Women in a mans world.

Good
Now try staying there.

What everyone else said!

Will I get a biscuit and a pat on the head?

The only way, that I can see, that she could have "tempted fate" is if she had picked up the ball and tried to run with it. Then the linemen are supposed to tackle her. Otherwise the only way she could not "tempt fate", according to some of the logic being offered here, was to appear in public wearing an abayah while accompanied by a male relative.

To continue..

By this logic blacks attempting to live in a "white man's" world are tempting fate and running the risk of being lynched.

Israeli's living in an Arab region "tempt fate" and run the risk of being murdered.

To question whether they belong there is, like Sugar said "a disgusting and neanderthal mindset".

A better question is whether the aggressors, rapists and murderers "should" do what they do.

The questioning of the victim's actions first, is sometimes a manifestation of a sub-conscious bias. When it's a bias that questions the acts of the raped before the acts of the rapist and equates rape to fate then it's perfectly understandable to me that it be considered "a disgusting and neanderthal mindset".

It's as insulting to men as it is to women. Rape is not fate, it's not pre-destined. To imply as much is to downplay the conscious decision of the rapist.

Milkbone or Nutro?

Sugar--

Biscuit? Pat on the head? You deserve red meat and chauvenist sweetbreads.

Biscuit? I'm going out on a limb here, and saying you deserve a big ribbon that goes around your neck that says "I Try My Best."

My friend actually has said ribbon.

Being treated like "one of the boys" on a football team is tempting rape?

Hmmmmmm - now I know why they wear those funny looking shoulder pads - so they look stronger, or just plain unattractive....

If this keeps up I am running for the bomb shelter.
Before I go quietly however I will throw another bomb. . What do you think about women being police and Firefighters. Not the TV kind the ones that have to do battle daily.

We have a new police commissioner that was just sworn in - Kathleen O'Toole. She is the first woman to hold that position here. I'm confident that she'll be a good one - not good for a woman, just good for any police commissioner. It irks me a little that they keep mentioning "the first woman blah blah blah" everytime they say her name. If she can handle Northern Ireland, she should certainly be able to handle Boston. Equality is about that too - not being seen as a special case, just being seen as the best person for the job.

I know some people who don't agree with women being firefighters or police women. I also don't believe that they would reject needed help from them when the time came. Maybe for them it 's a matter of choosing a woman's help over death. But, if not, then that would be ok with me, too.

I don't have to worry about thinking aboout the non-tv ones, they DO do it every day.

And - with as much carry-on as you are currently making about it, Au - the first ones (and major airline pilots) had to fight against disgusting harassment and actual physical brutality - at least here (well, we have had women police forever, but the women wanting general duties did) as did prison officers. But, they persisted.

heehee - it was once thought women wouldn't be able to operate typewriters, you know...

Sugar
I said those that do battle on the streets daily. Not the police or fire commissioner.

Au,

I think you have a point about there being some jobs that women are not suited for.

To say so is a taboo of sorts, even if there are many jobs men aren't expected to be suited for (I remember the time I said I would rather babysit than mow lawns and was told that nobody'd hire a male babysitter).

Thing is, when trying to make this point I usually stick with a safe occupation to make this case on.

"Penis model"

About only 15% of the police forces in our state is female - of those policewomen and -men, who "do battle on streets daily".

Craven
You are darn right about it being taboo. I knew exactly or almost exactly the response to expect when I posted this thread. However, after a while it gets tiresome continually discussing that "putz" in the White House.

Walter
Are there women Fire Fighters?

Yes, but the percentage in much less. (Couldn't find any figures online - the police percentages above is from summer 2003.)

I think you might want to start heading for that bomb shelter now ;-)

I've worked with many fine female police officers and firefighters. I saw no difference in their abilities than most men.