"Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus"

“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” Thus proclaims Gloria Steinem, an American writer and activist who is also recognized as a prominent figure in women's rights movement. Steinem’s one-line quotation has captured the essence of the plight of many women in the past decades. Those decades have seen a major revolution on the part of women. The gender which has, since time immemorial, been treated second-rate has finally seemed to have awakened. Women have emerged more empowered now more than ever to demand for equal treatment and for the protection and provision of their collective rights.

This sweeping change is proof of the increasingly modern views and enlightened philosophies of the 21st century. The fresh way of treating women and the states’ provision of their various bids has led to a seemingly freer society. We are witnesses as to how society is increasingly being governed by female leaders and being commanded by female professionals.

As this women’s rights movement progresses, societies are led to appear fairer, more just. On one hand, however, societies also seem to be losing something. In its bid to exhibit equality between the sexes, society is geared toward losing its heterogeneity. This happens as the numerous well-established differences between men and women are steadily being crushed by the waves of modern thinking. To discuss some of these gradually dissolving differences, how they are portrayed, and what their consequences are is the purpose of this paper.

Thomas Bätzler listed in his Internet homepage (http://baetzler.de/humor/differences_men_women.html) differences which he had observed between the two sexes. First, Bätzler notes that men do not call a relationship what it is. "That time when me and Suzie was doing it on a semi-regular basis" was the alleged assertion of most men. After a breakup, a woman weeps and cries her eyes out to her girlfriends. She throws his gifts away, tears his letters, and erases his electronic messages. Then she moves on. A man has more trouble forgetting and getting on. He calls back his ex after some months to express undiluted hate, and then before hanging up, indicates his willingness to reconcile. In addition, Bätzler points out that women’s favorite movie scene is in "Gone with the Wind", when Clark Gable kisses Vivien Leigh for the first time. Men’s favorite, on the other hand, is the scene in "Public Enemy" when Jimmy Cagney thrusts a grapefruit in Mae Clark's face.

While in and even without a relationship, women are generally more romantic than men. While in a relationship, the man seems less serious than the woman; yet after a breakup, he seems more ill-equipped to give up what have been. This difference often leads to problematic relationships and confused partners. A man usually takes the relationship for granted, which gradually leads to the breakup. When it is the end, the man is stunned and realizes the relationship’s worth, but it is often too late, as the woman has moved on.

This is related to another observation of Bätzler. He observes that women mature faster than men. “Most 17-year-old males are still trading baseball cards and giving each other wedgies after gym class.” This is the reason why “high school romances rarely work”.

In writing, men “just chicken scratches”. Bätzler contrasts how women “use ridiculously large loops [in the letters]”, “use scented, colored [stationeries]”, and “even when she's dumping you… put a smiley face at the end of the note.” A man is contended to have “at most six items in his bathroom - a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn”; whereas, a woman can have hundreds. A woman, Bätzler asserts, will dress up before shopping, emptying the garbage, reading a book, getting the mail. He adds that weddings and funerals are the only occasion men dress.

All these observations show that women are more conscious of their appearance. They spend much time in making themselves look good. As a result, men find it hard to resist their allure. In the negative side, men sometimes accuse women of being ridiculously vain. The overemphasis of women on looks also compromises their tasks. Time which could have been spent on achieving goals is used up in prettifying oneself; thus, in the long run, women are not able to maximize their potentials. Society’s expectation that every woman must look neat and tidy all the time—even under stress—further aggravates women’s dilemma.

Bätzler further emphasized the disparity by surveying the way men and women use the telephone. For a man, it is simply a tool for communication, one in which he could call the pizza parlor for a delivery, or inform his friend about a big soccer match. It is much different for a woman. Meanwhile, Bätzler observes, “A woman can visit her girlfriend for two weeks, and upon returning home, she will call the same friend and they will talk for three hours.”

This dissimilarity is not only about telephone use; it is about how the two communicate. Men are generally more frank and prefer short talks, while women hog the telephone for hours. A man could relay a message in ten seconds, while a woman might take minutes to convey the same message. A woman often sugarcoats her words; a man doesn’t care if he sounds impudent, as long as his point comes across—in the shortest possible time. In effect, men usually see women as phonies, because women seem ingenuine just to maintain good relations. Women, on the other hand, find men inconsiderate and insensitive when bluntly voice out their views.

Michael G. Conner, Psy. D., a clinical and medical psychologist, believes that “It is important to honor and rejoice in both our nature and our individuality.” This would entail not only an understanding of oneself and one’s gender, but an acceptance of the opposite gender’s uniqueness as well.

Bibliography (APA style of citation):
Bätzler, T. (n.d.). The Differences Between Men and Women. Retrieved April 1, 2007,
from Humor on the Internet Web site: http://baetzler.de/humor/differences_men_women.html

Conner, M. (2000). Understanding The Difference Between Men And Women. Retrieved
April 1, 2007, from Oregon Counseling Web site: http://www.oregoncounseling.org/ArticlesPapers/Documents/DifferencesMenWomen.htm

Steinem, Gloria. (2005). Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2005 [CD-ROM].
Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation.