Female privilege

[lose24lb]

There is a lot of talk of male privilege but not female privilege? Can we discuss things from the other point of view?

As a white female in a developed country, my privileges are:

1. If I am a child and I go missing, the media is far more likely to give my case more attention than if I were a boy. And if I'm pretty with blonde hair then all the better, I can guarantee the entire country will know I'm missing and be out looking for me.

1. From an early age the opposite sex will be instructed never to hit me but I will be given the same instructions. And should I strike males I can expect not to be hit back and any social penalties that occur from my actions will actually fall on the male.

1. If I'm not smart and unable to get a well paying job, all I have to do is marry a wealthy man.

1. Most homeless are men, yet most homeless shelters are created with my gender in mind. Which means if I go homeless I am more likely to get a bed in a shelter than if I were male.

1. If I commit a crime I am more likely to get more leniency than a man in the exact same circumstances. People will want to try and understand what made a pretty woman like me do such a thing and look for reasons. Unless I go on a mass murder spree I don't really have to worry about going to prison.

1. If I am attacked, passers-by are far more likely to intervene to protect me than if I were male.

1. As a female I am less likely to be physically attacked in the first place or challenged to a fight.

1. Despite killing almost as many people, prostate cancer gets only a fraction of the funding than breast cancer does. It benefits me if my health issues are given priority over men's health issues even if the men's issues are almost as deadly.

1. If a man masturbates it is seen as disgusting and perverse. If I masturbate then I am seen as pleasuring myself. Female masturbation doesn't carry the same stigma as male masturbation.

10. If I am pretty and/or I can make myself cry I will be able to get away with anything and everything.

11. If I am upset I am allowed to cry without being ridiculed. I don't have to be all macho and bottle my feelings up like boys and men have to do.

12. Similar to #11, I am encouraged to seek help if I need it. Seeking help is not seen as a weakness for my gender. If I seek support I will get it and people won't laugh at me or ridicule me or tell me to "man up" or "take it like a man".

13. I can wear almost anything I want without having my sexual orientation being questioned. If a man doesn't want people to think he is gay then his wardrobe will be extremely limited. But with the possible exception of dungarees I can wear anything I want.

14. One word- chivarly. Because I am female I can expect little perks here and there. One seat left on a bus? It's mine! Expensive dinner bill? The guy can get his wallet out.

15. If my husband lays a finger on me he will be labelled as a wife beater for the rest of his life, be beaten up by other men and spend time in prison. But if I hit my husband people will say "you go girl!" and say he must have deserved it. I can hit my husband and he won't dare hit me back out of fear of what I just pointed out.

16. Violence against women is the worst crime on earth. Violence against men is hilarious, especially if it involved injury to the titter penis/balls.

17. On today's TV programmes my gender is portrayed as being smart, strong and independent. The male characters in today's soaps, comedy's, cartoons etc are shown as complete idiots, deadbeat useless fathers or criminals.

18. I can work with children without being worried about people thinking horrible things or making horrible allegations.

19. If I live in the USA and there is a military draft, I won't be forced against my will to sign up to the army and go fight in battle.

Who is committing this physical abuse towards people who seem gay? Mostly men, I am guessing.

No, it doesn't mean that all men are paedophiles, but then, nobody thinks that.

Using your own argument though, why should typical women who aren't manipulative and don't hit men (and other stuff you've claimed is female privilege) take the blame for the actions of the tiny percentage which do.

I see noone has commented on my 08:41:47 post.

You don't agree being allowed to cry and express yourself is a privilege? Crying is natural and healthy and helps relieve stress and tension. But "boys don't cry" remember?

@greenfly of course, women would never do such a thing

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/7608934/Clockwork-Orange-killers-beat-gay-man-to-death-court-hears.html

Possibly because it is so facile lose.

No, it's not a privilege imo. Crying is seen as weak and/or manipulative. A woman crying in the workplace, for example, is generally viewed with pity and/or contempt. Women who cry during arguments with their partner are often accused of "turning on the waterworks"

Women crying is not viewed positively. It is excused on the grounds of gender. Something that is excused is not a privilege.

So you don't wear clothes that women could perceive as gay because they could kill you? Also, I used the word MOSTLY.

Good job you don't have to deal with the harassment and violence women have to deal with.

Men who cry around women are often perceived as being 'really upset' and encouraged to talk about what's upset them so much, women who cry around men are seen as 'turning on the waterworks' 'manipulative' and weak. Mostly, and IME, not universally though.

Not much privilege going on there then.

Yes it is a privilege.

www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/the-health-benefits-of-crying.htm

Crying is natural and healthy. Stopping oneself from crying and bottling up negative feelings is not emotionally healthy.

It isn't even really excused. Hence phrases in common usage like 'cried like a girl' and 'man up'. It is a weakness which is only to be expected of women, but god, if a man behaves 'like a woman' that is the most insulting thing ever (noting that the same isn't true of a woman who behaves 'like a man')

And male violence has far more complex causes than not crying enough.

