an unmarried female as a woman may, in such a culture, imply that she is sexually experienced, which would be an insult to her family.
In some settings, the use of girl to refer to an adult female is a vestigial practice (such as girls' night out), even among some elderly women. In this sense, girl may be considered to be the analogue to the British word bloke for a man, although it again fails to meet the parallel status as an adult and the only true American English parallel to girl is boy. Gal aside, some feminists cite this lack of an informal yet respectful term for women as misogynistic; they regard non-parallel usages, such as men and girls, as sexist.
There are various words used to refer to the quality of being a woman. The term "womanhood" merely means the state of being a woman, having passed the menarche; "femininity" is used to refer to a set of supposedly typical female qualities associated with a certain attitude to gender roles; "womanliness" is like "femininity", but is usually associated with a different view of gender roles; "femaleness" is a general term, but is often used as shorthand for "human femaleness"; "distaff" is an archaic adjective derived from women's conventional role as a spinner, now used only as a deliberate archaism; "muliebrity" is a "neologism" (derived from the Latin) meant to provide a female counterpart of "virility", but used very loosely, sometimes to mean merely "womanhood", sometimes "femininity", and sometimes even as a collective term for women.
Women Biology and gender
The human female reproductive systemIn terms of biology, the female sex organs are involved in the reproductive system, whereas the secondary sex characteristics are involved in nurturing children or, in some cultures, attracting a mate. The ovaries, in addition to their regulatory function producing hormones, produce female gametes called eggs which, when fertilized by male gametes (sperm), form new genetic individuals. The uterus is an organ with tissue to protect and nurture the developing fetus and muscle to expel it when giving birth. The vagina is used in copulation and birthing (although the word vagina is often colloquially and incorrectly used for the vulva or external female genitalia, which also includes the labia, the clitoris, and the female urethra). The breast evolved from the sweat gland to produce milk, a nutritious secretion that is the most distinctive characteristic of mammals, along with live birth. In mature women, the breast is generally more prominent than in most other mammals; this prominence, not necessary for milk production, is probably at least partially the result of sexual selection. (For other ways in which men commonly differ physically from women, see Man.)Spectral karyotype of a human female. The XX combination is formed at the 23rd week of gestation. - National Human Genome Resource InstituteAn imbalance of maternal hormonal levels and some chemicals (or drugs) may alter the secondary sexual characteristics of fetuses. Most women have the karyotype 46,XX, but around one in a thousand will be 47,XXX, and one in 2500 will be 45,X. This contrasts with the typical male karotype of 46,XY; thus, the X and Y chromosomes are known as female and male, respectively. Unlike the Y chromosome, the X can come from either the mother or the father, thus genetic studies which focus on the female line use mitochondrial DNA.
Biological factors are not sufficient determinants of whether a person considers themselves a woman or is considered a woman. Intersexed men and women, who have mixed physical and/or genetic features, may use other criteria in making a clear determination. There are also transgendered or transsexual women, who were born or physically assigned as male at birth, but identify as a woman; there are varying social, legal, and individual definitions with regard to this issue. (See transwoman.)
Although fewer females than males are born (the ratio is around 1:1.05), due to a longer life expectancy there are only 81 men aged 60 or over for every 100 women of the same age, and among the oldest populations, there are only 53 men for every 100 women. Women typically have a longer life expectancy than men. This is due to a combination of factors: genetics (redundant and varied genes present on sex chromosomes in women); sociology (such as not being expected in most countries to perform military service); health-impacting choices (such as suicide or the use of cigarettes, and alcohol); the presence of the female hormone estrogen, which has a cardioprotective effect in premenopausal women; and the effect of high levels of androgens in men. Out of the total human population, there are 101.3 men for every 100 women (source: 2001 World Almanac).
Most women go through menarche and are then able to become pregnant and bear children. This generally requires internal fertilization of her eggs with the sperm of a man through sexual intercourse, though artificial insemination or the surgical implantation of an existing embryo is also possible (see reproductive technology). The study of female reproduction and reproductive organs is called gynaecology. Women generally reach menopause in their late 40s or early 50s, at which point their ovaries cease producing estrogen and they can no longer become pregnant.
