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Do the women hate any sort of political talk? Now defunct Jivha had once raised the issue, there aren’t enough women bloggers who care to write or discuss politics on their blogs. I will take a bit further and suggest that women are least likely to indulge in any real-time conversation on politics. Are they just inherently politically apathetic or consciously keep themselves away from anything remotely political?
Even on my blog, the political or current affairs posts will not get many comments from the women but a post even subtly personal will get more comments from women than men. No right or wrong here, just an observation that follows a trend. Even among bloggers (Indian), women outnumber men but political or generally “state-of-the-affairs” posts are almost non-existent on those blogs. We all agree that politics is dirty business but heck; we cannot afford to ignore it. You might have Laloo as PM if you do (hope that threat works).
I am not trying to force the women to pay attention to politics but frankly I would love to hear why this difference exists.
by Patrix | on Friday, September 24th, 2004 at 11:30 am | 
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September 24th, 2004 at 12:27 pm reply
Boy, is this a “personal” post or a “political” one, I am commenting on it first.
Maybe has something to do with the way in which the two brains are wired, or simply a perception of politics as a traditionally male field.
September 24th, 2004 at 12:35 pm reply
Hmmm..frankly I have seen equal number of disinterested men and women.I know many women who enjoy conversations on politics, state affairs. I would say they are less reluctant to write about their views, but they would probably talk about it, if probed a little.
September 24th, 2004 at 12:36 pm reply
hey..u do realise by pointing out women..u just opened the pandora’s box;)
September 24th, 2004 at 12:45 pm reply
true that.
in general i have carried out meaningful political discussions with all of my friends, which include both sexes, but somehow it does feel true that the males are more passionate about politics and world events.
September 24th, 2004 at 1:42 pm reply
Sankalp - I think that women might be prompted to comment considering that if they don’t, I just might be proven right and you know nobody likes to think that I am right :)
Queer - Frankly you are the exception whom I have seen commenting or posting on political topics…and I guess at my place the pandora’s box is always open.
Anya - Yup. The keyword is “more likely” so not that women don’t like to but they just don’t prefer it, right?
September 24th, 2004 at 7:50 pm reply
I find myself reluctant to broach the subject, but delighted to discuss it if someone else does. Maybe it’s just women’s tendency to not want to offend anyone. Because politics can certainly be offensive, you know?
September 24th, 2004 at 10:26 pm reply
From what i have observed, women aren’t comfortable talking about things they don’t know all the facts about. Even in group discussions, i found women reticent to indulge in ‘maybe’s and ‘couldbe’s. Those women who somehow have the habit of keeping themselves abreast of latest happenings love to discuss politics. And put forward well-etched arguments, but unfortunately, the habit of devouring newspapers for political news is rare.
September 25th, 2004 at 2:17 am reply
Interesting observation Patrix.
I guess it’s not so much about having an opinion, I guess most women do… it’s more about voicing that opinion…. which fewer women do.
Generally, fewer women than men are politically inclined a lot of this having to do with the social structure and the traditional roles that women play (therefore having to be less concerned with the harsh realities of the world)
It’s therefore not surprising to see that women refrain from commenting on issues of socio-political and economic interest. That aside, I think Sabra’s insight explains some part of it. We have our views but refrain from talking about them. And when we do, we get misunderstood… case in point http://heretic.rediffblogs.com/2004_07_03_heretic_archive.html#1078910930
September 25th, 2004 at 6:12 am reply
Sabra - I can understand the reason for not wanting to offend ppl sometimes but everytime? whatever happened to speaking your mind or at least being open about your views?
Passerby - I am not sure if it is the case of not knowing anything about but rather the problem of not wanting to express it..thatz what I am trying to understand…why?
Minds Eye - and men don’t get misunderstood..heck, we get more misunderstood than we like to but politics is not at all personal so the question of offending someone close does not arise..its merely makes the people around you aware of your beliefs and ideologies…do you prefer to keep it under wraps? Why?
September 25th, 2004 at 7:00 am reply
Good observation. However, politics is just one of the fields women prefer not to comment too much upon, and there are an equal number that men generally dont like to comment on (except the effeminate variety I guess). Dont want to take examples but traditionally that is the way we are. Of course women would have an opinion on politics just like men would have an opinion on some rather effeminate topics - but neither would “prefer” to express them.
