I found this article really interesting. As an atheist, it isn't very applicable to my life, but it was interesting regardless.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/magazine/14evangelicals-t.html?pagewanted=all
Obviously, I'm not influenced by any of the biblical arguments about the differences between men and women, but clearly we do have a different psychological makeup, with different strengths and weaknesses.
It's important to try to figure out how to maximize the psychological well-being of both men and women, keeping in mind the natural differences between them. I certainly don't think that means a return to a patriarchal society where women have less rights than men, but at the same time it seems that many men and women feel more psychologically comfortable in relationships where the man takes control, because that is how we evolved, and we need to respect that.
I don't think dominance or submission should be forced onto anyone by society, but I think our society needs to do a better job of understanding and accepting that it can be a natural and healthy element of a relationship. We need to be more accepting of differences.
|