My children are taught that violence is wrong against anyone. I don't think I'm particularly unusual in that.

lose24lb sorry to hear you have been beaten up and feared for your safety so often. Were the people who scared you and hurt you men or women out of interest? If they were men, then maybe you might want to think about why men feel it is acceptable to be violent towards you or anyone. Could it be that, in order to survive in a male dominated world, boys and men are encouraged by their peer groups to use violence and abuse as a means to an end? Surely then, you must agree that a more equal society where patriarchy and male dominance of societal norms is better for you as well?

• male dominance has less influence

typing fail

Shut the fuck up yourself. You're the one talking about shit you know nothing about.

"Too bad I wasn't born a female. Then I wouldn't have been assaulted so many times." Because women are never assaulted? Most DV is enacted by men towards women.

And Amanda is right, children ARE bought up to know violence is wrong against anyone. Just because you weren't, doesn't mean it's true for everyone.

Women are less risk of being assaulted or challenged to a fight than men are.

Feminists spread the myth that most men go around beating women. But the reality is most men would never lay a finger on a woman, but don't see any problem with beating up another man.

So how many times have you been beaten up or assaulted greenfly?

How is it womens' fault that men go around beating up other men?

The amount of times you may or may not haven been assaulted bears no validity to your argument.

I was raped by a man when I was fifteen. At sixteen, I moved in with a man who physically abused me for two years. I lost count of how many time he assaulted me. Don't know why you need this information though.

I can't see the point of this thread.
OP - either you are a man or a woman hating woman. Seriously.

I don't think you understand the meaning of privilege.

1. I've heard this said - but as others have mentioned, it's not about them being a girl and all about them being attractive - an ugly girl would also not get the coverage.

1. I've never been told it's OK to hit boys, no-one I know thinks it's OK to hit anyone, male or female.

1. And men can't marry wealthy women? Is that because women aren't wealthy?

1. It's more dangerous for women. Also homelessness often comes from relationship breakdown etc. during a breakdown women tend to be the ones left with the children, so are understandably prioritised for housing.

1. Incorrect - should a woman actually commit a violent crime (which they do far less often than men) they are more likely to get a harsher sentence - after all, delicate little women shouldn't be doing bad things.

1. Probably true - a combination of having to rescue the weak woman, and not wanting to get between two males fighting.

1. Well, except DV.. I don't think it's a female privilege that men (who commit most violent crime) are more likely to attack men though - that would seem to be a male problem entirely to me.

1. Also not quite the case - men can live with prostate cancer for years, breast cancer tends to kill much more quickly. Men can feel free to have walks and raise awareness/money just as women have for breast cancer.

1. I don't agree - people expect boys to masterbate, whereas it's almost never talked about for women, and has a higher level of taboo.

10. Not true at all - you would be pitied, and talked about, and unlikely to progress in your job/friendships if you did it frequently.

11. see 10.

12. That's because we're weak already. Again, it's not a privilege, it's a male problem that they don't want to come down to our level of weakness.

13. You're joking right? If a woman dresses a certain way/hair cut of course people will make assumptions! Not that it matters, I don't see how it's a privilege not to be thought gay?!

14. I'd do that for anyone who seems weaker/poorer than me - being nice isn't a privilege. On the other hand, how about the word 'Wifework'...

15. No they won't. Women go to prison for beating men too.

16. Talking about violence against women, especially rape, is hilarious and we should get a sense of humour. Again NO ONE ADVOCATES VIOLENCE AGAINST MEN! Perhaps you should look at the writers of these TV shows suggesting this violence against men is funny - 9/10 they'll be male - so another male problem.

17. Women are just furniture though - we clean, keep the house, get rescued and provide sexual relief. God forbid we actually have a real character, with real women. Also see my previous point on the sex of the writers.

18. For once, something true - although I would contest privilege, given how poorly paid childcare work is.

19. These rules were made by men, for men, using their male privilege. Just as soon as we started to get some kind of equality, we have been fighting to be allowed to do all these jobs we were previously barred from. If you were Israeli then this wouldn't be an issue - both women and men do service.

So are you saying that you have been repeatedly beaten by women? These beatings you have had - gender of the person assaulting you was?

X beatings, Y by men Z by women.

I am sorry you have been beaten so many times but I am interested to know how many of the beatings you have suffered were at the hands of women.

Male.

But my point I'm making is if I were female I wouldn't have been assaulted by anyone.

lose24lb ah.... I must have imagined the horrific assaults I have been a victim of then, silly of me.

My point still stands then.

Likely you'd have been sexually assaulted actually - most of us have (but we minimise it)

I really, really don't see how it's a privilege that women don't beat other people up as much as men do? Surely it's a person's responsibility - not privilege - not to beat people up, and if men ignore that then they are the problem, not that women, who are doing what they should, are privileged.

It's as though you're saying that beating people up is normal, so women are lucky that they are excused some of it by virtue of being female.

If you were female you are more likely to be assaulted, both physically and sexually. You are more likely to be killed by your partner/ex partner.