Antheil

It was a jovial and ironically-intended chide to BBM, and not intended in the extraordinarily serious way you have taken it

RT

Well I think that Anty has a point and the most important thing about days like this is that we discuss issues like this. Anty's letting you know how the choice of words that certain members use upsets her. I've also noticed it over time and it also irritates me. The implication that women should be grateful because their man has managed to cook for them one day in the year (and I realise (or at least hope) that that's not what Baz is saying - I see him as a real 'new man' taking it in turns to cook the dinner and iron the shirts but you have to admit that the implication has been there in a lot of these messages) is a bit rich. You may say that this shows a lamentable lack of a sense of humour on both our parts, but I see it as an illustration of how far we have to go, and why International Women's Day is important.
We see our use of language differently and it's not a bad idea to take it out of the closet and give it a good airing sometimes.

Anty - sorry if this isn't what you mean at all!

You are, if I might say so, making a great number of assumptions

• In what way do you extrapolate from what I said that women are supposed to do drudgery-work on 364 other days per year?  What I said was that it would be a nice touch if women received some extra-special attention on March 8th.  YOU might choose to read that as an Abuser's Charter, but I DON'T.
• It takes an exceptionally warped kind of logic to turn acts of special attention and kindness into an accusation of their absence at other times.  This is the logic pattern of: A: "I bought you some flowers" B: "Didn't bloody buy me any yesterday, did ya?"
• If I'd wanted to be tokenist, demeaning or insulting, I'd've done so in the opening message where I congratulated women with International Women's Day
• I don't believe it's within the individual ability of either BBM, Baz or myself to ensure fair and equal rights for women around the world. We can vote for Governments who might implement that, although Governments often lie about their plans anyhow. What we can do, on March 8th, is to extend a special recognition to the achievements of women past, present and future.
• Nor is there any implication that this recognition doesn't continue for the rest of the year.  But I personally think it's a GOOD thing that we have a once-yearly check-up to see how we are doing, and keep it front of mind?   After all, IWD was something started by women themselves,  but perhaps you'd like to bash me up for mentioning it?
• It also takes a particularly unpleasant turn of mind to turn my joke to BBM into an implication that "fetching and carrying" are "women's work".  No such thing was suggested AT ALL and I am insulted and angered that this has been used in this way.
• I think it's shameful, pitiful and pathetic that a thread about recognition for women has turned into a slanging-match of hatred and insults

I am now taking a week's sabbatical from this bloody forum.  I will not be spoken to like that by ANYONE.

Tomorrow I'm going to see my friend Natalya Mikhailovna.  She's a wonderful old lady, in her time a fabulous pianist and accompanist, although she doesn't play in public any more - she's 76.  I made her a cake, and I will get some flowers on the way.   Perhaps someone can tell me what a revolting and chauvinist pig I am for not making her a cake every bloody day? 

I do. But right now at 1.30am I am still waiting on my wife calling me (from Chicago's Nightclub, Coventry) to come pick up her and her friend, take her friend home and then drive home. My good night's sleep may start at about 3.00am    Just alternating my time with TTN and Sky Sports and here 

Well Anty, when I read them, and being a very understanding man, I put it down to 'women's problems'; you know, "time of the year".

[Runs for the shed, desperately grabbing coat on the way.]

Same thing here Mary. At least we are individuals with rights and privileges these days, not just goods and chattels as was once the case (and still seems to be in certain cultures).

It occurred to me a long time ago that the people whom humanity owes most to are generally those least appreciated in comparative terms:

• farmers
• emergency services
• mothers (and fathers)

as opposed to:

• doctors (esp. in private practice, the hippocratic oath includes a promise to "teach these skills at no cost")
• lawyers

Please bear in mind that this is only a personal opinion and is in no way intended to ignite the fuse of a flaming war on the board.