Should men and women really be equal?

Okay first off, I am not taking sides here.

There have many people that say men and women should be equal, as in have the same jobs, having the same rights, going by the same laws, and be equal in a relationship. But people just have to face that it can't be like that all the time. Men have discriminated women forever, but then again, vise versa. Lets just say you are in a relationship with a girl, and you know how custom goes, you have to buy her things and pay for the dinner and all that. If you guys out there don't do that stuff, most of the time people think that you are an unfit boyfriend. But if he does, they think you are like the most awsome boyfriend in the world. But what you are a girl in a relationship with a guy. If you, the woman, pay for everything and buy him stuff, people are not thinking about what kind of good girlfriend you are, but what a jerk and freeloader you boyfriend is. You see how it works? You guys just have to face it, men and women are different. Let say you are a man looking for a job as a cop. You have a better chance of getting the job better than the women does, you know why? Because you are a man, and it is a proven fact that men are physicly superior to women (which means that you are geneticly stronger than a female) Which brings me to my next point, women think that they are just as tough as guys (well, most women) but why are there laws that men can't hit women, but women can hit men? It's not fare. We can't go by the same laws because we are different. There are stereotypes out there who think that all men are slobs and all women are prisses. Back to my point on dating. As I said in the begining, men always are traditionally supposed to be the money supply of the relationship. We always hear women talking about that prince charming that could take her away on a white horse. In other words, they talk about what the man could do for them, not what she could do for the man. But there is another side, some guys tell their girlfriends what to do and when they do it. Men sometimes let their strength get to their heads, and they take advantage of that. Some men treat their woman liek they are there trophy. Though, for all you religeous people, it says in the Bible that that God didn't want Adam to be alone, he needed a helper (or in other words, sidekick). But I don't think that is what it meant, but anyways, back on topic. Girls are different than guys all around, physicly, emotionally, intellectually, and definately mentally. So in my opinion, we can't be equal because we are simply different.

Well you just contradicted yourself there. You said that men are physically stronger than women so we should get jobs as cops and other things. But then you go on saying that women can hit men but we can't hit women. Well you know what... MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE STRONGER!

Yes I see where you are coming from. But when it comes down to it, everyone is different and sexuality doesn't automatically make you what you are. Some women are stronger than men and the reason that they can get jobs the same as men in society is because they have the what it takes. Not because the employers would think they are discriminating the women.

Men and women should be treated equally yes, there should never be one sex higher than the other, but women must be treated with great care during child birth, just as men should be treated with great care with certain mental/social issues of masculinity.

Oh, and men can hit women just as women can hit men, we're supposed to be equal right? by claiming that women should not be hurt, that therefore sets women below men, which isn't right.

Originally Posted by ursername180

Yes I see where you are coming from. But when it comes down to it, everyone is different and sexuality doesn't automatically make you what you are. Some women are stronger than men

Which brings me to another point, the little law that keeps men from harming women and not caring if the women hit you is bull ****

some women ARE stronger than some men, then the roles switch, a woman bodybuilder could beat the crap of a scronny guy and it would alright

Originally Posted by Acid

some women ARE stronger than some men, then the roles switch, a woman bodybuilder could beat the crap of a scronny guy and it would alright

Um, I doubt it. She would probably be charged with harrassment/assault.

Save for some idiots who are still living in the early 1900's, I think that men and woman are pretty equal as it is. The whole dating thing is merely tradition, not a way of marking men as inferior. Since it's usually the man who asks the woman out, he's usually the one who flatters her, although that's not always the case.

And as for jobs, it's been said before, but if a woman applying for a job as a police officer was more physically fit and qualified for the job than a man applying for the same one, it wouldn't be discrimination if she won it over. It would be up to the discretion and right of the employer to choose the person that he/she saw as the most fit for the job.

Both genders have their strengths/weaknesses, and should both be treated equally, but you can't expect them to ever be the same. What some may see as discrimination is oftentimes just a display of differences.

I am completely against women being treated exactly the same as men, so I'm with Acid on this one.
In fact, if people tried to treat women as "equally" as they do men then they'd be really bullying the lady.

Let's face it, we're different. Starting from physical appearance (maybe this is supposed to give us a sUBTle hint that we're not really equal? ) through emotional states and how we handle them and ending with Biological "jobs" that only women can do (Childbearing and birth), we CAN't demand of a woman to be equal to what man is good at.

