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 #2 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:08 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| I'm sure they were not thinking about this woman. :lol: |
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Molly
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| #3 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:43 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| It's because in that usage "fair" means "not coarse", "not rough". Women in the English-speaking world used to be more genteel than men. |
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Jamie (K)
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| #4 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:46 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| Quote: |
| Women in the English-speaking world used to be more genteel than men. |
You believe that? I think Cervantes wasn't aware of what he'd started. |
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Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
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| #5 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:57 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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Some think we still are:
| Quote: |
Numerous behavioral studies have found women to be more trust-worthy and
public-spirited than men. These results suggest that women should be
particularly effective in promoting honest government. Consistent with this
hypothesis, we find that the greater the representation of women in parliament,
the lower the level of corruption. We find this association in a large cross-
section of countries; the result is robust to a wide range of specifications.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGENDER/Resources/wp4.pdf |
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Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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| #6 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 13:14 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| Molly wrote: |
| Some think we still are: |
Who is "we", old chap?
.
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Yankee
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| #7 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 13:18 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| There's that "Baa-baa!" again. Have you ever had an original thought, Amyish? |
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Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
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| #8 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 14:30 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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Yes.
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Yankee
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| #9 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 17:59 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| Can't wait to see it. |
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Molly
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 Ralf
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| #11 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 20:31 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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Jamie, I always thought it was because they're prettier than we are. hehe
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Prezbucky
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| #12 (permalink) Tue Jun 03, 2008 20:47 pm Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| Ralf wrote: |
| Do you belong to the fair sex, or a fractional fair part of it? |
That photo of you (?) looks a bit "the fairer sex". :lol: |
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Molly
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| #13 (permalink) Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:17 am Why are women called fairer sex? |
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Schloesser argues that the term fair/fairer sex "situated white women instrumentally rather than as discursive equals capable of participating in an ideal speech situation”.
In: The Fair Sex: White Women and Racial Patriarchy in the Early American Republic. By PAULINE SCHLOESSER. (New York: New York University Press, 2002.) Reviewed here: http://oieahc.wm.edu/wmq/Oct02/burgett.pdf
Do you agree with her? |
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Molly
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| #14 (permalink) Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:31 am Why are women called fairer sex? |
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Hi guys
Just averting the trolls fighting for their bridge. :D
Here is an interesting anthropological view from Peter Frost. He puts forward the theory that because girls are generally fairer haired after puberty than boys, this could have led to the use of the phrase "the fairer sex". (Fair Women, Dark Men; The forgotten roots of racial prejudice").
It has received some negative reviews, and I do not believe all his premises, but it shines a light on this phrase.
It would be interesting to know if the use of fair in the German language predates that of English?
As the usage is slightly different. In that English equates it with colour, and with sportsmanship, diplomacy. Whereas German only with the latter.
So the "fairer sex" could refer to the hair or to the "even handedness" of the gender :?:
cheers stew.t.
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Stew.t.
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| #15 (permalink) Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:41 am Why are women called fairer sex? |
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| Quote: |
| Here is an interesting anthropological view from Peter Frost. He puts forward the theory that because girls are generally fairer haired after puberty than boys, this could have led to the use of the phrase "the fairer sex". (Fair Women, Dark Men; The forgotten roots of racial prejudice"). |
So one can't use "fairer sex" for big black ladies like me, right? |
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Molly
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