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This is why we can't discuss sensitive subjects like this. People always take an innocent comment, which seems to be borne out by observational evidence at the

This is why we can't discuss sensitive subjects like this. People always take an innocent comment, which seems to be borne out by observational evidence at the very least, and then twist it to mean something entirely different. >There is no evidence that women naturally want to only raise children. Do you see what you did there? You (perhaps unconsciously) inserted "only" in the parent's statement, completely changing its meaning. Then you attack your modified statement as being sexist. Furthermore, nothing in OPs statement implied there was something wrong with a woman who chose differently. Discussions on subjects like these would be much more productive if we could just take statements at face value without assuming all kinds of implied sexism.

rmc 15y ago
I would not call what you said an "innocent comment". It's spreading a meme and idea that has frequently been used to keep half the population as second class citizens. You have part of a point about my "only" comment. However there is no evidence that women (and not men) want to naturally raise children. There is no evidence that there is anything "unnatural" about a woman (or man) who doesn't want children.
- hackinthebochs 15y ago
  I don't think her argument is meant to be taken exclusively for women. It's just that women are singled out as needing to be told to do a startup. The assumption is that there's no way a woman would freely choose to downshift her career for children, so it must be because of hidden sexism. Her argument was meant to specifically address this misconception. It doesn't mean the same thing doesn't apply to men, its just that this particular misconception applies to woman so that's where she's focusing her argument. Natural vs unnatural is a complete red-herring. I agree that we all should stop using that word in discussions like this. It carries too many connotations and it implies beliefs that I don't think anyone has (that someone that deviates from "natural" behavior is wrong).

rmc 15y ago

I would not call what you said an "innocent comment". It's spreading a meme and idea that has frequently been used to keep half the population as second class citizens. You have part of a point about my "only" comment. However there is no evidence that women (and not men) want to naturally raise children. There is no evidence that there is anything "unnatural" about a woman (or man) who doesn't want children.

hackinthebochs 15y ago
I don't think her argument is meant to be taken exclusively for women. It's just that women are singled out as needing to be told to do a startup. The assumption is that there's no way a woman would freely choose to downshift her career for children, so it must be because of hidden sexism. Her argument was meant to specifically address this misconception. It doesn't mean the same thing doesn't apply to men, its just that this particular misconception applies to woman so that's where she's focusing her argument. Natural vs unnatural is a complete red-herring. I agree that we all should stop using that word in discussions like this. It carries too many connotations and it implies beliefs that I don't think anyone has (that someone that deviates from "natural" behavior is wrong).