The End of Men

     While reading her article and listening to her Ted Talk, I do not know if I buy into Hanna Rosin's entire message. In the very first sentences of her work, she questions whether "equality isn't the end point?" I believe this then sets up her message that over the last couples years and for the years to come, women will not even need men and that men will soon become the inferior sex. This is contradicts this entire movement where women have stressed equality. We just want a place at the table. I would like to think that I speak for most of the female population that we do not wish to eradicate men. We simply wish to be seen as equals.

     I love knowing that more and more women are attending college; however, I did not like the reasoning Rosin gave during her Ted Talk. She discussed that women are exceling more in school than men, especially young girls in secondary school and high school. She explained that perhaps it is because students are asked to remain quiet and seated, actions that boys lack self control in because they are perceived as more hyperactive. I find this reasoning feeds into the notion that "boys will be boys," and that this only creates illogical excuses and undermines the actual achievements of women. Could it be their male privilege that has caused this behavior? I do believe that women across all ages have more to prove in any academic or career setting. We are seen as less intelligent then men, and so we have to study harder and prepare more in order to ever be on the same playing field. A woman majoring in engineering is sadly seen as an anomaly and there will be people who question her capabilities while a man will never be second guessed. Men have had this privilege of just being seen as superior, so perhaps they believe that can just go through the motions and still get to the same place.

      While Rosin can talk about how women have tipped the scale and now there is a higher percentage of women in the work force then men, she only briefly addresses the wage gap. If women are becoming so "bad ass," where they are amounting to greater positions of power, why are they still being paid less than men? If studies show that women in senior management promotes innovation where "firms perform better," why are they not being paid the same as men or more? I find that Rosin's argument was very analytical, and thus this is why she remained fixated on the numbers. Numbers, however, are not everything. Her argument, I believe, fails to highlight the major social problems that still accompany women in the work force. Yes, women are finally amounting to high leadership positions, but they are still stigmatized as being "aggressive" or "bossy" while the same is not true for men. Women are still not entirely valued for their brains, and society has proven this time and time again.

     Mr. Ogden gave the example that most of the people he answers to are women. While I in no way want to undermine Mrs. Gold's achievements, his example headed towards an already sexist stereotype where women tend to gravitate to the humanities such as English and History where both there are female department heads. The opposite is then true where men head the math and science departments. On top of that, Govs has not seen a female head of school, and I think it is about time we do. Mr. Ogden then shared the dynamic in his family where his wife is the "head of the house," and he actually assumes most of the domestic duties. I find this in no way relates to the dynamic in my house. Both my parents grew up in Colombia where the macho stereotype pervaded their everyday living where the man is the head of the house who is the breadwinner, makes the final decisions, and participates in none of the domestic jobs. This has sort of been my reality too. Both my parents work, yet my mom is still the one to cook and clean. I have never really seen my dad cook. There are multiple times where this macho mindset has really bothered me. My dad will not eat if his food is not served right in front of him; he would rather starve. My sisters and I are then obligated to serve him when my mom is not around. He does not do any laundry nor has he ever helped clean up around the house. My mother, however, is open sometimes about how she is tired of this dynamic, yet this is how she too was raised. I personally know that this will NOT be my situation when I am older and married with children,.