To wonder why male things are always better?

[Bumpitybumper]

Has anyone else noticed things typically associated with men are considered to be better? Examples I've noticed:

Trivial
Names - baby girls being given male names is considered cool and trendy (James, Noah etc) but this seems to seldom work in reverse.
Colours - pink is often rejected even for girls because it's too 'girly' but blue is acceptable for both sexes.

Non-trivial
Professions - women are encouraged to enter typically make dominated STEM industries but little is done to address the appalling pay, conditions and underappreciation of female denominated sectors such as teaching, caring etc
Childcare - the onus seems to be on getting more women into FT work rather than spending time at home to raise their children. Tax system and free childcare entitlements designed to encourage this rather than to incentivise men AND women to be SAHPs.

There are loads of other things I've noticed too.

AIBU to be deeply cynical about why the traditionally male approach is always seen to be superior and to worry that this isn't the best way to achieve equality?

“or Guides, or sports, or drama, or ballet ...

admittedly only on my, not in real life.”

There are excellent reasons, frequently rehearsed why guides should be girls only. Many sports need to be single sex because male physiognomy gives them, past a certain age, an advantage. Not sure what the point about drama and ballet?

"physiognomy"

In the Haka?

Sleight - that's a really good point about sport being tacked on to the end of the news - as if it is actually more newsworthy than other pastimes. Why indeed? This has never even occurred to me! Why not have the fashion update as a regular fixture on the end if the news? Or the latest from the theatre? Why only football, cricket and rugby??????

This is an outrage, now you mention it!

*or Guides, or sports, or drama, or ballet ...

admittedly only on my, not in real life.*

whoops sorry premature posting

I think a few of us have fat fingers this afternoon.

Should have been "admittedly only on MN, not in real life

Silver- I now have no idea what you are talking about,

1ndig0 - Yes, I hadn't noticed that either which shows how we have been conditioned to just accept that (predominantly male dominated) sports are more valid and worthy than all other pastimes.

Russell

You spoke about the advantage of "physiognomy". Beyond the Haka (perhaps a weigh in in MMA or boxing), I can't think of the male benefit.

Sorry. Bizarre autocorrect/senior moment.Physiology, obviously. Could you answer now, please?

We have equality

Pull the other one.

I would have thought it’s pretty obvious what Bertrand was talking about.

I beat this drum a lot but I play rugby. I’d have thought to anyone with a modicum of critical thinking could work out why we have female only teams.

Can you use imagination and empathy to work out why some women might? Yes, can you use imagination to work out why some of us don't like it being presented as that is what all women want?

And on another thread we have a mother horrified because a group of 13 year old boys didn't want a 10 year old girl in the football game.

No wonder men get confused.

For ds’ hobby the female versions of kit are cheaper.

Can you use imagination and empathy to work out why some women might? Yes, can you use imagination to work out why some of us don't like it being presented as that is what all women want?“

In what context is it presented as “what all women want”?

Well I'm not going to trawl through the many threads where it is frequently said that is what women want, not what some women want.

It's because the female gender is seen as the weaker, less relevant one. Everything within society is geared towards showing how superior our male counterparts are. Sexism and misogyny at it's most primitive level.

“Well I'm not going to trawl through the many threads where it is frequently said that is what women want, not what some women want.”

No. Nobody ever does. Funny that!

I wear men's boxer shorts and men's jeans reason being comfort and the jeans fit better as I have no hips and long legs, women's jeans in general are always too short and always look like jodphurs at the hips. Designers clearly think women are all 5 feet 4 with hips. Where as men get a choice of length I every pair

And you can get men’s chinos is loads of colours but generally only navy or ecru in women’s - never black! Nightmare!

I agree. We seem to be pushing girls to emulate boys and by doing so we are suggesting that to be female and to like inherently ‘female’ things, is somehow less. That’s not progress.

Personally I think it’s tosh and yes yabu. I joined mumsnet for its wisdom, just lately tho it’s been man beating woman empowering chat. Where I sit on the social ladder it’s great. Woman have it just as shit as men. I can’t unde who you believe is enforcing this doctrine . Do you think men have some secret club to suppress women ? As for pay gap yes I see that on the news but not so much in the factory’s . So is this a high earner business banker kind of thing ?

What bugs me is the difference in clothing quality. I bought a men's cardigan really cheap, in Marks sale, probably because it was purple. It has worn for years, no bobbles or shrinkage, still looks ok. Their women's clothes last no time at all, and the fabrics are generally poor quality.

Trans women aren't men. Men don't don't ID as women, trans women do.