Men and women are morally and intellectually equal. There are obvious physical differences between the sexes in terms of size and strength. Likewise, there are psychological differences, due to sexual roles, childbearing, etc. However, the point is both men and women survive on earth primarily by their minds ie their rational faculty.
In cultures, there is a direct correlation between the culture’s quality of life, including general prosperity, political freedom, and the status of women. The abject poverty, political tyrannies, and general miserable conditions and attitudes in the Islamic world and Africa go hand in glove with the miserable status of women, including beatings, forced marriages, “honor killings,” genital mutilations, foot binding, etc. At the same time, the prosperity and general quality of life in the Western world, especially the United States, correlate with the infinitely higher status of women.
Today, in this country, rap music is becoming progressively more obscene in its views towards women. Also, it’s been pointed out that there are increasing numbers of web sites that demean the sex, either in terms of their intelligence or their “proper” roles as servants and vessels. Therefore, we can’t be complacent as to prevailing attitudes anywhere towards women.
Women have demonstrated that they can handle virtually any occupation as well as men. Maybe firefighters and a few occupations relying on sheer physical strength have (very limited) degrees of exception. The point is these are borderline cases and don’t invalidate the general rule.
Throughout my business career, from the 1960’s to today, women have worked for me as actuaries, involving often intricate applied mathematics and statistics. These individuals always demonstrated ability equal to any male actuaries.
In summary, both men and women survive by their minds, and prosper to the extent they exercise their rational faculties.
Norman E. Hill
http://noralyn.com/
