Dispelling popular misconceptions about individuals known as women

Dispelling popular misconceptions about women

Photo: Dispelling popular misconceptions about individuals known as women

Writing about political correctness is quite a challenge if you live in a society that has yet to define the meaning of the term. An author’s views on one group of people or another are likely to be criticized by members of the former or the latter, those who find the judgments unsubstantiated, biased or offensive i.e. politically incorrect.

It should be noted that human society has a large proportion of persons otherwise referred to as women. A variety of politically incorrect clichés and derogatory remarks is still very much in use in today’s society for characterizing women. We have specifically mentioned the fair sex since a plethora of pejorative generalizations tends to concern the issue of gender with regard to womankind.

1. Pretty woman usually lacks intelligence

This politically incorrect remark is not backed up by any scientific proof whatsoever, and therefore can be categorized as being one of those homemade expressions of comfort used by alternatively attractive members of either sex.

Used to disguise: An understandable desire to devalue somebody else’s merits

Tips for the humiliated and the insulted: Depending on a mood you are in at the moment; choose one or the other manners of behaving. Flash a smile and admit being irretrievably stupid. Alternatively, you can call yourself an underachiever while asking for a piece of advice, something that would make a highbrow rack his brains. For instance, you can ask for the gist of corpuscular theory. You may as well ask him whether the Greek word pyrrhiche actually derives from Pyrrhichus.

2. Women are greedy; they tend to mate with men who have money and status 

Truth is miles away for those who advocate this assertion. About 1,500 people in 25 regions of this country took part in a survey conducted by the Russian Federal Center for the Study of Public Opinion in 2001. The respondents were asked the question: “What love is all about?” A mere 1 percent insisted that “love is hand in glove with money.”

Used to disguise: An attempt to turn a blind eye to one’s character flaws while reaching the conclusion: a thin wallet is the reason why all the relationships have invariably ended in failure.

Tips for the humiliated and the insulted: Try and quote from the modern Russian writer Sergey Dovlatov: “Women are not turned on by money. They are not turned on by cars or jewels. They are not turned on by restaurants, designer clothes, authority, wealth or elegance either. They are turned on by the power that made a man wealthy and elegant. Some men are endowed with this power, whereas others are devoid of it.”

3. Women are lousy drivers and a threat on the road

First off, any driver can pose a threat to both drivers and pedestrians in case he or she skipped proper driving lessons and/or bought a driver’s license from some corrupt traffic police officer. Austrian researchers claim that “compared to men, female drivers behave more responsibly on the road; fewer woman drivers break the speed limit, and they use seat belts more often then men do.” Studies show that female drivers are less accident prone in terms of serious traffic accidents.

Used to disguise:One’s feelings of anger and annoyance over the fact that women lay claim to the activities that are normally deemed “men’s work.” In the meantime, female drivers are advised to show more caution and concentration when driving. For Christ’s sake, do not turn to the right if you flash your left blinker.

4. Women are not supposed to do men’s work

The statement stems from certain misconceptions held by some who tend to see women as being inferior to men in terms of intellect. Those people apparently believe that a woman is incapable of making a conscious effort on her own to decide whether she is good enough to become a plumber, a kick boxer, a steamroller driver or a prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Used to disguise: you name it. Despite the emergence of political correctness and the proclamation of equal rights, we should not close our eyes to the fact that some men still believe they are responsible for life and well-being of women.

Tips for the humiliated and the insulted: Use your mind and female intuition to deal with bits and pieces underlying the foundation of the remark.

5. You’d better stick to what you are made for: cleaning, cooking, rearing children

Some radical idealists at times demand that members of the opposite sex behave in line with the above statement, which basically determines the ways in which females are viewed – in the domestic realm. It is your duty to make an effort and show tolerance even if feel like flipping your lid every time he raises the issue.

Used to disguise: low self-esteem of a man that can hardly make enough money to support his wife (an undemanding creature who is happy to walk barefoot around a dingy little kitchen), not mention a child.

Tips for the humiliated and insulted: Apologize to him for being not in a position to walk happily barefoot and bear a child to a person whose attitude to life is rather complicated yet deserves praise. Wish him a speedy reunion with his ideal.

6. It’s clear she slept with lots of men to get to the top

Some men like to put their guesswork into words by using the above phrase when they see an attractive woman who made a career in one field or another. A silence often follows the comment as if to help the ugly truth sink in.

Used to disguise: Feelings of envy coupled with an urge to justify a lack of success in professional realms by citing one’s moral principles as a plausible excuse. On the other hands, it is an open secret that some brainless bimbos can really end up on the cover of a glossy magazine after going to bed with a movie producer, managing editor etc.

Tips for the humiliated and the insulted: Once a self-righteous person puts a label on you, do not try to change his mind, especially if he flew into a fury and may suffer a stroke as a result. You may as well tell him that it is, alas, sad but true: you had to sleep with every member of the Board of Directors to become an executive officer but it was worth it. In case you talk to a person who can be part of a dialogue, tell him to refrain from generalizing and consider every case individually.

Medportal

Translated by Guerman Grachev
Pravda.ru