The revived gender differences/roles thread

[Brad and Vika 129]

Flying monkey-talk offends me. Consider yourself on report.

I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too.

[Neonred 3,562]

I just want to revive the revived gender differences thread with this current article from the Moscow Times http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/377334.htm

It looks like Russia has a list of 460 jobs that are not fit for women including metro driver.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I just want to revive the revived gender differences thread with this current article from the Moscow Times http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1010/42/377334.htm

It looks like Russia has a list of 460 jobs that are not fit for women including metro driver.

Too funny! The lawsuits (and fur) would be flying here.

[slim 1,525]

Obviously, the difference is they've accepted the fact that women put others at risk when they perform (or attempt to perform) certain jobs. We could never accept that here and our lawsuits that are taken all the way to the supreme court would be won through the media, not the court system.

[mox 298]

I disagree Slim. Before a woman put anybody at risk because she couldn't perform the job correctly, she'd have washed out of whatever pipeline puts her into that job. For instance, my second cousin was the first female Engineer for the Santa Fe line. They said the same about her...that the job is more than just driving a train, that it's physical work, etc. And yet she managed to complete the training required, and spent 20-something years driving trains with a spotless safety record. During the whole training program, they were just looking for an excuse to fail her out. If she'd have ever shown even the smallest inclination towards being a safety hazard, they'd have dropped her like a hot potato. I'd bet that it's the same in any other traditionally male-dominated profession. It's why you don't see a lot of women on oil rigs. It's a physically demanding job, and most women just can't do it. But there are a few who can, and you can bet that whatever process they went through, they were held to an even higher standard than the men.

I like our system better. Lists are stupid. Don't tell somebody they can't do a job. Give them the opportunity to fail. If I were in the business of hiring for tough physical jobs, I'd welcome female applicants. Most would wash out, but the ones that make it through are the ones you want to keep, because you know they're much more driven than a lot of the men.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Obviously, the difference is they've accepted the fact that women put others at risk when they perform (or attempt to perform) certain jobs. We could never accept that here and our lawsuits that are taken all the way to the supreme court would be won through the media, not the court system.

seriously? seriously?

[johnj 0]

You want to talk about discrimination; try being a short white male. You get no representation in the courts, non with the law but you get discrimination from almost everywhere. I trained when I was 18 to be paramedic, made the top grade on the state exam but was denied any possibility of a job because of my height (5' 2"). I was not able to apply to be policeman, pilot, and may other jobs. Now, you see women of that height doing all these jobs but still not short white men. I am not now and was not then a weinee; I can bench well over 100 lbs, etc. When I was in the army, I went airborne and special forces so I must be able to do the physical. Go figure...

Rant over.

[mox 298]

But hey...loved your people in The Wizard of Oz!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I don't know how advanced the Russia metro is, but trains in most parts of the developed world are computerized do not require any kind of physical strength to drive. Since many of the train drivers I see in the UK, including my cousin-in-law, are at least 50 lbs overweight I don't think a physically fit woman are at any disadvantage in performing those jobs.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Obviously, the difference is they've accepted the fact that women put others at risk when they perform (or attempt to perform) certain jobs. We could never accept that here and our lawsuits that are taken all the way to the supreme court would be won through the media, not the court system.

seriously? seriously?

Oh, I think you KNOW he is serious

[slim 1,525]

I can bench well over 100 lbs, etc.

So can my grandmother. (Course she's 6'2", 240, drives a Mack truck...... "BREAKDOWN!") I don't know if I'd be bragging about benching less than my body weight. But there's a good point of argument right there. Most men could bench their body weight if they had to. Women.... not so much.

And my serious point about the Russian govt. acknowledging that fact is simply that they have a legal standard they adhere to. We're willing to bend our standard whenever the media calls for it.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I can bench well over 100 lbs, etc.

So can my grandmother. (Course she's 6'2", 240, drives a Mack truck...... "BREAKDOWN!") I don't know if I'd be bragging about benching less than my body weight. But there's a good point of argument right there. Most men could bench their body weight if they had to. Women.... not so much.

And my serious point about the Russian govt. acknowledging that fact is simply that they have a legal standard they adhere to. We're willing to bend our standard whenever the media calls for it.

That was the point I think. A legal standard based on gender alone wouldn't work here for constitutional reasons. Even our gender based cultural norms cause some of us heartburn to the point where we don't want any. Not me - I'm just saying

[mox 298]

And thank Og for the system we have in place, even if it's not perfect. With a system where the government keeps lists of what people can't do what things, you're only asking for trouble. It wouldn't be that long ago where such a list would have precluded people from certain jobs based on their ethnicity, skin color, or religion.

[Brad and Vika 129]

And thank Og for the system we have in place, even if it's not perfect. With a system where the government keeps lists of what people can't do what things, you're only asking for trouble. It wouldn't be that long ago where such a list would have precluded people from certain jobs based on their ethnicity, skin color, or religion.

And I guess that bench pressing really isn't a job, per se. What is Og?

[Chuckles 0]

If my Russian wife got a job driving a metro bus, I am quite sure people would die. Maybe they are on to something there?