September 25th, 2004 at 1:04 pm reply
Patrx - you take me too seriously! :) I don’t keep my political beliefs under wraps and I’m just as curious as you are about why women shy away from this topic.
I’m not trying to explain why women refrain from politics, but posing another question… how many men discuss their personal feelings with other people/ blog about it?
Is it possible when men meet socially the conversation mostly revolves around general issues - politics, sports, business but women tend to talk about personal stuff? I’m just thinking aloud…
September 25th, 2004 at 3:19 pm reply
Kiran - and what are the issues (”effiminate” ones)that men would like to talk about but don’t prefer to? :)
Minds Eye - surprisingly more men tend to blog about their personal feelings than women do on politics. They may not prefer to talk about it though :) I agree that men like to keep their personal stuff closer to them but then that is the fundamental man-woman difference..so does it boil down to this finally?
September 26th, 2004 at 2:46 pm reply
I wonder if it’s worth taking politics serious… Think abt it. Other than some heated agrument, bruised egos and adrelanin pumping verbal assaults, it doesnt really get u anywhere. Considering the choices u have among the peopel u can choose among for the political offices, there isnt anything we do (other than vote) that is going to change anything… so just vote for the lesser devil. That’s the most productive thing u can do in politics.
September 26th, 2004 at 6:05 pm reply
From experience I can say that, women are generally more reluctant to talk about politics and tend to deviate to other topics than men. But I have seen women discuss politics as passionately as men gossip;)
September 26th, 2004 at 8:27 pm reply
okay, this is one of those we-all-talk-crap-and-end-it-with-a-probability discussion. So I might as well contribute my opinion as this post is begging for one ;) :
I think its crap to say “men are like this” and “women are like that”. There is no generalization or stereotyping in here. I have seen several men who have vowed to never bother themselves with politics and several women who can not only talk politics but also indulge in it.
September 26th, 2004 at 10:33 pm reply
Semantic Overload - Even if we do admit politics is crap, we definitely cannot afford to ignore it coz we do so at our own risk. Imagine the condition if we all thought the same..politics has the power to cause tempers to run high.
Queer - OK..since I don’t know what women do behind our backs, I will agree that women like to discuss politics like men like to gossip in secret.
Divya - Come on,, Divya you really don’t think there is such a thing like a guy thing or a girl thing?? people have built empires due to that difference.
September 27th, 2004 at 11:26 am reply
All said and done, men and women do have their brains wired differently, as n number of scientific studies have proved. Our brains are essentially like those of our ancestors of a million years ago, and the reason we think differently is because of the differing roles men and women have played in evolutionary history. Men and women are innately drawn to different aspects of the world around them.
And Divya, exceptions do exist, but I think its a pretty accurate generalization to say that there are certain guy things and certain girl things. Talking about personal stuff isn’t a guy thing and getting into heated political debates tends not to be a girl thing !
Personally, I would definitely put in my two bits during a political discusiion, but I really wouldn’t be interested in getting too involved and defending my position or attacking someone else’s. That doesnt mean I don’t care; I feel strongly about using my right to vote and being a part of the political process. But I guess guys just feel the need to prove their point more than girls do…
September 27th, 2004 at 1:24 pm reply
Ash - I guess it does boil down to the way their brains are wired afterall. Men often love to indulge in fruitless political discussions even if it leads nowhere..often referred by some as intellectual masturbation. I guess some things just extend beyond symbolism :)
Wait for some upcoming posts on voting. All I need to hear from everyone is two bits and sometime we might just be able to make a difference somewhere.
September 27th, 2004 at 7:52 pm reply
“people have built empires due to that difference.”
I know I know peopel ahve destroyed several other human beings because of such stereotyping. I refuse to stereotype any human being. I think everybody has characteristics that cant be explicitly classified. If you wish, you can categorise them into two extremes.
Most humans play their parts to imitiate the “perfect man/woman” as close as possible. Of course this is not to say the defitions of such a being is identical among human beings. I think the definition is broadly cultural. And on a deeper layer very personal. Some of them refuse to get stereotyped and be as they are: these are your “exceptions” Ash.
Until our definitions of the “perfect man/woman” change men will try to be “macho” and women will be “demure”.
September 27th, 2004 at 9:02 pm reply
Divya - All I am saying is that men and women do tend to act the way they do becauce of certain emotional or cultural differences..the degree can differ thouough. I’ll let Ash do the “exceptions” part of explaining.
