By Roger Dobson
Sunday, 25 March 2007


Since before Germaine Greer published The Female Eunuch in 1970, and even before Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, campaigners have fought for sexual equality, convinced it is the key to a better society. Now researchers have discovered that gender equality may make people unwell.


Researchers in Sweden, arguably one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, have found that equality could be associated with poorer health for both men and women.

In the study, published in Social Science and Medicine, the researchers compared data from all of Sweden's 290 municipalities. They used nine indicators of equality in both the private and public sectors, ranging from the proportion of men and women in management jobs to average income. These were related to local life expectancy, disability and absence from work through illness.

The results showed a strong link between gender equality and levels of sickness and disability for both men and women. One of the findings was that equal financial resources between the sexes was associated with higher levels of sickness and disability.

For both sexes, gender equality in managerial positions was associated with lower life expectancy.

The scientists said possible explanations for the correlation is that men's health may be adversely affected by a loss of what had been seen as traditional male privileges. Women's health, meanwhile, could be being damaged by greater opportunities for risky behaviour as a result of increased income, along with stress from longer working hours.

Another suggestion was that gender equality has not yet been fully achieved, and that the effects being seen are just transitional.

Anastasia de Waal, head of family policy at the think-tank Civitas, urged caution in interpreting the findings: "The danger is that the data will be interpreted as a warning against shaking up divisions of labour. In fact what Sweden needs is complete gender equality with, for example, men entering the private sphere to the extent that women have entered the public.''

This "research" is utter garbage!!! Do you want me to post all the MANY things that male dominated societies do to endanger (and kill!) women?

I think a little bit of "transitional" stress is NOTHING compared to that!

I would very much like to see what these "nine indicators" were that were used to establish their findings. Stress is increasing in all our lives! I could take the same data and say "does eating meat cause stress" or "does watching television cause stress" and "prove" both things from exactly the same data!!!

If the Swedes had carried out the same research just after the American Civil War in the US, they would have found similar "stress" and "ill health" caused by both black and white people working at the same level, earning the same money and stress caused by white people being unable to accept black people in management positions!

(And I am sure some white people are STILL stressed about it! )

It is always debatable that "research is fact" Qdemir, as you well know. Even if your research is fact, then it IS a necessary transition that MUST happen. Do you not agree?

What is YOUR opinion on this? Do you think we should give women less rights because men find it too stressful and the women who hold those management jobs find it stressful because they are constantly having to battle against sexist men?

You have still not given me your opinion of this survey and your conclusions.

Do you think we should be less equal? That we should have less rights, be paid less, be covered from head to toe, be beaten, be flogged, have mercy killings, be stoned....????

As for my opinion; do you demand to have equal rights with men, or to be equal to men? A large number of women don't simply know the difference, and are fighting for the latter. I am for the former.

Hurry up and reply I am late to go out !

This is ridiculous now because you are talking about extremes. I am talking about basic human rights.

Would you ask the question of a native African in an apartheid town ... "are you demanding equal rights" or to be "equal to whites"?

It is the same thing Qdemir. Anyway, I have to go now, but it is nice to see you posting here again

It is also interesting that you title this using the word "feminisim" and not "equality".

It implies that it is a silly cultish extreme.

Maybe, its a simple fact that a woman gets pissed off when a man tells her that women should not have the same rights as men

Im not referring to you Qdemir, but more as a whole. Unfortunately theres many men who think that BECAUSE men and women are not equal, they also dont DESERVE the same RIGHTS.

Maybe it is also a simple fact that it is impossible to disagree with people here without them trying to analyse your personality!!!

It seems I am forced to only argue with Alpha now as he is the only one I can both disgree with without insults and also have a laugh about it afterwards!!

(Actually I can add Canli as well )

In fact, it is a briliant idea. Why don't I myself get it.

I could sell it to you. People make a great deal of money out of this business.

Do you think FOUR AEnigmaS have sent over 10.000 posts in total? You are by far the champ, AEnigma.

qdemir... has it been 29 days yet? it's good you put a time limit so that you don't have to embarass yourself by returning I was actually wondering if you'd ask to be deleted.. because it would be interesting what your new nickname would be - we would be qdeemir? qqdemir? Qdemir? qDemir? or just undercover alfa? :-S
nice article by the way, I'm so sorry to see that your health is so fragile at the moment but let me break it to you - better deal with it, things are not going to change.
QD, as a word of consolation I'll share with you that you're not the only dinosaur on the planet.

Ladies please! Isn’t it obvious to you that qdemir is just looking out for OUR best interest by posting this article? I’m sure his efforts were noble. What a wonderful man to look after women’s health! I am moved to tears.
Clearly, we would never know how our efforts for equality impact our lives without this research study to tell us so and I am grateful that a strong man would find the time to locate this study for us.






Now, let’s move forward to te 21st century!
Other than the fact that we don’t know how many people actually took part in this study, what age ranges were included, and what other outside influences were considered, there is one key element that is missing……..who sponsored this research? I think we all know that many research studies are skewed by the sponsors/researchers themselves.
I’m quite happy to be stressed and have increased income that may result in risky behavior…..whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean!
Would I trade the stress and income for a life where all my decisions were made for me? Not in a million years!
Oh, and let’s not forget. tomorrow there will be a new research study that gives us “facts” showing exactly the opposite of this study.
I think I will wait for tomorrow before giving up everything I have worked so hard for!!!

i suppose the researches we carried out by alameda and peacetrain under the guidance of qdemir.
we now know why qdemir had a 30days leave for such serious research to supervise our intellectual and educating girls pockets full of wise advises from under liberating hijabs.

long live liberating hijabs in turkia. my congratulations to islamists!

Femme i missed you

I won't reply catwoman, not in her way, to say the least.

I have realized the de facto rule on TC, which is:


Everyone is equal, but catwoman is MORE equal than the others.