the effects of society's prejudice against femininity

  • societal attitudes towards the masculine-feminine model
    • Society assumes that in a relationship based on the masculine-feminine model
      • the woman is being taken advantage of
      • the man is a 'control freak', if not abusive
      • the woman is weak or mentally ill
    • In short, society confuses relationships based on the masculine-feminine model with abusive relationships.
  • effects on children
    • children grow up without fathers
  • effects on men
    • men are allowed to be irresponsible
      • they flee the family
      • children grow up without fathers
  • effects on women of society's prejudice against femininity
    • femininity is considered a weakness
    • femininity is considered a sickness
      • see the diagnosis Dependent Personality Disorder in the DSM (the book mental health professionals use to categorize people for insurance purposes)
    • battered women are misunderstood and mistreated
      • professionals who work with battered women tell them that
        • their femininity is a problem
        • they need to change their taste in men
    • feminine women are not given the respect due them