September 28th, 2004 at 9:41 am reply
Uh oh, I seemd to have really riled you up Divya ! Okay,let me clarify..
I wasn’t trying to stereotype anybody. I think theres a distinct difference between sterotyping and making a generalisation, and the difference lies in the attitude. Its like saying dogs are friendly and lovable, while cats are proud and aloof - its a popular and quite accurate generalisation, yet anybody who’s had a dog or a cat knows that’s not always true.
I’m not ignoring uniqueness of an individual as a factor. The problem is that when you discuss an issue, you can only give your own individual viewpoint, and if you’re talking about the attitude of people/society, you can’t really take into consideration all the variations in personality. Hence you generalize …
And you’re absolutely right, I do agree that the definitions of a perfect man/woman are cultural and personal; and trying to fit in with that definition is why men and women tend to act in certain ways. And until those definitions change, male and female attitudes will not.
But here I will add, from the perspective of a biology student, that nature has made us in a certain way, and its a simple fact of life that men are not only physically different from women, but their inherent brain patterning is also different. Social conditioning does influence adult attitude, but there are inherent differences in the way men and women perceive the world.
And thats what makes life interesting after all.
September 28th, 2004 at 11:39 am reply
Ash - That sure makes it interesting. Thanks for putting that in scientific/biological/behavioral terms. No matter how much we try to claim that everyone is equal the truth is that they are not. Differences exist but in a good way and if we live around them, it bodes for better understanding.
Divya, I hope you are satisfied although feel free to disagree (with arguments, of course)
September 30th, 2004 at 2:24 am reply
As usual I am late to addressing the arguments.
Ash- I understand there are physical differences in men and women. But when men can become women and vice versa arent these distinguishing features blurring? I have seen many women who dress like men, who think like men. There were several women terrorists in the beslan siege? so wat does that say about the “characteristic” of being “gentle” of a women?
I am not sure of the brain patterns thing. But well I think the only aspects that might be differnt will the physique. But I think science will discover solutions for that too!
September 30th, 2004 at 9:10 am reply
Hey Divya - no questions about physical differences ! But trust me on the whole brain patterns thing. In fact the reason that there are cross-dressers and transexuals is precisely because of biological/genetic/psychological glitches in the wiring of the brain.
As for the issue of women terrorists, I think its already been addressed. The ‘characteristic’ of being ‘gentle’ has long been ascribed to women, and is probably becuse of the role women assumed in society so far. But thats changing, and so is the attitude of the fairer sex. We’re no longer gentle; in fact, I think we can getty pretty damn fierce when we’re trying to establish credibility in a male-dominated society.
By the way, I’m new to the whole blogger community and I’ve only been posting for a couple of weeks, but I must say, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts and arguing for my opinions.
And hey Patrix, I think the exchange between Divya and me should clear up any doubt you had about women not wanting to get into murky issues…
September 30th, 2004 at 4:11 pm reply
Of course, I must take my words back on women not being too interested in politics.
Divya, we were talking about more than physical differences…some things that women intrinsically enjoy more than men and vice versa e.g. fashion, shopping, personal thought-sharing, etc. But that doesn’t mean that men don’t do it at all. The stereotypes may change over the years..always has.
Ash, you certainly seem to enjoy your time in the blogging community. It is always great to have more people on board especially those with reasonable opinions and an open mind.
Girls, lage raho :)
February 8th, 2005 at 9:22 pm reply
Hey women, make me laugh
From my hardly-contested assertion that women don’t take as much interest in politics as men do and to the hotly-contested Havard President Larry Summer’s assertion that women aren’t as able in math and sciences as men, Mathew Yglesias (cites Warren
April 2nd, 2005 at 11:29 pm reply
“women intrinsically enjoy more than men and vice versa e.g. fashion, shopping, personal thought-sharing, etc.”
No I don’t. Nor do a lot of women I know.
If you will, here are some interesting blogs, written by ladies who have a passing interest in politics:
Mousewords
Pandagon
Feministing
Echidne
Pinko feminist hellcat
Trish Wilson
XX (a group blog)
Rox
Feministe
Utopian Hell
This Girl
Green Fairy
Media Girl
Brutal Women
Stone Court
and Alas, a bog, although written by a man, most commentators are women.
Hope that helps.