Seriously, I'm convinced it's that black and white. Know what else? I think it's all our mom's fault. One the one hand you have the whiner, complainer, living in fear, so shrill they're almost out of the range of human hearing types.
From them you get " it happened because I was a woman", "don't use that term it's insulting to women", "he might hit me because he's a man and I'm a woman".
On the other hand you have the doer, fighter, fearless, usually don't get along with a lot of other women types.
From them you get "it happened now how do I fix it", "call me whatever you like but I get to do the same", "go ahead buddy take a swing see what happens".
I'm really starting to think the division happens VERY young and most people don't notice. I've been watching my niece since she was born and now that she's a toddler she's started to play with other kids. There is a HUGE difference in how adults react to things that happen on the playground between boys and girls. Girls get doted on and "saved" a lot more than boys.
When my niece falls or takes a tumble I wait before I go over to her. I wait for a couple things. Is she crying? Has she called me? Does she look hurt? My sister does the same. Nine out of 10 times there's no reason to run over there in a panic. It's just a tumble, all kids take them.
Guess what? It's making for a really independent kid who likes to try things. When she falls off the bike she dusts herself off and gets right back on and gives it another go. She's not even 3 and she's all try, try again with no prompting. She never gets pushed around or pressured by the older kids, she stands her ground, smiles and says "no" or "share". When there is crying if over quickly, a hug and a little reassurance and she's ready for more. She doesn't mope and she doesn't demand to go home. She also forgives quickly and wants to play again.
Then I watch the other style of kid rearing and the results. Those mothers that can break the 4 minute mile for every spill their kids takes. Most of the time the poor girl isn't even crying until they see panicked mom running at them half hysterical. Seriously, someone making that face coming at me at mach 2, I'd cry and wet myself too and I'm 35.
These girls start to cry for anything that doesn't go their way. Fall off the bike? Cry for 20 minutes and then they don't want to get back on. It's really learning that failure and fear go hand in hand. They end up not wanting to try anything without cajoling or prompting. They're also the first ones to start excluding others and forming those cliques that all women remember from school. When something happens that they don't like the first thing you hear is a demand to go home.
I'm convinced these girls grow up to be the whiny, PC feminists that always presume to speak for me and mostly just really piss me off. I can see it happening almost like a photo progression. All the strength, defiance, curiosity and joy melting from their faces. They take on this weird aura of victim-hood, they're just waiting for the next bad thing to happen to them for being cursed and born female. It's really sad.
Then I look at my niece who's already trying to walk up the slide instead of the ladder, refuses to be fooled when she knows she's right and wants to play with anyone willing to play with her. People comment a lot on how she's always smiling, always happy and always willing to try anything with a boldness that astonishes. I want to tell them it's because we didn't suck all the self confidence out of her by treating her like some delicate flower. I'm afraid that one they'd be insulted and two they might think I'm nuts.
It's like learning to swim, some people need water wings and floats some people just say screw it and jump in the deep end. I'm glad I, like my sisters, was raised the latter. I'm THRILLED my niece is coming along nicely.
Week 3
Week 4 
