Am I a feminist? Not sure if I fit....

[rogersmellyonthetelly]

I believe that people should do the job that they are best suited to based on their abilities rather than their sex. This is all jobs not just paid employment. I get really annoyed when I get called ducky or love or other such nonsense by people I don't know. I took my husbands surname when I married because I liked it better than my maiden name. I believe I can do anything except father children should I put my mind to it, and that if I was crap at it that is due to
My own lack of ability rather than my sex.
I challenge anyone who makes sexist remarks or implies that someone can't do
Something because they are female/male. My particular annoyance is when people imply that I should let my husband drive the 7.5 tonne horsebox because I couldn't possibly park it. :0|

I do however believe that men and women are naturally subject to different feelings and emotions in certain areas, but that both men and women should not use this as an excuse for their behaviour, nor insist that their feelings are the only right feelings iyswim.
I also love pink sparkly stuff and lipstick, high heels and having my hair done. Not sure why as pink and sparkly isn't really practical around horses, but I just can't help myself, it seems to call to me....

at Tilly. Well I ^did wonder!

You sound pretty feminist to me, roger - welcome aboard!

If you're interested in the difference/similarities between males and females, then I highly recommend Pink Brain, Blue Brain by Lise Eliot as an excellent companion read to Cordelia Fine's Delusions of Gender (which is a cracking read). Fascinating stuff and she has a lot to say about the effect (or non-effects) of the androgens (male/female hormones) on males and females.

Yes, there does appear to be a tiny difference in spatial awareness in infancy when males are compared with females, but as Alice said, most of the difference in later life is because boys tend to practice/be encouraged to practice their spatial awareness with the pursuit of stereotypically boy-type activities. Girls tend to have much better fine motor skills for similar reasons - they tend to practice those skills more. It doesn't take much to even up the differences and that goes for all the supposed differences between the sexes.

Eliot has some interesting things to say on the subject of male aggression and its possible biological origin/s too.

Enjoy the cut and thrust of the debates on here - they certainly get your grey cells going like no other discussion board on MN...

Re. your hormones comment; Both men and women produce androgens and estrogens, just different amounts. Hormone levels vary on a daily basis for both genders. I think the 'hormonal mood swings' are more a product of societal conditioning, or maybe a reaction to all of the wifework that seems to get dumped on us.

Thanks for making me feel welcome everyone :0) nice to know we can all agree to disagree and be civil about it. Got some good suggestions for reading material too. Back to lurking until I have educated myself .....

Nah, get stuck straight in roger

(That sounds wrong but never mind)

Think I need a new name but I love viz.