Important fact for Women's History Month.

[imwjl]

It being Women's History Month, I was reminded of this fact that hit close to home. My mother and grandmother both lost spouses too young and carried on their businesses. It wasn't until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 when women could open bank accounts without needing a man to cosign.

Both my mother and grandmother could run a business same time they could raise kids, do housekeeping, operate machines, and faced all sorts of utter crap I'm glad my wife and daughter did not have to put up with. It was especially bad for motor vehicles where my mother could operate a diesel, back up a trailer and often knew more than men. It's still hard for my incredibly capable wife and daughter to be so kick butt at about everything and not have grief and even danger for it.

[redcrow]

Amen, brother! Women's history has been a long, long story of oppression and abuse. Way past due for a radical change.

[Talk2Me]

It's amazing how much legislation has been passed and taken us to where we are today. Still plenty to do but truly incredible advances in the past 50/60 years for so many people.

[Kh1967]

As a woman, while things have definitely improved in some areas, there is still a decent way to go. Inequality of pay in the workplace is still very much a thing, as is, inequality of women in senior/executive leadership positions (HR roles, excluded).

[Gitfiddlemann]

If it were up to me, I would get rid of ALL the men that are currently running ALL the world’s major countries and replace them with women.
The world would be a safer, kinder, more empathic and humane place. As leaders, they would be able to promote dialogue and compromise much more wisely and effectively.
Unfortunately, men are physically stronger. That’s made the biggest difference in how the world order was established, because they certainly aren’t any smarter.
And so, here we are. Probably not for long.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by imwjl

It being Women's History Month, I was reminded of this fact that hit close to home. My mother and grandmother both lost spouses too young and carried on their businesses. It wasn't until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 when women could open bank accounts without needing a man to cosign.

Both my mother and grandmother could run a business same time they could raise kids, do housekeeping, operate machines, and faced all sorts of utter crap I'm glad my wife and daughter did not have to put up with. It was especially bad for motor vehicles where my mother could operate a diesel, back up a trailer and often knew more than men. It's still hard for my incredibly capable wife and daughter to be so kick butt at about everything and not have grief and even danger for it.

I didn't know that, even though I was 5 years old and being raised by a single mother at the time. It explains a lot of what my mother was going through and how independent she has been.

[TomB'sox]

Let's use this thread to celebrate the women that have come before, the women now, and in the future, however politics are not allowed on the AGF.

My Grandmother worked every day of her life to make a life for my mother and her brother. She worked the fields, milked the cows, drove the horses and later the tractors, whilst doing all the cooking, baking, managing a house etc. Her father died when she was 5 and she was raised by my great grandmother, who was alone then, about 1905 raising her two daughters and one son on a farm of her own. No help but from neighbors. My Grandmother would reflect on how her mother was respected as an equal to men among the community. Amazing how tough they were and without them, I would not be here, nor would my children.

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by Gitfiddlemann

If it were up to me, I would get rid of ALL the men that are currently running ALL the world’s major countries and replace them with women.
The world would be a safer, kinder, more empathic and humane place. As leaders, they would be able to promote dialogue and compromise much more wisely and effectively.
Unfortunately, men are physically stronger. That’s made the biggest difference in how the world order was established, because they certainly aren’t any smarter.
And so, here we are. Probably not for long.

Hahaha...don't be so sure.

Authors of the book Why Leaders Fight analyzed every world leader from 1875 to 2004 and statistically examined gender differences in military aggression. They found that 36% of the female leaders initiated at least one militarized dispute, while only 30% of male leaders did the same. The authors say, “This does not mean that women are generally more aggressive, however. Men were responsible for 694 acts of aggression and 86 wars while women were responsible for just 13 acts of aggression and only one war (Indira Gandhi).” The authors conclude that women who lead nations likely have the same risk propensity as their male counterparts.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by Talk2Me

Hahaha...don't be so sure.

Authors of the book Why Leaders Fight analyzed every world leader from 1875 to 2004 and statistically examined gender differences in military aggression. They found that 36% of the female leaders initiated at least one militarized dispute, while only 30% of male leaders did the same. The authors say, “This does not mean that women are generally more aggressive, however. Men were responsible for 694 acts of aggression and 86 wars while women were responsible for just 13 acts of aggression and only one war (Indira Gandhi).” The authors conclude that women who lead nations likely have the same risk propensity as their male counterparts.

I think it still holds mostly true for humans, but obviously not throughout the animal kingdom:

Black Widow spider – the deadliest of them all, will kill and devour her partner/prey whatever the outcome. Most men have to take a woman out for dinner first, but the Black widow prefers dinner after.

I'm sure there are other non-human examples.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Talk2Me

Hahaha...don't be so sure.

Authors of the book Why Leaders Fight analyzed every world leader from 1875 to 2004 and statistically examined gender differences in military aggression. They found that 36% of the female leaders initiated at least one militarized dispute, while only 30% of male leaders did the same. The authors say, “This does not mean that women are generally more aggressive, however. Men were responsible for 694 acts of aggression and 86 wars while women were responsible for just 13 acts of aggression and only one war (Indira Gandhi).” The authors conclude that women who lead nations likely have the same risk propensity as their male counterparts.

Or maybe they felt they had to act stronger than would be their natural inclination? I believe the same thing happens at times to women business leaders. Now - were it a "woman's world" men were competing in, would men feel they had to be less aggressive?

[Mr. Jelly]

Yet, the ERA has never been past.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Yet, the ERA has never been past.

In the meanwhile some young women I know are Air Force officers forward deployed intercepting threats. They absolutely earned where they are from merit. With one we have a girl who is also from a minority immigrant family that illustrates the American Dream is alive. She with her fiancé are giving and risking their everything to fly aircraft in coordination with their big teams.

It might not be perfect but to me it is seriously neat stuff for that woman and others to have not just the opportunity, but work it where they are. Let's hope those women have a safe career and never have to use the all of their training or what their aircraft can do. Let's hope every child can dream and plan like those girls and get there.

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Yet, the ERA has never been past.

The ERA is definitely past and it's not the future either. Legislation will not stop what has effectively been this history of humankind. Only a wholesale change in attitude will do that. It's happening in some places and very slowly but I have hope that future generations will not have to deal with sexist nonsense (on EITHER side).