[Siamese Princess]

It's ironic that I think the average woman of the 1840s and 1950s, for example, appears to have been a whole lot tougher in matters like this. If a man began acting significantly less than a gentleman, a woman would quickly put him in place with a slap, and otherwise tell him that if he kept it up her brothers, boyfrined, or husband would come by and kick the crap out of him. Seems to me the pre-feminist woman handled these things a lot better.

You are correct, but remember that up until recently, men were taught not to curse or discuss certain subjects in mixed company. A man who did so was deemed disrespectful to women. There are still laws on the books against cursing in the presence of women and children. It was part and parcel of being a gentleman, which is what most men wanted to be and what society expected them to be.

[HitmanLV]

I agree 100% that there is no longer a stigma against men behaving rudely among mixed company. I really think that stigma should come back, actually. You are right - men should behave better and situations like this wouldn't come up.

That being said, I don't buy into the exaggerated sensitivity on the part of the women, either. It's simply silly that a remark that could be considered suggestive might excite a woman at an office if it comes from a hunky UPS guy, but seriously 'offends' if it comes from Moe in accounting.

That she may find one welcome and titillating, and one somehow 'offensive' and legally actionable, despite being the same remark, is simply silly to me.

Both sexes need to grow up a bit on matters like this.

[familyop]

"You are correct, but remember that up until recently, men were taught not to curse or discuss certain subjects in mixed company."

That was very well written--that and the whole paragraph. It is contrary to current revisions of social history (the feminist implications that in the past, men were more often vulgar than not and got away with it), and it is very true.

[Mockingbird For Short]

Oooo, excellent post, Princess.

Those were the good old days... When people kept their sexual lives private, when men AND women were respectful (for the most part) to each other, and when society actually had expectations.