Wednesday 18 January 2023

Getting along 2023 style


 One of the long running conundrums of the modern era is finding a way that enables both sexes to get along as equals when so many traditional expectations and roles have changed as much much as that may of been necessary and may of entrenched dismissive and discriminationary attitudes.

Individuals which we all are are very much different when it comes to what may interest us, what we may excell in, struggle with and may have differing responsibilities in their lives and at least in the past we tried to create a shorthand to simplify based mainly around peoples gender based identities.

That may of worked for some fitting everything together but for many others it did not and moreover it became a limitation on aspirations suggesting you may not be interested in something just because of your gender and even opportunities as people only made them available to what they thought each gender needed.

Thus girls for a long time could not play football, struggled to get a kickabout in the playground being told they "don't" and boys who were interested in dance struggled to get a break and often faced hostility from men and their own peers even.

At another level we need to find ways of leading, taking responsibility and yet sharing varying aspects of life be it family life or the boardroom that are respectful and allow for full discussion without either dismissive or patronizing attitudes.

Personally I faced some issues for being prepared to play with girls, wishing to include them where a game or activity was something we all shared or for looking out for younger children with in inference that was "girls stuff" where to me that's about caring and caring and being a boy certainly can go together.

The same things sadly can run in adult life, men do not always have to be leaders and because you may be a women doesn't mean you should be expected to just make tea and biscuits at meetings as important as both things can be.

Everybody needs the ability to be free to be themselves, doing what they are best placed for and working constructively.

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