Are We Born Equal?

Equality – what is it and do we have it?

In my opinion equality is the state of being equal; equal in status, rights, and opportunities.

Therefore I now ask, are we born equal?

My answer is a resounding no, we are not.

Why not, well; what are the significant factors relating to how we view or obtain equality? How do we decide whether there is a lack of equality in life and understand why it is lacking?

Money, background, status and connections are often what matters most and contributes to making you equal or unequal in life. These things, or lack of them, are often why we are treated as we are treated, differently.

This hegemony upon equality begets a dangerous attitude, because it makes any country stagnant. Therefore how can this promote equality?

Equality could after all be freedom. It could change everything.

Yet, in most countries it is almost as though to to be granted the key to equality, you have to suffer from cloned genes syndrome! Let me explain; it is same old type of person, and, actually the same old type of gene pool being rewarded with equality because of who they are, their background and so on (‘the old boys network’).

I therefore ask; how can anything change in the world of equality???

How can equality be granted to all when it is the same type of people who are always gaining power, and are always in charge of the world (and therefore decide who receives equality)?

These gatekeepers of equality have far too much to lose to actually want to change a thing, and make the world more equality driven.

I therefore feel nothing has really changed; it might as well still be like it was centuries ago when only the landed gentry had suffrage, as they are the ones who are really still in charge! They are the ones who can only really achieve equality in their life.

Anyway, I digress!!!

Other points to consider in the born equal argument is the fact that not everyone is lucky enough to grow up in a nurturing environment. Couple that with impoverished living, abusive families, or criminal homes, and the odds for equality diminish against a child born into a nurturing, healthy, high-income, loving family in a nice neighbourhood.

If you travel around the world this is inequality is magnified.

Other countries do not have advantages equal to those we take for granted. Our standard of living does not apply to every child born across the world, therefore, equality means nothing.

Equality is fundamentally flawed. We are not born equal and we do not have equal chances to succeed in life either.

What do ‘equal chances’ have to do with equality or success anyway?

Well, I’m not sure it has anything to do with it! We are not all created equal in our ability to achieve success, and therefore taking advantage of equal chances is not always possible. Every person has a unique set of strengths, which can aid in achieving the success they desire. Conversely, each person also has their own unique set of challenges that inhibit them in achieving such success. Therefore, equality has nothing to do with success or lack of it, and equal chances are random things!

I know I am being hard upon equal chance, but by its very definition it is odd.

Chance depends on many factors, which are often out of our hands to control, hence the chance. It is not certain. Therefore equal chances can be partially based upon, or rely upon, the equality of ideals and ideas that people hold about others and about life and so on. This is when equal chance often falls down. Consider the dreaded ethos of ‘not what you know, but who you know in life’ which helps propel you to succeed (I have covered this topic before)!!! Where are the equal chances then??

This ‘who you know vs what you know’ is the inequality of status and of chance. This very notion causes people to become unequal – one person uses their good fortune,equality and chance to help another they can affiliate with (someone who is similar to them in every-way). Therefore, in essence, they are ring-fencing the chance, equality and good fortune of success to the chosen few.

What then can change? Are there any options to make equality apply to everyone?

Perhaps ‘positive discrimination’?

God no! Positive discrimination is akin to ‘pity’ equality. Look at all female quotas (adopted in political elections and so on), which didn’t last and were not sustainable. These were actually a form of discrimination in my view; positive, well for me that is debatable especially as positive discrimination, per se is an oxymoron. If we need such things then obviously discrimination, and the reasons for it have not been addressed or fixed.

I think we need to look far deeper to address the born equal or equality in life, or equal chance myth.

For me we propose and declare equality to try and ease our own disconcerting feelings. Telling people everyone is born equal allows for there to be no need to address inequalities in life. If you deny inequality then you don’t accept people are unequal. Therefore, conveniently it is a persons own fault if they are not equal, and that has nothing to do with the fact they live in a floundering and discriminating society.

 

Individual responsibility – become equal and on your own terms. Yeah, in a society that blatantly makes that an impossible feat, good luck – catch 22 or what!

Equality is a nice theory, but it would be even nicer in practice (when it finally occurs in the world).

Until then, let us not fool ourselves – we are not born equal.

 

Your Fat And You Know It!

Katie Price – Glamour Model

Another celebrity slap down, in the sense of spiteful name calling, the type of which belongs in the playground and to  childhood antics.

This time it is loud mouthed Katie Price on the rampage, yet again.

