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it was as it should be that men are usually the leaders

but attractive women have always been very empowered and still are

look at all those Housewives shows

attractive women ..some fading...some not but once most were at the top of their game

none had jack before they married rich men..now look at them

it was always like that

now...women have something to prove and many..especially northern gals feel compelled to compete with the man..and be so chinny and strident

I love women...i take care of many in my family

and there are exceptions.....a few who lead well and whom I would put faith in

but as a rule women were not somewhat subordinate to men because men oppressed them but because it was the natural order and made sense..especially in times witjh less leisure and material discretion and convenience and wars were everyone male under 50 fought

not because men hated women ...now with Islam...well that is purposeful subjugation to keep women down for fidelity it seems

I have dealt with women for many many years...5 decades...they are simply different but as a rule..all things being equal men make better leaders and decision makers...especially under stress and can deal with group tension better

drama and inability to reason as readily is what brings women down...and their bodies have so much more effect on them

it's not because they are not smart

it's sorta like the Bible said...Head-Heart, respect and protect, nurture and maternal...we both have our roles

and there are exceptions

that's my take

But as women, gaining economic autonomy, meet men in progressively bitterer competition, the rising masculine distrust and fear of them will be reflected even in the enchanted domain of marriage, and the husband, having yielded up most of his old rights, will begin to reveal anew jealousy of those that remain, and particularly of the right to a fair quid pro quo for his own docile industry. In brief, as women shake off their ancient disabilities they will also shake off some of their ancient immunities, and their doings will come to be regarded with a soberer and more exigent scrutiny than now prevails.

The extension of the suffrage, I believe, will encourage this awakening; in wresting it from the reluctant male the women of the western world have planted dragons' teeth, the which will presently leap up and gnaw them. Now that women have the political power to obtain their just rights, they will begin to lose their old power to obtain special privileges by sentimental appeals. Men, facing them squarely, will consider them anew, not as romantic political and social invalids, to be coddled and caressed, but as free competitors in a harsh world.

When that reconsideration gets under way there will be a general overhauling of the relations between the sexes, and some of the fair ones, I suspect, will begin to wonder why they didn't let well enough alone.

H.L. Mencken, 1922

I respect your opinions. I disagree with some of them, but I respect them.

Using The Real Housewives of...Whatever City as an example of empowerment isn’t a strong example. I could turn it around and make the claim that just by watching “Storage Wars” or “Ice Road Truckers” I know that men are spiteful, petty, shallow, and bicker over silly matters. But I know that’s not true. Aren’t most of those women broke or living on credit anyway?

As for women being “empowered”, I can only go by personal experience. Graduated college, went out on my own, started off as a receptionist and ended up as the head of IT for the southeast region of a big company. My looks, or lackthereof, didn’t play a part in it. Hard work did. I didn’t expect any special favors being female, I just expected to be treated like anyone else, and I was. That’s what should happen in the workplace, and in life, with women. If they’re good at something, that’s good - I say go for it and excel. Looks only go so far.

And now that I’m married with a kid, I’m home with the kid - and I make most of the big and small household decisions because I’m good at it and my husband isn’t (his admission). He makes a great living as an executive for a major corporation, but when it comes to family decisions, he defaults to me because I’m logical and reasonable and he’s...well, geeky and short-sighted (again, his admission). It works very well for us.

I wrestle with guilt for not working every day (my issue - not my husband’s fault). I went to college and earned a good living and now I’m home, not using my talents...other than budgeting and organizing. Whoopdeedoo. But my kid and my husband have a nice, clean, organized life, so I guess that’s good. And this way of life works for us.

So that’s what I have to go on: personal experience. Women (ugly or attractive) who are good at something shouldn’t be shoved back in the kitchen, or wherever, because men want to “feeeeeeeel” powerful. It’s a waste of God-given talent. And when it comes to looks, when was the last time looks mattered when you were on an operating table, or your dog was sick, or you needed a financial manager?

My 2 cents.