Chauvinists Earning More?

I have just learned about a research conducted by University of Florida. See the final findings
‘Men in the study who said they had more traditional views of gender roles made an average of about $8,500 more annually than those who had less traditional attitudes controlling for job complexity, number of hours worked and education level.
Delightful.
The situation for women was reversed. More traditional views on gender correlated with decreased earnings — about $1,500 a year less.’
Why am I not surprised? No, seriously, I am not being cynical here!

What I really would like to see though is a study, like this one, showing stats on male and female passion bloggers/web 2.0 bloggers against commercial bloggers. I would be interested in the results.

Sworn Virgin

Pic by DAN BILEFSKY, published here.
I am amazed by few things. Photos, blogs linking to it but first of all by the brilliant tradition of sworn virgins - society lacking men allows women to step into their roles! I swear to never have sex again, so I can have a gun and sit next to men at the wedding. My social sexuality is so well established that I make other women shy!
I must admit I am impressed. It's much better than to be a nun...
Sorry, I do not want to be sarcastic, NOT AT ALL! It really is more practical, and follows the same commitment, doesn't?

I was searching Twitter for feminist users tonight to find a few links - simply because nowadays I think about gender roles in the UK, Hungary, Poland. (for those who do not know me, I do not consider myself a feminist, but...living in the UK is easier than in Hungary for a woman - that is where my thinking comes from).
Hungary is a bizarre place - women cook, raise kids, work, men - work; nonetheless it's women who control the family life...women who historically have been obsessively independent - first kind appointed a woman (St. Mary) to be eternal queen of the country; Hungarian queen had her own residential town, library, her signature on state correspondence! Men were out fighting wars, she was raising next generations. Today men are dependent, women lack independent men (sorry, very shallow, and harshly general conclusion!) Hungarian feminists are sophisticated and scary.
Poland? I have no idea anymore. I know that with my experience of domestic abuse in my homeland I would be stygmatised, my son too. For some reason even my family assumes I have gone back to my maiden name - 'as if nothing had happened'! - which almost angers me.
UK? High rate of 30 year old males committing suicide...makes me wonder: would I like to be born a man in this country? I am more than happy to be a woman, but if I were to reverse my own experience...no, I would not. Polish feminist are activists.
I cannot see clearly what is the male model in the UK - I have not lived here long enough - but I can see already that being polite to women does not pay off: they get offended if I want to help them carrying their heavy bags or let the older ones on the bus! UK feminists seem to move towards girl power, but I do not like the stereotype of the British girl, so...

Me - as happy as I am - still miss male male model - and I think I will continue searching and appreciating those who sometimes want to take over the lead - just for a while, just to feel more useful, more masculine.

See, again...I am confident I am strong enough to let the man make his choices, to compromise. And I do have the choice. It's sad to think some women in other regions of the world do not:/

Good to browse a bit to learn more - I assume those things do not happen - if I do not read about it, I think it doesn't exist, blondie...

(shit, no matter how I tried, it all came down quite feminist, not that I care:P)

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Amnesty for Women

'

Human Rights for China

Demand justice for the Tiananmen Mothers
Demonstrate on the 19th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Crackdown

When: Wednesday June 4 2008, 6-7pm
Where: Chinese Embassy, 49-51 Portland Place, W1B 1JL London
Nearest Tubes: Regents Park & Great Portland Street

Human rights defenders, activists and ordinary people in China are increasingly being repressed in order to ensure that they are silenced before the Olympic Games begin in Beijing - people like the Tiananmen Mothers. The Tiananmen Mothers are a group of around 130 human rights defenders whose relatives were killed or injured during the military crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy movement in China.

On the 19th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown we are saying we will not be silenced - we will speak up because we want human rights for China. Visible public action is crucial now to create international pressure on the Chinese authorities.

What you can do
Please join us and bring a rose to take part in the solidarity action. Visit the Amnesty UK website for further details, as well as information on how to make a flag or headband to bring to the demo. Speakers will include Kate Allen, Director - Amnesty International UK; Wei Jingsheng - Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition; and Ze Xia - Director - Friends of Tiananmen Mothers in the UK.

Demonstrations are also planned in Edinburgh and Belfast; visit www.amnesty.org.uk/china for more information about the campaign.

Activism Hotline: 020 7033 1675
Email: activism@amnesty.org.uk'

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Feminists and flowers

There is something metaphysical in receiving flowers from men...yesterday morning I had to leave my boyfriend on his own in my flat and head off to work (horrible, horrible feeling no matter how self-motivated I am to study social media:P) and when I came back home I found bunch of white flowers in my favorite vase! The same type that proved to stay alive for 5 weeks last time I bought them myself!!!
It is an inter-textual gesture and unspoken joy to see that someone can make the effort and do something so nice!
It is an old truth that women and flowers belong to each other. I even believe than humans in general do not appreciate the beauty and power of flowers. They carry symbolic meanings. They are honestly proud of their beauty. They live quite short lives just to make ours friendlier...
I cannot help but be surprised by this gesture...and I find it rather sad. We do not give, not receive flowers. And if we do, it must be justify and tight down to prescribed procedures...why?
Believe me - give a flower to your friend, you lady, your husband  - and you will receive a smile worth millions and you will see the type off happiness (even if just for one second) which brakes walls and lifts you up...

I am happy to be honored with one of those white and outstanding wonders of nature in my little living room.

Thank you, J.

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And on a less serious note...shopping!

I cannot believe I did it, but well, too late now. Due to the fact I was stuck at home for three days now I had to much time to browse and look for shoes (my discreet hobby). So, ladies and gentlemen, two years after the arrival to this country I got those:

Not one, two...and I am still not sure if I will wear them, but I love the design.

No more sitting in front of my pc and thinking about shopping, done enough for this month!
Which reminds me - I have received the ordered first copy of Photoicon, the only digestible Photo magazine in the UK.

..the only place where I have seen all the current crucial exhibitions mentioned, together with  Mediastorm. Good stuff, pity that it's a quarterly..

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