The ‘much loved’ glamour model v’s the more ‘demure’ Kelly Brook.

Katie slammed Kelly for looking considerably larger than she used to, akin to the size of a ‘heffer’ by all accounts.

This ‘your fat’ statement, didn’t go down too well, especially on that font of all knowledge ‘Twitter’.

Pathetic – I mean really, a grown woman clawing the eyes out of another grown woman. Why, just to be in the media spot light, just because she felt threatened by another women and she had to reclaim her throne as ‘queen bee’.

What can be gained by it??? What motivated it – jealousy?? Probably.

Why would a woman jump on the ‘women hating’ band wagon – there are enough ‘haters’ on that wagon by now! Can’t women have reprieve and actually like one another, themselves and support each other for once; instead of ripping shreds out of each other – like we are all in competition or something, for what exactly??????? Men???????

Ridiculous.

Isn’t there enough negative body image permeating the ‘rags’ that pass as newspapers???

Isn’t there, and hasn’t there been enough; back biting, bitching, positive reinforcement for anorexia, dissolution, low self esteem, self hatred, negative body image and zero confidence amongst women all over the world??????

Aren’t there enough women struggling to accept themselves without Katie Price, or anyone else for that matter, digging other women for being a normal size, and actually naturally beautiful rather than plastic manufactured or starved.

I think Kelly Brook was quite dignified though, regardless of Katie’s petulance towards her. Miss Brook said it well; Katie’s attitude and behaviour was “unladylike” – and so it was, and also peevish, petty, spiteful, jealous, hateful, crazed – and the list goes on and on!!!

So why in this day and age – the 21st century, are women still being restrained by a corset, which is in reality society. The laces, hooks and eyes in that corset are all the expectations, self imposed ideals, objectifications, judgements, negativity. prejudices and so on and so on. Women are still binding themselves up with this ‘feminine’ concept; this ideal of what a women is or isn’t, should or shouldn’t be; but the goal posts always change.

Women want equality or to be accepted as they are, and yet they cannot accept themselves, they cannot cut themselves some slack. It seems to me this is biggest contradiction that remains!!!!!

So, with February the 14th looming – no not Valentines’ Day, but the campaign ‘1 Billion Rising’; how can women stand up and be counted and protest against hatred, violences and so so????? When women are their own worst enemies, and do damage to themselves everyday by providing the ammunition for others to use against them??????????????

OPINIONS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WANT TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC :

Women ‘hating’ on each other – what can this prove, what can this solve???????????????

Does such antics cause self loathing in other women??????????  

Are the media encouraging the perpetuation of negativity for women to indulge in????????? 

Are women in competition with one another; do women see other women as a threat?????????

Are women their own worst enemies?????????????????

Is it a case of a male dominated society controlling women’s minds???????????

Are men to blame???????????

Do men want to see a certain ‘brand’ of women only???????????? 

State YOUR piece – tell me YOUR thoughts…………………….

‘Ageism’ He Says……..

The one and only John McCririck.

Funny how when the tables are turned on Channel 4 Horse Racing pundit John McCririck he suddenly screams discrimination!

This from the chap who outwardly admits his derision for women! Viewing them as mere tools to be used by the greater and more powerful men in the world, himself included (or deluded)!

This cry of unfair dismissal was raised when the 72 year old was told by CH4 that they no longer required his ‘unique’ presenting skills. They have decided to reboot their programming, and Mr McCririck was not going to be part of it.

Mr McCririck then claimed it was his age, CH4 were being discriminatory against him. Perhaps CH4 had merely had enough of his ridiculous antics, not to mention the constant complaints from his female colleagues regarding his sexism!

Regardless, McCririck is determined to take this to court.

Seems that now he is on the receiving end of something he deems unfair, he has transformed himself it this paragon of virtue, this crusader of rights (as long as they don’t include women’s rights of course).

This screams sour grapes on McCririck part. It is a deed being done for his own wallet, not to highlight or prevent work place discrimination. John McCririck maybe many things, but an advocate of fairness and equality he is not, nor ever has he been! Just ask his long suffering servant, I mean his wife!

So, it seems that after years of hating women and treating them like dirt, he is finally reaping what he has sown. Albeit, in his own head, not in reality. Yet, even if CH4 were ageist they would be in good company; McCririck has disregarded discrimination laws and in fact advocated discrimination for many years. So, how can he now claim to be suffering at the hands of something he once heralded as a good thing?

I cannot keep a straight face over his absolute gall! I’m not sure how anyone listening to or partaking in these following court proceedings will either.

