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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

What everyday concrete socially-created divisions on sex/gender exist?

58 replies

catscan · 07/02/2018 11:57

  • public toilets
  • changing room facilities at gyms and schools
  • some competitive sports
  • routine cancer tests for cervical and prostate cancer
  • HPV injections
  • retirement age
  • number of times you can donate blood per year

What else is there?

OP posts:
Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:27
  • the men-only and women-only events at my local Buddhist centre have been cancelled recently, though there’s still one for GBTQI men (no equivalent for women)
OP posts:
Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:28
  • pregnancy yoga classes
OP posts:
Mookatron · 07/02/2018 12:30

Women's health dept at hospital (are there's men's health depts? I assume so)

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:31
  • most Buddhist retreats that lead to ordination
  • some package holidays are targeted to women only, eg women’s walking holidays
OP posts:
Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:34
  • Turkish baths
  • men-only saunas
OP posts:
HelenDenver · 07/02/2018 12:34

Recommended daily calorie intake

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:36
  • Race for Life (not sure if that’s changed?)
  • women-only carriages on some subways in Japan, Mexico etc
OP posts:
Collidascope · 07/02/2018 12:49

Ladies Circle/Round Table

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:52
  • women’s clinic at the sexual health centre (for all self-identified women) as well as a trans clinic and a men-who-have-sex-with-men clinic
OP posts:
SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus · 07/02/2018 12:53

Fathers who "babysit" their own children when women only babysit for other people.

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 12:55
  • the WI?
OP posts:
Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 13:10

So it seems to me that these fall into distinct categories:

  • based on biology (eg cancer tests)
  • based on religion (eg monks’ retreats)
  • based on protecting the vulnerable (eg staff on residential trips or at refuges)
  • based on arbitrary history (eg which way your shirt buttons up, children’s marriage certificates)
  • based on preference (eg clubs/societies)

Would people agree with that? There’s clearly some overlap in some categories, particularly with preference.

OP posts:
birdsdestiny · 07/02/2018 13:13

I wouldn't call it preferences I would call it women's boundaries.

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 13:15

I’d include men’s clubs in there too though eg Freemasons, gentlemen’s clubs

Would that be men’s boundaries?

OP posts:
birdsdestiny · 07/02/2018 13:44

I have no idea you would have to ask them.

Fifi5000 · 07/02/2018 13:48

Some of these aren’t socially created, but biologically mandated. You can’t have a smear test without a cervix.

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 13:53

A smear test is a test mandated by society though. I agree, I’d put it in my ‘based on biology’ category at 1.10pm

OP posts:
soupforbrains · 07/02/2018 13:53

what about 'man-size' things?

You know like 'man-size tissues'.... I'm sure there are other things too but that's the only example I can think of.

soupforbrains · 07/02/2018 13:55

sorry I just realised I drifted myself off the point of the thread whilst thinking about it. obviously man-sized things are not segregating actual men and women. sorry sorry sorry!

terryleather · 07/02/2018 13:57

Recommended daily calorie intake.

It has variables by age ,height etc but men and women's are different.

A teenage boy gets to eat the most calories of all groups, followed by a breast feeding woman at 6 months in iirc...

soupforbrains · 07/02/2018 13:58

Women's only gyms?

SinisterBumFacedCat · 07/02/2018 14:01

Primary school teachers - very rarely men unless PE

Judgement and criticism on whether mothers work full time, part time or SAH. Never levelled at fathers.

Tabloids and celeb mags criticising women's physical appearance, rarer if ever men's.

Morning news tv, rarely women presenters over 50, but often the men are.

SnugglySnerd · 07/02/2018 14:02

Cheaper car insurance for women.

SnugglySnerd · 07/02/2018 14:03

Being made a knight or a dame.

sleepyhead · 07/02/2018 14:05
  • legal right of health professionals to refuse to provide treatment/care (abortion, contraception, MAP - can't think of any male treatment or medication that is included here).