March Monthly Connection

Are women and men really equal in our society? Lawfully of course an individual could state that women are indeed equal to men. However no society exists in which every member feels the same way about all of the lawful standards. I don't think that women have reached equality with men. I'm not saying that I don't treat women equally or that I don't respect them as an equal to myself, I'm just stating my opinion that in this society and any other society I can think of, women are not equal. In our society, boys are brought up being told that they ought to look out for their female peers. You never hit a girl, they're too delicate. You wouldn't ever play a rough sport like football with a girl, you might hurt her. We are brought up with the idea that one of our biggest concerns should be to protect the opposite sex. Even in relationships this holds true. "Don't hurt her feelings" or "don't hurt or reputation." This that and the other thing all trying to steer males towards protecting the smaller weaker and more vulnerable female. I'm not saying this is wrong. I fully agree that males, as the stronger of the two sexes, should take the responsibility for the safety of the females around them. However, I don't think that this substantiates an equality between man and woman. A woman would really have to do something drastic to escape the umbrella of childish protection that man has blanketed her with. She would have to become that protective figure, become the strong individual that needs no one but herself to survive. Certain women have exemplified just this, and yet were shot down upon proclaiming their independence because the thought of a strong woman claiming equality could be a bit intimidating to men seeing as they'd have to give up their presence over women once and for all. And so society (men) shoot this woman down and the women around her pull her back down to equality with her peers. Its the psychological theory of woman's dead even power rule. So what it all boils down to is this: Men and women alike are the reason why women as a whole have not gained equality with the likes of us men.