"The Hatpin Peril" Terrorized Men Who.......

[Earthnut]

"The Hatpin Peril" Terrorized Men Who Couldn't Handle the 20th-Century Woman

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To protect themselves from unwanted advances, city women protected themselves with some sharp accessories.

By Karen Abbott

smithsonian.com

April 24, 2014

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/hatpin-peril-terrorized-men-who-couldnt-handle-20th-century-woman-180951219/?utm_source=smithsonianhistandarch&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201405-hist

[Libby]

That's fascinating reading.

But, instead of getting the message across to those men that their behaviour was unacceptable, the authorities instead took action against the women.

It's an old story, but one that is sadly still continuing. For example, the abduction of Nigerian schoolgirls from their school; and elsewhere the ban on education for girls.

I have no idea why the education and independence of women seems such a threat.

[seesthru]

I don't either, but the fear is there all the same. Power and control. Many men want that. They can't get it on the job, they can't get it int he marketplace, so if they have pre-set power and control over women, I guess it makes up for what they lack , at least to them. Too bad they can't just grow some real ones an build their own character instead of living in fear of females.

[Libby]

I have read some views that patriarchy came in with the agricultural revolution. Prior to that, men were hunters, which required courage and carried the risk of injury or death, and they were only occasionally successful; while women were the gatherers, and provided a more consistent base-line of calories. There is evidence that where hunter/gatherer groups still exist, there is more equality between the sexes.

What is postulated is that when groups settled into the agricultural pattern, men were left adrift. They no longer spent days or weeks away from the group, tracking down and bringing home the meat, with all the adrenaline rush and the male-bonding necessary. Instead, they had to settle into what might be regarded as a more female pattern of the seasons of the year, rather than the male pattern of the hunt. It could be that male dominance/patriarchy is a consequence of their loss of status as hunters.

It's an intriguing hypothesis, but it does tend to thinking that men are ruled by their hormones (testosterone), just as it's assumed that women are ruled by theirs (oestrogen and progesterone). It is, of course, way more complicated than that.

Nevertheless, the only way forward for this world is that women have access to education, and to contraception and other reproductive health choices. We're pretty much doomed otherwise.

[seesthru]

I know many of the very old civilizations were matriarchal. There were women leaders, women Goddesses, priestesses, women healers, maybe for the reasons you listed! However, men took over, and the religions and the "distinguished" professions suddenly became male only. Maybe the lack of busy-ness made men aggressive and envious.

[Libby]

You could well be right, seesthru. Maybe they missed the excitement, and comaraderie, and strategy of the hunt. Though some men still behave that way, except now we call them CEOs.

[seesthru]

Unfortunately You're right. CeO's Judges, pastors, etc....

[Earthnut]

One thought is the fact that the majority of men are physically stronger then women, therefore they rule. And it doesn't matter what time period they are in, we were considered weak because they were physically strong.

Another thought comes from religion, that even in the marriage ceremony states, "wives, submit to your husbands," without the slightest idea of what the words actually mean. God was speaking to pastors and their churches. The only time the Word of God ever referred to gender, the words "male, female" were used. So, whether you believe in God or not, religion carried the torch into modern times, and literally made matters worse. In ancient Egypt for example, women were equals, they owned land, and as we know, one woman ruled, Cleopatra. It very well could be male hormones wanting to take over, but a good, wise woman will always be in control, and most of the time the man is unaware. Men usually have tunnel vision, whereas women see the entire picture, and today, we are standing up and proving we are equal, which has taken many years of sacrifice by many. The battle still rages between the sexes, but I truly believe that we will be victorious and finally given the respect we have earned and I feel deserve.

There's an old saying ~ "Behind every great man there's a great woman," origin unknown, but I like it. However, to lighten things up a bit, the women's movement in the 60s and 70s created a new slogan, "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." LOL

[seesthru]

Hey... not to scare any men, but if women killed off every male on the planet, we'd still be okay. Sperm banks! If men killed off every woman on the planet, the species would die out.

[Libby]

Oh, no, let's not kill off the men. Most men are caring and interesting people, and we have good examples who are members here. Given the slow maturation of the human brain, men are important as supporters and providers and also as role-models.

Anyway, if I may be forgiven for being self-centred, I'd need at least one man to rescue me from the evil that is the sp*der.

I have to confess that I do that thing: I see the evil, I rush to my husband, possibly hyperventilating, uttering the dreaded word, accompanied by pointing gestures that only rivals aircraft cabin crew safety instructions for accuracy of direction. Husband sighs, rescues me rescues the sp*der and deposits it back into the natural world where it belongs.

Although I like to think of myself as a modern, sophisticated, independently-thinking woman, sometimes it does go back to ancient times, and who kills the monster.