Heidi Trautmann

Heidi Trautmann Column 23 - Let’s talk about culture and….sexism
2/5/2013

 

Sexism… truly a hot and controversial topic. From time to time the lid of the pot, overcooking from too much pressure, sets free a view which is partly dramatic and ugly in its appearances in society and partly ridiculous in its arguments which do not help the cause of a fair judgment.

I would like to disentangle, for the sake of a proper view, the confusion and point at some things separately. First of all, it seems that people in a higher position, especially politicians are aimed at with increased interest by the media, by their opponents and by people who are backing the one or other side. If one politician gets too clever for the opinion of the other side they start digging for private things which these poor guys might have committed in the past, smaller or major sins, which might be a reason to push them from their chair; then the media will be informed and a big scandal develops. Usually it is some sexist approach by either word or deed.

This is the one side; the other side is that people who get into a higher position too fast become blind and insensitive where proper behaviour is concerned, because…and this is the point, they are being kowtowed from morning till evening by people who want the attention of the person above them for personal benefits; giving and taking.

Often, people in public offices forget that they are the servants of the public and not vice versa. But, we are all humans, and when everybody licks your shoes permanently you get used to it.  However, when you accept a higher position you should be aware of your morale duties and also of the risks. Men – also women - in higher positions must not get private with subordinates,  that is the law. Men have been born a hunter, that is in his genes, and sometimes his brain is weaker than the urge of his genes. Especially when the young ladies he has to do with are awakening the genes of the hunter by wearing miniskirts that leave little to imagination. The female employee would risk by far less a nasty approach if she would also respect the unwritten law of proper behaviour.

However, people who use their position to concuss or harass somebody should be removed from their office, there is no excuse, they are not fit at all to fill a responsible position and should not be allowed to sneak back in by the backdoor.

On the other hand, I think, it is fine and right to be a free and independent person, and do what one thinks is best for oneself, for females: dress in miniskirts or for young males: wear long hair and go bare feet, but, please consider,  it might be limiting the freedom of others, embarrassing them, and that is part of freedom and democracy, freedom for all.

 

A different but most hateful situation is to be found in marriages with men mistreating their family, they should get psychological treatment because they are sick in their mind, but why are they? Let us consider the religious formula of marriage that the woman has to be submissive to her man, or the civil quote that a married couple is legally one body, where the man is the executive, etc. etc. It is society and religious heads that have prepared the way of sexism, and especially in the families I decry the traditional ways of education as basic reason for the male arrogance. Phrases such as ‘your brother is a boy, he may do that, not you’, ‘girls have to do the washing up’, but also to the boy:‘Don’t behave like a girl’, etc. have created the gender differences which make us mad today.  Just think of the pride families have when a boy is born, a son and heir!

A morale law concerns both female and male in society, and that from the very beginning, starting with the family, continuing in school and high education, and from there throughout professional life. Both have the responsibility and when they get together to start a family, they alone should decide who is doing what and not society rules and traditions.

Lately I have heard mentioning the slogan ‘Let’s work for a clean society’ and I think that would be the right formula to do away with sexism and it would prevent such tragic cases as the death of the young woman who was shot by her jealous husband in front of her parents.

 

In America, I heard, men are warned not to enter the lift alone with a woman; they are scared and aware of the risk they take; the woman might sue you when she leaves the lift for sexual abuse between the first and tenth floor. I think it is better to change society than stop communicating.





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