The Victorians and the net - how much have things changed?

The net is a wonderful thing in my opinion. Of course before its existence we had ways of getting through long and often lonely evenings and nights, but the net has opened up socializing and connectivity with one another and it makes it a pretty good second place to real face to face communication and socializing.

It could be argued that at times it can be better than face to face networking, although each has its place, and at other times it can be worse. Obvious point I know, but now I am going to tell you about my own particular beef with the net, and its one that I half expected but it is no less annoying none the less.

Its the sexism ... Most of the time I post as my own gender, but I had been wondering at times if my posts were being taken less seriously because of my being female. It was a nagging thought that kept coming up, so after a while during some discussions I changed my gender to male, and I keep thinking of the famous Victorian authoress George Elliot who felt it necessary to change her gender to male in order to be taken seriously, but it does work surprisingly.

It did feel as if the efforts I was making in some contributions in places on the net were much better received when I posted as a man. And of course you are a lot less likely to be patronized or asked out for sex (this did and still occasionally does happen although not like it happened at one time a while ago).

Its not that its a mans world that bothers me, it is the fact that women are not treated generally speaking with having any or very much positive contribution to make in life, we are regarded with suspicion or ridiculed, patronized and so on.

I long for the day when we can be free, be true brothers and sisters and respected equally. Judged first by what we do and say rather than the by colour of our skin, by our sexuality, our gender or any other any other aspect of ourselves to whom others may feel fit to denigrate; as a crude and cruel way to make themselves feel better.

This happens a lot in the sub conscious. It does take a conscious effort on behalf of all those who want to see the back of sexism and a better world to understand that it happens and is detrimental to all; men and women alike. People need to stand up against sexism and make changes in life, even if it means something simple like trying to understand and imagine what it must be like to face some of the things us women have to face. Just to be more supportive towards women and therefore paving the way for a future of equality and mutual respect.