I really believe that feminists have dealt women a huge blow during the past century. Women nowadays get left with the kids (i.e the whole "marriage is just a piece of paper yada yada, and if I want to leg it, I will); have to bring them up AND have to go to work and have an amazing career.
People look down on women who stay at home to stay with the kids and not have sparkly careers "women should help in the earning, too!" << O.o

We're NOT as strong as men, and we do have mood swings during certain days a month. However, we have our own strengths.

I believe that "equality" should be achieved in allowing women to excel within what they're brilliant at, have careers but don't expect them to be both men AND women performing both roles simultaneously. Because men can't and won't do what women can do.

Gah, I went on a rant there and I'm not sure if it made sense.

I believe women are capable of much that men are, and vise versa.

But it's clear there are differences in the way Men and Women think (in general). I'm not going to go into detail because it could get ugly because many would probably take it against themself in particular.

Some stereotypes though are Women love to shop. What can this say about Women in a basic thought process although not in stone? Women could potentially be more materialistic than Men.

Stereotype for Men? They love sports, beef and beer. What does this say? There's a subconcious desire to be tough, tougher than the other man, better than the other man. Men could potentially all strive to be better than one another.

Women and Men all have the chance to have interchangable "stereotypes" like the two I stated, but come on now... There're very few chicks I know tossin back Moslen XXX beer's in a power hour, when there's a Mikes Hard as a choice instead. And there are very few guys I've seen that love to shop, and shop, and shop... when they could be playing a sport of somekind elsewhere.

That being said, despite the rare few exceptions... there's no need to have men and women equal. Of course I based my explination for my decision on stereotyping, but little things such as those can really explain a person alot. Men and Women are different. Period. Why treat them exactly the same?

Exactly.
I think the word we need here is "fair".
Men and women should be treated fairly, not equally- because that wouldn't be fair. Huge difference there. (I think this is my shortest post ever O.o )

I think that what we all have to realise and see as the pure truth of the matter is: whether man or woman, we all suck in our own special sucky ways.

There are contradictions all the time in this equality stuff. One that irritates me is the Australian government ad campaign 'Violence Against Women - Australia Says No', so, what, violence against guys is okay?

Equality between the sexes will be achieved when we stop basing our decisions and stuff on whether we have an innie or an outie. Instead our decisions have to be based on what we personally want to do.

Want to stay home and look after the kids? Then do it. Note there was no reference to gender. There are plenty of guys who would want to be stay at home Dads but are afraid that people will think they're not providing for their family.

So in my opinion, we can't be equal because we are simply different.

I would say we have to be equal because we are different, and cannot use that as an excuse to treat someone differently.

So...my point was...*reads his post*...umm...I don't know...I seemed to go all over the place.

Well, I guess my point is that gender is irrelevant, except in stuff like childbirth, obviously us guys don't have the equipment for it...unless it's like that Arnold Schwarzenegger film 'Junior'...though if childbirth is half as painful as that movie, count me out . So:

Gender = irrelevant

Decisions = based on what you actually want to do

Originally Posted by Sporky

Gender = irrelevant

Gender is compLETEly relevant. I don't mean that because you're a woman you shouldn't be alLOWed to do certain things. But definitely, women won't be able to stick to a job as would a man if they have a baby for example. In such an instant if you were to treat the woman and man equally, you'll say that the woman should be back in work in 2 weeks (paternity leave for men here ) which is unfair. Do you get the gist of where I'm coming from?

You CAN't treat them equally. You have to take into account their biological natural differences into account. If there was no difference between us at all natuurally, then maybe you'll have a point. But truth of the matter is : we're different.
A woman can try her hardest to play the male roles effectively ( and she's been trying for the past few decades, and it's worn her out) as well as her own role- while men CAN't play her role. So, it's unfair that that is expected of her.

"Equality" is a word I understand and appreciate for things like "different races getting same same opportunities- the blacks, asians and white westerners getting the same chances of sucess" etc etc

Originally Posted by Anime_Queen

Gender is compLETEly relevant. I don't mean that because you're a woman you shouldn't be alLOWed to do certain things. But definitely, women won't be able to stick to a job as would a man if they have a baby for example. In such an instant if you were to treat the woman and man equally, you'll say that the woman should be back in work in 2 weeks (paternity leave for men here ) which is unfair. Do you get the gist of where I'm coming from?