To a large extent, women suffer from the same illnesses as men. However, there are some diseases that primarily affect women, such as lupus. Also, there are some sex-related illnesses that are found more frequently or exclusively in women, e.g., breast cancer, cervical cancer, or ovarian cancer. Women and men may have different symptoms of an illness and may also respond differently to medical treatment. This area of medical research is studied by gender-based medicine.
During early fetal development, embryos of both sexes appear gender neutral; the release of hormones is what changes physical appearance male or female. As in other cases without two sexes, such as species that reproduce asexually, the gender-neutral appearance is closer to female than to male.
Women Culture and gender roles
A woman weaving. Textile work has historically been a female occupation in some cultures. Turkish women smoking hookah, 1910.In many prehistoric cultures, women assumed a particular cultural role. In hunter-gatherer societies, women were generally the gatherers of plant foods, small animal foods, fish, and learned to use dairy products, while men hunted meat from large animals.Since the 13th century BC in Assyria, the veil was used by women to cover hair or face, and spread with the uprise of Christianity to Europe and with the Byzantine Empire into the Arabian peninsula. If worn with religious intention, it is meant to protect the woman from the environment or the public view to protect her grace and honor and thus is sometimes considered a symbol of patriarchy. If not worn with religious impetus, veil and skirt have still been typical symbols of a woman.specify
In more recent history, the gender roles of women have changed greatly. Traditionally, middle-class women were typically involved in domestic tasks emphasizing child care, and did not enter paid employment. For poorer women, especially working class women, this often remained an ideal, specify as economic necessity compelled them to seek employment outside the home. The occupations that were available to them were, however, lower in prestige and pay than those available to men.
As changes in the labor market for women came about, availability of employment changed from only "dirty", long houred factory jobs to "cleaner", more respectable office jobs where a little more education was demanded, women's participation in the labor force rose from 6% in 1900 to 23% in 1923. These shifts in the labor force led to changes in the attitudes of women at work, allowing for the "quiet" revolution which resulted in women becoming more career and education oriented. This revolution of women in the labor force came about because of changes in three essential criteria:
expanded horizons: women were anticipating their future work lives, allowing them to then plan for them and receive the education they needed to accomplish that goal; altered identities: women's identities were no longer based upon just family and child-bearing. Their focus became more on career and financial success, and defined themselves thus;
Changes in decision making: Women were making decisions regarding their lives, education, and career goals. Marriage was postponed and more women made time to focus on a career and an education, rather than just going to college to meet a spouse.
Women's movements advocate equality of opportunity with men, and equal rights irrespective of sex. Through a combination of economic changes and the efforts of the feminist movement specify in recent decades women in most societies now have access to careers beyond the traditional one of "homemaker".
Many observers, including feminist groups, maintain that women in industry and commerce face glass ceilings.
These changes and struggles are among the foci of the academic field of women's studies.
Women Education and employment
Women OECD countries
Women Education
Significant progress has also been achieved in reducing the gender gap in educational qualifications. Younger women today are far more likely to have completed a tertiary qualification than women 30 years ago: in 19 of the 30 OECD countries, more than twice as many women aged 25 to 34 have completed tertiary education than women aged 55 to 64 do. In 21 of 27 OECD countries with comparable data, the number of women graduating from university-level programmes is equal to or exceeds that of men. Last but not least, 15-year-old girls tend to show much higher expectations for their careers than boys of the same age.While women account for more than half of university graduates in several OECD countries, they receive only 30% of tertiary degrees granted in science and engineering fields, and women account for only 25% to 35% of researchers in most OECD countries.
Women Employment
In OECD countries, womens employment is not necessarily synonymous with high wages and career opportunities. The labour market remains difficult for women and in all fields of activity, it will be a long time before women have equal access to the same occupations as men. In OECD countries, both men and women work in an occupation where their own gender is in a strong majority. Over half of the occupations surveyed are more than 80% dominated by the same gender. The scale and permanence of the phenomenon are such that it is customary to talk about traditionally male and traditionally-female jobs. But there are five times as many male-dominated occupations in the OECD countries as there are female-dominated ones. Womens employment is therefore narrowly concentrated in a small number of highly female-dominated occupations. Yet on average women account for over 40% of total employment in the OECD area.
