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Re: Not 'man bashing' but legitimate protest.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:02 pm
by Fede
David N. Snyder wrote:There is no question that women have been mistreated over the past several thousands of years or more. I think some men here may be posting in a defensive way because they feel the OP and other posts are directed at them. But I don't think it necessarily is directed at all men.
I have not directed my posts at any men, other than to name them as people I am responding to.
However, by virtue of the fact that the gentlemen here have thrown caution to the wind, and have reacted defensively (and to my perception, occasionally in an irrtated and hostile manner) to me it is an indication that they are taking matters very personally, and feeling as if i am using them as a punchbag.
i haven't done any such thing.
to summarise my sentiments from the 'other thread' (which is still subject to unmoderated posts, even though feelings appear to be running high there too.....).... :shrug:
I read the OP and equated with the sentiments expressed.
i recounted that it has been my misfortune to experience many negative situations, all of which, without exception, were initiated or perpetrated by men.
i am currently going through a very difficult and challenging situation at work which, again, has been precipitated by men, who unfortunately are also my superiors.
my situation is not an isolated case, by any means.
all hell broke loose, because men on the forum began to take my remarks as indicating that all men were like this, and i hold all men accountable for situations they're not even connected to.
Unfortunately, by making the remarks, comments and observations they did, and by criticising my comments and picking them to bits - without actually doing any extensive research to establish the veracity of my comments - they actually prove the point i was trying to make.
That whenever there is a surge of rebellion from the female contingency, men cry foul and rise up, the outcry against such blatant cheek is deafening, and they commence to argue that what i am putting forward is sheer nonsense.

This would not be unusual from a standard sector of society, but from gentlemen on a Buddhist forum - who have discussed the positive aspects of the ordination of nuns,whether it is possible for women to attain enlightenment, whether the Buddha really approved of ordaining women AND coupled with more than one thread on porn addiction(!) - these kinds of responses are frankly astonishing.

Responses can be divided into two branches:
Those which are indignant, dismissive and condescending, and those which speak of Buddhist attitude to such emotions and thoughts. i hate to say it, (but they come over as being patronising, even though the fundamental message is accurate....)
Neither branch addresses the salient facts and chief problem, and neither acknowledges the situation, or concurs with the sentiments expressed by women on this forum.....
But the good news in all this is that I think it could (hopefully) mostly become a moot issue soon. Women are out-performing men in so many areas, including college graduation rates, numbers of college graduates and it is at all levels, bachelor's, master's and doctorates. The future CEOs and leaders will be women. More egalitiarianism is coming to religious institutions, including Buddhist ones, such as the bhikkhuni ordinations in our Theravada, etc.

Just google gender or male female college graduation and you will see so many results. The future looks bright for women and men and egalitarianism.
you're right.
this is good news.
but what price have both men and women had to pay, to see such results and such a future come to fruition/
and why has it taken so long/
and furthermore - isn't it a pity that it should be newsworthy?

Re: Not 'man bashing' but legitimate protest.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:16 pm
by Fede
Cittasanto wrote: First and foremost you have not experienced what you have not experienced, and unless you are over 1000 years old you only have a gripe with your perceived injustices you have internalised, you have not experienced them!
and if there is inaccuracies in my post prove them wrong, show how they are wrong!
boy, you really, REALLY do NOT get it, do you?

I have experienced what i have experienced.
All my negative experiences have been at the hands of men.
My story is the same as that of countless millions of women, and our stories span millennia.
I am not internalising something that is still an outrage being perpetrated against women, even now as we speak. I am their voice for in far too many cases they cannot speak for themselves or are fearful.
the post above is inaccurate enough, and it is most distressing that you will obviously not read the book, because you feel that as it is not on your doorstep, it is therefore not relevant, and does not affect you.