Lets just hope he gets an all woman jury! Fingers crossed, though I know that will be an outsider chance to beat any odds McCririck has ever given during his time as racing pundit!

My Dress Is Not A Yes

The Slutwalk

‘My dress is not a yes’!! Chanted the thousands at London’s Slutwalk. What is a Slutwalk, well, they are demonstrations to reclaim the word slut to prevent it being used against women as a derogatory term, and female reaction over how some idiots from the male of the species treat them.

What sparked this new wave of female demonstrations? A comment made by a Canadian police officer during a health and safety talk to students; ‘Avoid dressing like sluts’ he told them, and this will supposedly be enough to prevent victimisation and rape.

Since this one comment thousands of women across the globe have taken to the streets outraged that; women wearing skimpy clothing = the right for men to abuse them.

It is quite strange that in today’s society where women are bombarded with images of sex and sexy from every media outlet available, that when they then succumb to what the media peddle, the world soon retaliates against them.

I thought sex and sexy was not to be questioned by people. I thought these images weren’t classed as offensive or shocking now?! Aren’t half naked women the norm for our society?

Well, apparently these images of female ‘sexuality’ can be criticised, but only when it is convenient to excuse a heinous act of vile violence that a man perpetrates; rape. Women wearing skimpy outfits then quickly become a target, their clothing magically converted into some green light for wannabe rapists. After all if a woman dresses for sex, she must want sex, lots of it and from any ‘Tom, Dick, or Harry’. WRONG!

Yet, a woman dresses sexy or provocatively to attract male attention, and entice sexual desire; surely that cannot be denied, otherwise why else reveal more flesh? Not necessarily so. Women are notorious for dressing to impress other women actually; and no not because they are lesbians, but because they want other women to envy what they are wearing or how they look.

So, when some men see a woman out and about, and these men feel inclined to make a sweeping generalisation that ‘she has to be looking for sex’ or by wearing that oh so tight dress ‘she is asking for it’; consider this, that is your assumption based on faulty logic produced by your testes.

That idea of a woman and what she wants are stereotypes built up in those men’s minds, therefore not based on truth or fact. Rape should not be the by product of any woman’s wardrobe choice; that act has no justification, regardless of how short a woman wears her skirt.

Truth is a woman should be able to walk around naked if she chose to and never fear being raped by some men who cannot control their own mind or bodies. Question; if these men can’t control their own mind or bodies then why are they being allowed to wander the streets alone, without supervision?

Yet there will always be some men who will always argue that if a woman wears such and such, and goes out to a club, and is out after a certain time at night, and flirts and drinks alcohol and goes against her nature by wanting lots of sex with many different men; well, then that woman cannot expect anything less than being raped.

Yet this notion is a double standard based on bigotry and chauvinism. In society women are supposed to be sexually liberated, available and willing, yet, if they are then they are sluts, they deserve to be raped. Women may lust after men, have sex, want sex and enjoy sex, they might not want babies or marriage and maybe they drink more than a small Sherry at Christmas, but rape is still rape!

Maybe it is the skewed version of society branded and sold so well by the media, marketing and advertising executives to blame. After all men and women live in a world dominated by sexualised imagery, which are meant to entice, inspire, motivate and of course brain wash us all.

So, within the real world there also exists a make believe fantasy version where images of submissive, permissive, eager to please and sexually in need women permeate through to us all. These images included the naked, half naked and dressed sexily. Surely then these images (man made too usually) are the visions of lust that fuel some men’s minds and beliefs about women, women’s roles and what women want? Especially when women are then encouraged to emulate these false images too.

So, it is once again a case for objectification. Some men being manipulated to see women as objects, sex objects, just a body or even part of a body; but never as a person, not real, not human, not someone to identify with who is more than mere sexual parts and desires, more than merely their sex.

Maybe this objectification creates rape?

Or maybe rape is about power, domination and control? It is an attack, someone exerting themselves over another to harm and create submission. Being attacked creates fear, receives a reaction, puts the victim in their place and shows them who is ‘boss’. Is this what rape is?

Rape has no excuse, not one and there is NO negotiation on the word NO. There are no arguments that can OK rape in any society; it is never justified, never.

For me if a person cannot understand the sentiment behind the non-ambiguous, simple enough two lettered word that is NO, then you shouldn’t be even engaging in any type of sexual intimacy These people obviously have missed some fundamental learning process that most of get loud and clear; NO means and always has meant NO, and sex without consent is RAPE!!!!