On Marissa Mayer, words, labels, self-identification and group affiliation.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. Equality of opportunity.

1) At which point are we responsible for our outcomes? Boys graduate from high school in smaller numbers, with poorer grades, and are more likely to be medicated for behavioral problems than girls. Does this represent a deficit of opportunity or a deficit of outcomes?

2) What are your thoughts about the lack of men in college? What are your thoughts about the disproportionate number of men who die on the job? The number of men who are incarcerated? The male-only draft? Clearly, these reflect inequalities in our society, right? Feminism is (and in my view should be) silent about these issues. The national organization of Women describes feminism as "equality for women". I think that "equality for men" is an equally valid goal, but I don't expect the NOW to create it.

Let me ask this in another way; are you a feminist because you believe in equality for men, or are you a feminist who ALSO believes in equality for men? If the former, you are in the minority of feminists, making your view irrelevant. If the latter, I think your policy priorities are going to be irreconcilably conflicted. "More scholarships for girls? Yay!, But what about boys? More scholarships for them! Yay!"

I dislike "humanist". How does one effectively advocate for *everything*. I think the optimum situation is population "A" advocating for their interests and population "B" advocating for theirs. The result is a kind of macro-negotiation which eventually reaches an appropriate equilibrium. I don't currently see two parties at this negotiation. I see one party who uses a lot of their energies proactively attacking potential counterparts.