Do you think people are scared of analysing why we do things?

[HollyMiamiFLA]

Not just from a femininst perspective but looking at things that are "traditional" and analysing why we still do them and what they symbolise.

Some people - especially on AIBU - seem to get annoyed if things get challenged and analysed. That's just how we do things.

You can look at so many feminist things - from a wedding service to name changing. And people get so defensive "I don't like my surname anyway"

Or do you think people just don't want to rock any boats?

For some, the fear of analysis is about the fact that you are kind of pissing on their status parade.

Eg

traditionally, the best a woman could do was marry well, someone rich, that is, handsome, who loved her very much and would treat her well. Such a man would provide a big sparkly ring and other lavish presents and there would be a very pretty, "decent" wedding to show how much the woman's family loved her and how happy everyone was at how well she had done to set herself up like this, and afterwards she would be Mrs X and the whole thing would be a great success.

So, a woman who has arranged this whole deal for herself, with the ring and the presents and the Mrs X and the posh wedding etc, will get arsey if you cast doubt on the whole patriarchal tradition of marriage and women deriving all their status from men. Because under the old rule she has done as well as she can, she has graduated with a first, and now you are suggesting she has bought some crappy internet degree and there is a whole world of better self-worth that knocks all that bollocks into a cocked hat. Of course she is going to be pissed off.

I love that analogy Dusk!

Yes v good point Dusk.

I have also found that women who get most defensive about being challenged, are those who have that nagging sense of "is this all there is?"

The ones who deep down know they've been sold a pup, but can't bear to face up to it. Anyone veering anywhere near that area gets short shrift because they're getting too close to their discomfort zone.