Yet another political poll: Gender and the Presidency

[Greta]

The difference was men seemed to be less effected by emotional responses and women more. Men could make decisions and move on. Women had to "react" to them and try to make everyone happy. These are just my personal observations in the secular world not scientific fact.

 

I think empathy is a good quality in a leader, in a person who is going to be making decisions about who lives and who dies. I will never forget our current President's emotionless reactions to things like initiating a war (in which a million people and counting have died) without just cause and to people dying in New Orleans and his flippant and callous remarks regarding Cindy Sheehan. You know, I think a leader who wants to make people happy would be a refreshing change!

[Erica in PA]

Well now think about what severe stress does to a woman's cycle. It either shuts it down or makes it worse. If ya are that gal that it shuts down great no mood swings but if you are in the other camp, well....... Men usually don't have mood swings and emotional spikes with their allergies and wan't to watch 3 hanky girly movies while devouring boxes of chocolate or other comfort foods but a large amount of females do. Are there some who don't ya. Maggie T did not get the nickname The Iron Lady for nothing. Now think about it do you want the iron lady as momma or if you are a man as your sweetie when the light s go out. So I will up the anty on this and write that I think if a woman wants to climb to power she would be better off doing it when her kids are grown and not married. Golda paid a high price with her marriage for her involovement in gov.

 

Ultimately, though, doesn't following this line of reasoning mean the exclusion of every woman of childbearing age from positions of leadership, simply because you've known a few women who were incapacitated during their monthly cycle? That just seems like quite a leap to me, especially when I personally have not known any women who fit the stereotype you've presented here. All my friends and family seem to carry on just fine with their lives and responsibilities, despite the time of the month.

 

Maybe I just feel a bit insulted, because I feel that I *could* handle positions of leadership despite the fact that I haven't yet reached menopause, and to hear that I would immediately be ruled out in some people's minds simply because of that one fact... not to be overly dramatic, but it feels slightly discriminatory.

 

Erica

[Testimony]

I have seen throughout history that we have had women leaders in India, England, Israel. These were male dominated societies. Yet, they came out on top. Even in the Bible, there was Deborah, the judge of Israel, Phoebe was a church leader, Huldah, the prophetess that the king went to for advise. I have also see some terrific male leaders too.

 

I would have a hard time choosing. I voted to throw a dart.:mellow:

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

:lol::patriot:

[Erica in PA]

You are kind of proving my point, don't you think?

 

Hmm... do I think I am acting emotionally out of control? Lashing out with an emotionally motivated one-liner? No, I don't think I did that. I had a philosophical objection to your post, a post that you acknowledged up front people were going to object to. I tried to share my objection with a careful explanation of my thoughts. I also told you that I believe you have more strengths than you seem to think you do. You, on the other hand, tried to insult me.

 

 

Erica

[JennifersLost]

I really appreciate RebeccaC bringing up her experiences and I think that many women ARE better leaders post 50 just as meny men are. There's a reason that the president of the US is generally someone over 60 - it takes that long to become qualified through experience to hold the position.

 

Having said that - every individual is different. Some women are terrific leaders. Some men are. The more that women are raised with the idea they may someday lead, the more women will rise to the capabilities needed to do so. There are so many women in so many leadership roles throughout our government that I don't feel a woman president is very far off in any case, and she won't be any better or worse than all the men just because of her womb.

 

I believe that any woman (like me) who IS unfavorably affected by her cycles would never be in a position to run for president, anyway. If I got myself somehow into a local political position (the first step), it would only take one emotional outburst, one complete flip-flop, or one bout of hysterical tears to make sure no one would vote for me again, right?

 

So any woman who makes it all the way to receiving her parties nomination for president is going to have proved herself very capable of keeping her head, and making tough decisions.

 

Women and men may have differences, but the qualifications that we ask for in a president are fairly standard. I can't see how a woman could do a worse job than many presidents we have had......

[RebeccaC]

Ultimately, though, doesn't following this line of reasoning mean the exclusion of every woman of childbearing age from positions of leadership, simply because you've known a few women who were incapacitated during their monthly cycle? That just seems like quite a leap to me, especially when I personally have not known any women who fit the stereotype you've presented here. All my friends and family seem to carry on just fine with their lives and responsibilities, despite the time of the month.

 

Maybe I just feel a bit insulted, because I feel that I *could* handle positions of leadership despite the fact that I haven't yet reached menopause, and to hear that I would immediately be ruled out in some people's minds simply because of that one fact... not to be overly dramatic, but it feels slightly discriminatory.

 

Erica

 

Most of the women we both know who do just fine during the low end of their cycle however they do not carry the levels of stress that go with the highest office. High levels of stress affect a woman's cycle whether we want to believe it or not. Most of the women on this board are leaders and do a good job at it but they do not lead with the burden of stress that the highest office demands. Angela Merkel who is doing an excellent job in Germany is carrying the exponential stress that her office demands. She was born in 54 tho and is probably post change.

 

Discrimination is not always a bad thing. Our constitution discriminates by age and holding the highest office. Why because with age comes wisdom, self control, and hopefully patience. We require MDs to be licensed and therefore discriminate against gifted healers who are not licensed. We require all kinds of people to be licensed for all kinds of things and in doing so discriminate against those who do not meet the requirements needed to be licensed. I am sorry that you personally felt discriminated against that was not my intent.

 

My personal view is it is easier for an older woman to carry the stress of the highest office. Could a younger woman do it ya but in my opinion not as easily as an older woman. That is just my opinion, an opinion that may or may not be share by all kinds of people.

[newbie]

Rebecca,

 

:iagree:I like your point about the MD, makes sense. I have met many healers that are much more qualified than MDs.

 

With age comes wisdom.But on the other side of the coin, there are young women who may be able to handle it. You never know. Look at all the homeschooled kids, who work hard and finish school early.

 

Jeannette

[newbie]

Kitty is catching up, Go... Kitty... Go

 

 

Jeannette:auto:

[nmoira]

Well now think about what severe stress does to a woman's cycle. It either shuts it down or makes it worse. If ya are that gal that it shuts down great no mood swings but if you are in the other camp, well.......

I would suggest that people prone to public mood swings, for whatever reason, probably wouldn't have accumulated the kind of experience that could lead to leadership positions to begin with. FWIW, most women I know can maintain appropriate self-control at all points during their cycle, especially those in high stress jobs.

 

If we're going to run with stereotypes, I'd be less inclined to vote for a man because I'd worry he'd be distracted during playoff season. And isn't it always playoff season... seems to be...

 

Men usually don't have mood swings and emotional spikes with their allergies and wan't to watch 3 hanky girly movies while devouring boxes of chocolate or other comfort foods but a large amount of females do. Are there some who don't ya. Maggie T did not get the nickname The Iron Lady for nothing.

Don't you think there's something between these two extremes? Am I an Iron Lady because I can't bear the thought of watching "Steel Magnolias" or "Beaches" and don't have "female troubles?"