I guess to make it even simpler, Giving praise where it isnt due is just as depremental, sexist, and damaging as making old world assumptions about the capabilties of women. Lets just be equal.
'detrimental', or perhaps 'deprecating?'- sorry, I have an incurable case of english professor's disease...
Panda, I completely agree with your basic point, however- being exalted for common acts because of gender or any other
unrelated attribute is just as morally wrong as being 'protected' from the 'burden' of voting.
I simply don't understand this country's continuing obsession with trying to make everyone somehow different- and then creating this huge backlash over issues where gender and racial characteristics really DO exist- and matter. For example; it's not racist to say black people have higher rates of hypertension, or asians are more likely to get osteoporosis. Say that in a room full of people and someone is going to try to call you out for being racist, though, guaranteed!
Can someone tell me exactly wtf is wrong with the possibility that some groups- be they selected by race, gender, religion, political stance or whatever- just might actually be a bit
better than average at various given tasks? And that perhaps recognizing that isn't a sin?
I regularly beat most of my male friends at air hockey as a kid. I got my ass handed to me by several females. Thinking it was more than coincidence, I did some reading and found out that women actually have slightly faster reaction times, on average, than men. Knowing this, I began to beat them again- by changing tactics and being crafty...
What would be so wrong with the idea that women really ARE somewhat better at nurturing living things? Does it imply that men shouldn't try? Of Course Not! I know plenty of people with talents they don't practice, who end up behind the pack when it comes time to show those talents off- and the reverse is certainly true, that those with some initial handicap can certainly become competent, even exceptional, with creativity and diligent effort.
Of course, I too fell off my stool laughing when my black friend told me how bad his sunburn hurt!