most women in most of the world appear to be in favor of such a system. They are sometimes looking for a way to apply it only to men but if it's a choice between men and women having sexual freedom and no one having it that pick no one every time. We see that in the moslem world, the phillippines appparently, and in the attitudes of western feminists.

Is Lloyd actually making an effort to address reality and complex issues? Truly shocking.

Regarding the Philippines.

First off, as Lloyd mentions, the Philippines isn't exactly a model society. It's best known for rampant corruption and ongoing civil war. It's also worth noting that the current government is in large part the product of US intervention, and previously Spain and other European Imperial powers. Lastly, Filipino culture is incredibly class and race segregated, between light and dark skinned, the small percentage of educated elites, and the rest of society which is a servant class.

Some argue that the Philippines remains essentially an economic colony to the USA.

On the other hand, the Philippines is hopefully moving towards reform and development, increased bureaucratic efficiency and integrity, more egalitarianism, and greater technological advancement.

It will be interesting to watch over the coming decades to see what actually happens.

Why is it automatically considered a good thing for their to be more female executives than male? I'm an ardent feminist, but haven't the least bit of interest in climbing a career ladder that is tedious, hostile to families, and rewarding of unethical behavior (I'm assuming that the business track in the Philipines resembles America in these regards, but by all means correct me if I am mistaken). Perhaps there are so few female European executives because they live in countries that respect motherhood and give women the option of being a mother without a full-time job.

I am tiring of the imperialist attitude of broadsheet in general and Ms. Lloyd in particular. Must you judge -- with smug certainty -- other cultures' values to be "assbackward"? Feminism should start with asking women what they want, not by coming in from the high and mighty West and telling them that veils are for tools. The result of feminist goals need not be identical roles for men and women, but for choices that lead to happiness and equality for every gender.

Really, those are the people who make it possible for these Filipinas to become business execs. Thirty years ago, my aunt-in-law ran a business selling swimwear to the the big department stores, i.e., Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc., around the world, including the US. She had three kids, one with a terminal medical condition. Who did she rely on to help her feed her family and keep them in clean clothes and a clean house? Not her husband. That guy took after my grandfather who believed that men should be served by their wives (later, grandpa learned that things are a little different in the states).

So, may be we, in the US, need that poor underclass to work as maids and servants in our upper middle class homes so women can start taking on those business executive roles.

The percentage of men as the primary child care givers is also very low across the globe.

The percentage of men giving birth is zero.

....

Obviously child-birth and child-care occur during prime career years, and do impact career choices.

....

Even in countries like France which are highly supportive of women's education, opportunity, and assist greatly in childcare, and have social policies to minimize career displacement; despite all that equality of opportunity, still women account for roughly 1/4 of senior management. I support the policies for encouraging opportunity, but it's still important to note they have not achieved gender parity.

...

Many women are choosing to devote more of their lives to child rearing and other interests besides climbing the corporate ladder. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence from studies to support the theory, including primate research indicating the drive to dominance is highly stressful and gender based, just as pregnancy is. Statistically we should expect less women to be driven to be alphas, and less men to be driven to be nurturers.

...

While there should always be equal opportunity for individuals to achieve entirely on merits, juxtaposed with that are the intrinsic value of both norms/homogeneity and radicalism/diversity.

...

But the assumption that a simple 50/50 split and complete gender parity is optimal, is a terribly simplistic and out dated ideology.

Perhaps there are so few female European executives because they live in countries that respect motherhood and give women the option of being a mother without a full-time job.

I am tiring of the imperialist attitude of broadsheet in general

... The result of feminist goals need not be identical roles for men and women, but for choices that lead to happiness and equality for every gender.

-- prunella42

Well said.

And that's one of the primary reasons so few women now associate with present day faux-feminism.

What's the big deal? I've worked for women for 17 years. One feminist woman who I admire more than anyone in this world is one of the best managers I've ever had a pleasure working with.

Is it because she is a female? Does Ms. Lloyd want to ask this woman that and not get knocked on her ass?

Of course not, it's because she is a terrific leader, very competent in all areas of her department, knows how to use the carrot and the stick and people that know her love her to death as a someone who leads them. She happens to be a woman as well.

I've seen similar managers but they were males.

Like I said, 'meh'. Not sure why gender is a focus here.

"In other words, some Filipinas have what every executive needs: a wife."

How incredibly condescending.

it's perhaps worth noting that, prior to the Spanish invasion of the Philippines, Filipino culture was matriarchal. nowadays there's a fatal crash between the worst of both worlds: an oppressively misogynist Catholic morality mixed with traditional Spanish machismo vs. women still doing all of the women's work and much of the men's. i have a few close friends whose parents emigrated from the Philippines to the US and their family structure isn't breeding any kind of inspirational forward-thinking; rather, the women do everything, business and domestic, and the men sit back and complain. mere statistics aren't enough to give the full scope of this story, i'm afraid.