Letters to the Editor
smallfox
Published Letters: 111 Editor's Choice: 8
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They won't go back to breast feeding
[Read the article: First pet food, now infant formula?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]because it's not an option. There's been an increase in formula use in China because more and more women are being forced to leave home to look for work, leaving their very young infants with their own mothers. It's not a capricious choice, as it's not a choice at all.
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apples and oranges
[Read the article: It can't hurt to ask]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]for everyone dredging up typical gender stereotypes -- female customers are demanding, males don't ask for directions -- remember that these are *heavily* socialized behaviors/stereotypes. Men are now expected not to ask for directions, women are now expected to demand to try on every shoe in the store. This isn't the issue (and it's not even true, as anyone who's worked in sales can tell you. I have, and it's personality-related, not gendered). The issue is that women are socialized to be deferential in most circumstances in which they should be self-assured and negotiate. Women need to ask for raises, defend their work performance and importance to the company, etc, with the same vigor and acceptability that men do. It's really not about shoes.
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oh for gods' sake!
[Read the article: Victim blaming or same old scare tactics?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Which do you think, realistically, *might* actually work: telling men not to rape women, or telling women to exercise care, and avoid intoxication without a babysitter? Sure, it'd be NICE if people could just be told not to rape, rob, batter, or vandalize, but if someone is intent on causing harm, they're going to do it. Normal people who want to avoid being victims are a better audience.
I'm an ardent feminist, and if I ever have children of either gender you bet I'm going to press the message that being drunk alone in public is an invitation to get mugged, raped, or otherwise victimized, (or arrested!), to say nothing of getting home without a sober friend to help you out.
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yawn.
[Read the article: Barely Legal Castle]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As if boys never pretend to be superheroes, or GI Joe; as if girls never play with legos or run around in the mud. It's a toy, it's a playhouse, and it encourages dress-up. All children, male or female, like those things. I played with these pink-princess things as a kid (my grandfather even made me a custom dollhouse castle to accommodate garish pink plastic My Little Ponies) and I eventually made it to law school just fine, despite the years of playing princess. Get over it.
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It's a little tacky,
[Read the article: Babies for Bwockobama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]but mostly harmless. Children being told to parrot their parents' beliefs is downright tacky, and does nothing to instill critical thinking in children (and yes, I think this is true for everything from politics to religion). Candidates were not appropriate topics of conversation when I was growing up (possibly because my parents were divorced and never saw eye-to-eye politically, but I've never verified that this was the reason), but when I was old enough to have some idea of what was going on, it was very easy to figure out where my parents fell on the political spectrum. There's a difference between teaching and indoctrination, and a well-taught child will have the capacity to figure out what ideas they support without their parent standing on the side lines, hissing a candidate's name. (At 25, I fall squarely in my mom's camp, though I surpass her in flamboyant liberalism).
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@ MacStruan
[Read the article: Babies for Bwockobama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It is mostly harmless, especially because children with die-hard Republican or Democratic parents will be instilled with values that in the majority of cases will cause them to affiliate with their parent's political beliefs. It isn't the parroting, specifically, that yields that result.
Also, new research suggests that there may be genetic components for both religion *and* political affiliation. These aren't necessarily socially-inherited traits; this research may well be verified. It makes sense that there would be a spectrum of susceptibility to fantastical beliefs as well as a spectrum of personal attraction to authoritarianism, risk-taking, or conservatism, and there's no reason why it *couldn't* be genetic.
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Maybe I'd have to be a man for this to make sense
[Read the article: Magazines trash men's body image, too]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]But I really, REALLY don't understand the appeal of wanting to bed the super-gorgeous off-the-charts model. Pretty people in print advertising or on a runway is fine, but when I'm looking to date someone, average attractiveness is a bonus. Other things are more important -- motivation to be gainfully employed (this has ended one very long term relationship), sense of humor, concurrent non-religious and liberal political beliefs, and high level of education -- but my "ideal man", if I could carve one, Pygmalion-like, would be average-cute. Most of my female friends share similar tastes, preferring men in the average-attractiveness spectrum. Why does it seem so different for men? (Or rather, why does the media insist it's different for men, as I know plenty of men who also much prefer the average-pretty girl-next-door type.)
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@ Frybread
[Read the article: Magazines trash men's body image, too]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Right, because education, religion, sense of humor, politics, and motivation = "money, money, money". I have no income requirements whatsoever for my potential spouse, just that he work and be motivated. My last long term relationship ended because the other half professed to have interests and aspirations, but chose to not do a damn thing to pursue them. He wanted to be an elementary school teacher (and wouldn't we be raking it in then!) He was too shiftless, though, and kept working dead end retail jobs, and I couldn't take it anymore. I WANTED him to become a teacher, or do something else he liked.
I am in a grad program, and won't date someone who doesn't have a BA/BS. There's just not enough common ground there. But, again, everyone knows a degree almost never equals big-time money.
But thanks for generalizing about my entire sex and making it aaaaaaall about money. Most of us do just fine supporting ourselves, and are looking for other things in a mate. If you want to tell yourself your modest income is the real reason you're single, though, go right ahead.