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"Of course you make worthwhile points, but within a sexual context, in our species or almost (<-- qualifier alert, don't waste your time mining Wiki for tidbits on the reproductive habits of seahorses or whatever, people) any other, aren't females inherently subordinate? I mean, the term "subordinate" is laced with any number of negative connotations, but at a fundamental level, doesn't the nature and physics of the act of sex itself dictate this?
-- No Name Given"
No, it doesn't. Once you rule out seahorses and all the other animals that don't have male/dom female/sub relations you are left with a very small group, and that group would exclude humans. Rape and patriarchy aside, humans are known (like rats) for their wild variations in sexual behavior. Human females for instance are not well described as submissive, rather as subversive. While men are off trying to impregnate as many women as they can get their hands on, women are trying to get knocked up by the best genetic material they can find. Ahh, notice I did not say provider. Women will marry a provider if they need to, but they will sleep around behind his back and get knocked up by men with very symmetrical features. Men with these features are the least likely to stay, and the most likely to make a woman orgasm. Female orgasm causes the uterus to contract and retain 80% more sperm than a woman who doesn't orgasm. 30% of all pregnancies are, uhh, by the "wrong" guy. Among primates humans are very unusual because you can't tell by looking at the females when they ovulate, we don't go into heat and we have sex all the time. What does this do? Confuses paternity. Among primates that go into heat, males will commit infanticide to send the mother back into heat so that they can knock her up with their own seed. Successful females in these populations have developed numerous ways to combat this, one way is to ingratiate yourself to numerous boyfriends and co-opt them as babysitters. But human females do this and more.... In the battle of the sexes, I'm afraid most species are evenly matched and rather ingenious in the ways they try to subvert the reproductive goals of their partners and competetors, if you set aside rape and patriarchy. Which, I do believe, we are doing now that they have been recognized as unhealthy social problems and not as a biological manifest destiny.
