Why is DU in a gender war anyway?

[Zorra]

166. Oppressed minorities often point out inequities or institutionalized/enculturated behaviors

Last edited Wed Jan 1, 2014, 05:12 PM - Edit history (1)

resulting from historical inequality, inequities and behaviors that the dominant oppressor majority can't perceive, or has difficulty perceiving, because of both their historical, and present, position as dominant and privileged in social order.

Because of this, it may take a significant amount of discussion and illustration in order for an oppressed minority to make a point to the oppressor/dominant majority in order to help the willing among them understand the full nature and scope of the oppression in terms of respective inequality. In the of case many gender equity/women's issues discussions on DU in which the OP is posted as a women's concern thread, there is very often something of a "method to the madness" of the feminist that posts the thread.

The prevalence of sexism -- benevolent or hostile -- was not the study's primary focus, nor its major reveal. The more significant finding had to do with how men and women's beliefs about sexism changed after they became aware of its prevalence. In addition to asking participants to record instances of sexism, researchers also evaluated the degree to which subjects tolerated sexist behavior.

Researchers found that after recording the sexist incidents they observed, women were more likely to deem the behavior less acceptable. Men, on the other hand, continued to endorse sexist behavior even after becoming more conscious of it.

But when asked to empathize with the female targets of specific sexist incidents, male participants were less likely to sanction blatant sexism.

In one example, men who were told to consider women's feelings were less likely to think women overreact when responding negatively to sexist behavior.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/27/men-dont-recognize-benevolent-sexism_n_885430.html

Consider the possibility that a primary reason that the majority of men here at DU appear to have a relatively recently elevated level of understanding of women's equality issues is because of repeated in depth discussions begun by DU feminists, posted for the purpose of illustrating both broad and fine aspects of the continuing subject inequality experienced by women in almost every existing culture on the planet.

Consider the possibility that an even deeper level of understanding of the general inequality of women on this planet is possible, an understanding that can help us all become more equal.

It's like, you never really get it until you really get it.