You CAN't treat them equally. You have to take into account their biological natural differences into account. If there was no difference between us at all natuurally, then maybe you'll have a point. But truth of the matter is : we're different.
A woman can try her hardest to play the male roles effectively ( and she's been trying for the past few decades, and it's worn her out) as well as her own role- while men CAN't play her role. So, it's unfair that that is expected of her.

"Equality" is a word I understand and appreciate for things like "different races getting same same opportunities- the blacks, asians and white westerners getting the same chances of sucess" etc etc

Originally Posted by Me

Well, I guess my point is that gender is irrelevant, except in stuff like childbirth

Obviously in a child birth situation going back to work so soon afterwards is completely unrealistic. And it would be unrealistic for a guy as well. I mean the father gets two weeks off to spend with his newly born baby and then gets shipped back off to work, after two weeks, two weeks. Obviously women need more than two weeks for the reason of the physical stress of child birth, but I reckon men need more than two weeks to spend with their new born child. It might not be a physical need to not be at work, but I reckon it's just as important.

I'm sorry, I missed that.. I really didn't see it, the first time >.> besides, it was the Gender=Irrelevant that caught me.

Thing is, it doesn't just stop at Childbirth. It's not as though a woman can give birth and then that's it, it's back to bein' man again!
That's a major misconception and a condencing of a woman's true natural role when only Childbirth is looked at.

there's a need in her and for her to stay longer with her child. Emotionally, she's a lot more intense and can be affected more easily. Men and women currently have more or less the same number of days off. However, I'll give you a certain situation to illustrate my point:
Take a sick child- who's usually the one who stays up all night and wORRIes more exponentially overall over him/her? In 98% of the cases I have encountered, it's the woman, the mother. In fact, the father usually is very matter-of-fact and logical "oh he'll be alright, just a slight fever. Anyway, off to work".
For something like this, women are unlike men and it would be unfair to treat them equally (number of days off in this instance).
And it continues. I just think it narrow minded for people to say that the only difference between men and women is that women give birth. Of course, the baby will just jump out and begin doing press ups then saunter off to McDonalds for a burger <.<
(oh no! I used sarcasm! =P )

But this topic is about Women and Men being treated equally. I'm not saying that women should have to handle brining up children AND have a job. And I think most men who don't look after kids should help the women out if the mother does also have a job. But then I guess you did say it. It's more of being treated FAIRLY rather than EQUALLY... :embrsd:

*runs away*

Originally Posted by Anime_Queen

Of course, the baby will just jump out and begin doing press ups then saunter off to McDonalds for a burger

I saw that in my mind's eye and it made my day

In order to be on topic, I agree with just about everything Queenie said. As long as there are specificthings only one gender can do (ie. Childbirth etc.) Then there's never really going to be true equality.

The bulk of the stuff has probably been there for centuries simply because one man can father as many children as there are women in the vicinity but one woman can only really bear one child at a time. It's pretty natural women would be expected to stay at home where it was safer because of that. I can sort of see where the feminist movement is coming from but they're not going to get rid of society's ideas and so even if laws are totally equal it won't be fair.

There is something I forgot to mention: Cross dressing

There laws between cross dressing, why? I will tell you why........

Because if you saw a guy go into a Wal-mart with a dress on or out on the streets with one on, he could be arrested. Oh, wait...I'm not done! If you you see a girl having man clothes on, no one cares. Why is this? Because we are different!!!!

If the guy with a skirt on just happens to drop a quarter, and bends over to pick it up.....

you can see where I am going with this right?

Originally Posted by Anime_Queen

. Of course, the baby will just jump out and begin doing press ups then saunter off to McDonalds for a burger <.<
(oh no! I used sarcasm! =P )

*machine beeps* The sarcasm detector is off the charts!

*some other person says 'oh, a sarcasm detector, that's a real useful invention**machine explodes*

Pfft, in any case, the kid wouldn't get a burger, going on McDonald's hiring practices it could get a job though

Originally Posted by Anime_Queen

It's not as though a woman can give birth and then that's it, it's back to bein' man again! That's a major misconception

And I'd say it's a major misconception that a man can go to back to work, straight back into the