Posted on 09/10/2021 6:54:35 AM PDT by Kaslin
Are we witnessing the feminization of America? And if so, is that a good or bad thing, or is it, like so many quiet but ineluctable trends, a combination of the two?
Perceptions of feminization come from some unexpected quarters. The (mostly) free market economist Tyler Cowen sees it as a long-term trend, going back to the suffragist movement a century ago and women's inclination to prefer the perils of peace to the risks of war. "You might argue that I had the best of both worlds," he reflects as he nears 60, "namely to grow up in the 'tougher' society, but live most of my life in the more feminized society."
As an academic, he lives in an increasingly feminized environment. "A Generation of American Men Give Up on College" is a front-page Wall Street Journal story this week.
In postwar America, men outnumbered women on campus, with many veterans taking advantage of the GI Bill of Rights. In the post-Vietnam decades, that trend reversed. In the past five years, as higher education enrollments declined by 1.5 million students, men accounted for 71% of the drop. The sexual assault kangaroo courts set up by the Obama administration's "guidance" probably contributed to this decline.
In the 2020-21 school year, 59% of college students, and 61% in private four-year schools, were women. And women are more likely to graduate as well, with 65% of women matriculating in 2012 getting a degree within six years, as compared to 59% of the smaller number of men.
It seems we're headed toward a society where women outnumber men by 2 to 1 in higher education, by an even greater proportion among college graduates and even more among holders of postgraduate degrees.
But as contemporary feminists point out, that doesn't necessarily mean that women are running things. Historically, college graduates have made much more money than nongraduates, but that gap seems to be narrowing. Men still dominate the ranks of billionaires, CEOs, and, by narrowing margins, major politicians.
It seems male and female graduates seek out different career paths. Half of law and medical students these days are women, but women choose less demanding and competitive specialties. Women are hugely dominant in veterinarian, social work and education schools. Professionally, they are large majorities in caring professions such as nursing and in what one might call the "Karen" professions -- corporate human resources departments and university diversity, equity and inclusion bureaucracies.
In effect, biology keeps trumping feminism. Despite the claims of biological men who believe they are women, only biological women can give birth and nurse babies. As Charles Murray notes in his 2020 book "Human Diversity," even women with very high IQs and unlimited career prospects often stay home to care for their infants and young children.
Nor are political causes associated with feminists gaining strength. While American opinion has shifted massively on same-sex marriage, it has remained static on abortion. Most voters favor substantial limitations on abortion. Abortions per capita peaked way back in 1980, and the actual number of abortions has been declining since 1990, even as the nation's population has risen 33%.
As conservative radio talk show host Erick Erickson points out, Democrats' reconciliation package is geared toward feminist ideas of what women want: subsidized day care and preschool, paid family leave, more money for public schools and free community college. It recalls "The Life of Julia," the 2012 Barack Obama ad showing a female cartoon character going to preschool, getting free birth control and low-interest student loans, and ultimately receiving Medicare and Social Security without any spouse or partner except government.
But "the trendline research that's out there right now, across the board," Erickson writes, "shows moms aren't going back to work." That may be one reason why many jobs have gone unfilled, even in states which cut off the Biden Democrats' supplemental $300 unemployment subsidies. Mothers seem to be turning to home-schooling as enrollments in public schools, shuttered last year by teacher unions, are not rebounding.
Erickson speculates that "particularly in married households, (women) can survive on one income or can do something from home. Many have started Etsy shops or gotten into crafts and can sell stuff online and supplement the family income." And they can save the money they used to spend on work clothing or commuting.
I take Erickson's comments as speculation rather than as hard trends. But he raises the possibility that the feminization of America will not produce a society along the lines that either feminists or their cultural critics expect. And that may render some of our caustic arguments increasingly beside the point.
It’s my experience that more abortions a woman has had, the crazier she is.
Women will be women.
And so will men.
Well,at least they will pretend to be women.
And the Red Chinese laugh and laugh, pausing only to say, “we’ve got this.”
We can’t go to work in offices because I’m afraid I’ll catch a cold.
We are all supposed to get in touch with our inner scared rabbit when Fauci, Wallensky, or Resident Biden lies about the Chinese/Fauci flu.
First, one thing that won’t change: men like to hold and women like to be held.
Masculine strength is not as much required as it used to be.
Women can do most jobs that men can do.
Women and men are a lot alike. Both like to have money and both can live independently if they want.
Women can be more sexually aggressive now since they needn’t worry about getting pregnant.
Articles like this explain why so many young (and some not-so young) women are messed up today. When is the last time anyone said anything good about femininity in any context on FR? When femininity is demonized, even in women, you will have a generation of confused and masculine women.
C.S. Lewis said it best: “In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”
I realized early on that the only way to win the games the American man plays with women was not to play at all. I married a Taiwanese guy who didn’t have a problem with my being a woman or carry in his heart the anger and bitterness so many American men suffer from. No regrets.
Michael Barone reluctantly hinting at reality after 40 years.
Typical Town Hall…
You complain of anyone of FR saying anything good about feminism, and you immediately insult American men.
There are no games, and you destroyed your credibility.
I’m glad you found someone for you.
I found a wonderful American woman that doesn’t mind me being a man. And I love that she’s a woman that loves me, the kids, God, the USA, and has a strong work ethic.
Detroit. Or Somalia.
“Feminism” is just another word for communism these days.
Why are so many women liberal/socialist/communist?
Steven
9/2/2021
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3991490/posts
Just look at professional sports to see the combined effects of fear, ignorance and feminization (i.e., “men” acting like scared little b!tches over the flu). Beyond pathetic.
Welcome to the new Amerika brought to you by men being in charge.
The most progressive, woke females are generally nothing more than pretentious. When a cowboy shows up, they quickly forget all that crap and jump on the horse.
Do you mean ‘what does it look like?’…just look around…men have been systematically sidelined and neutered for about 40+ years…getting worse…
Look out the window...
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