“If superior strength was suddenly available
to women, how would society change? Rachel Nuwer asks researchers and gender
experts for their views about an intriguing thought experiment.”
By: Rachel Nuwer
Published:
30 October 2017, BBC, http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171027-what-if-women-were-physically-stronger-than-men
Level of Difficulty: ***
BEFORE YOU READ
·
It’s Reigning Men: Gender
Roles and How They Hurt You | Lilia Fromm | TEDxLincoln
·
The Mask of Masculinity - the traditional role of men
is evolving | Connor Beaton | TEDxStanleyPark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmkFdAMFGXo
·
Redefining masculinity | Shane Horsburgh |
TEDxCanberra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SK0XQN6_do
QUESTIONS
1. Mrs. Gardner’s actions described in the
first paragraph exemplify her efforts to ….
2. The underlying assumption of the thought
experiment is that….
3. It is implied in the text that the
difference between the females of terrestrial vertebrates and those of insects
and amphibians is that ….
4. It is also implied that the superior
physical strength of male terrestrial vertebrates is necessary for…
5. The future of the human race could be put in
jeopardy if women were stronger than men because …..
6. The social status of men would undergo a
change because…
7. In a wolf pack, the dominant members of the
group get the lion’s share of the food. The same is true in lion communities.
What do these animals have in common with powerfully built males of human
societies?
8. What psychological changes would be
witnessed in women who were physically stronger if nature took its course?
9. In what way is Fairbairn’s daughter buck the
trend in her approach to men? She …
10. Strength is losing its traditional role in
modern society thanks to the fact(s) that:
·
A lot of what we do doesn’t depend on
strength any longer
·
There is more overall equality in the
business world and life in general
·
A lot of the work we is in front of a
computer screen in the work place
·
Physical strength is no longer that important
in the modern world
11.
The rising popularity of violent sports
among American men is due to the desire of men to try and prove that…
12.
The increased physical strength of
women would have an impact on crime in that….
13.
Fairbanks feels women have
traditionally desired to seem more masculine in the workplace to avoid…
14.
Why does Gardiner feel the arguments
supporting gender discrimination in the workplace will shift rather than be
transformed?
15.
The example of Angela Merkel indicates that
in the modern world the tendency to view ….
16.
Women don’t really need to be
physically stronger acc to Fairbairn because …
WRITING TASK
Use all you have
learnt to write about how the social roles social status of men and women are
changing
WHAT IF WOMEN WERE PHYSICALLY STRONGER THAN
MEN? KEY AND TEACHERS’ NOTES
The issue of the changing social roles and
social status of men and women is a very topical issue; especially with the inauguration
of the new US president and re-election of Merkel. This partly hypothetical
text analyzes the issue from every possible perspective. The essay task should
not me timed so that students can write freely.
1.
Exert authority and competence in a situation that was not necessarily
normal
2.
Gender dynamics are transformed in other ways in the real world and there
are many things we take for granted.
3.
The latter / female insects and amphibians have to carry hundreds of
thousands of eggs
4.
Competition for females
5.
There would be an uptick of testosterone
6.
The society would become matriarchal
7.
They favor hierarchies and are prone to competitiveness
8.
Traditionally male personality traits such as dominance and aggression would
be enhanced in women
9.
She does not feel she has to dumb herself down
10.
All four
11.
They are still more entitled to
power
12.
Instances of male harassment, violence and rape would go down but
instances of female on male abuse would likely increase
13.
Gender based discrimination
14.
Because those in power will always struggle hard to stay in power ,
through whatever means they can
15.
Violence and aggression as tools for maintaining control have decreased
16.
Some of the shifts that such a scenario would trigger are already
underway
