Male Gender Bias Test
(1) Gender-Feminists have long complained that only women are treated as sex objects. Advertisers,
for example, often promote their products by identifying them with the female body. If
things were reversed, and only male bodies were used to promote products;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that the female body is not considered to be as
attractive as the male body.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that sexism turns a man's body into a more valuable
resource than a woman's body.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(2) Gender-Feminists complain that there is a sexual double standard which benefits men. It
encourages male sexual activity at the same time that it restricts women. If things were
reversed and the double standard promoted sex for women while discouraging it for men;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that double standards frustrates women by making them
want more sex than is available.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that the double standard disempowers women by making
them the buyers in a sexual seller's market.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(3) Since the beginning of the modern women's movement, Gender-Feminists have complained about the
male chauvinist practice of allowing ladies to go first. If things were reversed and women
were expected to allow men to enter rooms first and be seated first;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that women's roles are symbolic of subservience.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that American women are treated as badly as Islamic
women.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(4) One of the first Gender-Feminist "accomplishments" was to change the tradition of naming
hurricanes after women. Complaining that naming storms after women reinforces the
stereotype that women are dangerous and erratic forces, Gender-Feminists insisted that we have
an equal number of "himmicanes." If things were reversed, and we had always named storms
after men;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that power was labeled as "masculine."
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that women were stereotyped as unnewsworthy.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(5) In a legal brief opposing draft registration for men-only, the National Organization
for Women complained that exempting women perpetuated the stereotype that women are
helpless and dependent, and also hindered career opportunities for women. If things were reversed and only women were drafted;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that the law demands less of men than of women.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that we endanger female life to protect male life and
obviously consider male life more valuable.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(6) The majority of divorces are initiated by women. Gender-Feminists claim this supports their
contention that women are forced to liberate themselves from unsatisfying and oppressive
husbands. If things were reversed and men initiated the majority of divorces;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men abandoned their families and walked out on
their responsibilities.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that men were afraid of intimacy and commitment.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(7) Gender-Feminists complain that the standard of living for the average divorced woman falls
(she loses a breadwinner) while the living standard for the average man rises (he loses
his children). If things were reversed and women lost children while men lost
breadwinners;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that no loss is more devastating than the loss of
children.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that saying a homemaker's standard of living falls with
divorce is just a misleading way of saying that a homemaker's standard of living rises
with marriage.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(8) A frequent accusation is that "If men got pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament."
Actually, as GLAMOUR magazine admits, slightly more men than women favor abortions. If
things were reversed and only men got pregnant;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men are not willing to take responsibility for
their sexual conduct.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that men who support abortion are just being typically
destructive males.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(9) On CBS's NIGHTWATCH, a Gender-Feminist commentator complained that portraying all jerks as
men in television commercials denies job opportunities to female actors. If things were
reversed, and all the jerks were women;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that television projects a negative image of women.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that television promotes misogyny.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(10) Another Gender-Feminist commentator recently complained that the only personal products which
are advertised on television are women's products. She complained that shows disrespect
for women's privacy. If things were reversed and the only personal products advertised
were men's products;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that advertisers ignore the female consumer.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that society does not care about women's health and
hygiene.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(11) Gender-Feminists complain that the male role of initiating relationships is a source of male
power. They say a man can go up to any woman he wants and date her, while women have to
wait helplessly for a man to come to them. If things were reversed and it was women who
initiated romance;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men don't share the work of building relationships.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that the male ego is too "fragile" to deal with rejection.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(12) Gender-Feminists explain that men shower women with jewelry because they think of women as
objects to be adorned and men use women as symbols of success. If things were reversed and
women were expected to shower men with jewelry;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men were vain and demanding.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that relationships benefit materially at the expense of
women.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(13) The typical psychiatric patient is a woman. In TOWARD A NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN, Dr.
Jean Baker Miller complains that discrimination against women inevitably leads to more
psychological problems. If things were reversed and most patients were men;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that the male gender was psychologically sick.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that the medical field is geared toward men's needs.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(14) On a talk show dealing with suicide, it was pointed out that men commit suicide four
times as often as women. The Gender-Feminist commentator complained that men are lucky because
they are not taught to be passive. When they have a problem, they have the confidence to
do something about it. If things were reversed and women committed suicide four times as
often as men;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that life is demonstrably harder for women than men.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that violence against women is so popular that women
even learn to commit it upon themselves.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(15) A BOSTON GLOBE columnist claims that airlines discriminate against women because
awards to the families of passengers killed in accidents are generally lower when women
die. Awards are based upon projected earnings which are generally lower for women. If
things were reversed and the families left behind by dead women received larger awards;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that airlines discriminate against female widows by
paying them less than male widowers.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that men were valued as human beings while women were
treated like valuable commodities.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(16) In a recent GLAMOUR magazine article, Beth Cannon echoed a familiar Gender-Feminist
complaint, "Life is a men's club," counters Beth Cannon pointing out that on a Saturday
night, "The guy generally pays for a couple's movie tickets . . . " If things were reversed
and women generally paid the expenses on dates;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men use women.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain about catering to men's egos.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(17) Jane Bryant Quinn wrote in NEWSWEEK about the 55 to 64 age group. She pointed out that
the percentage of men who were still in the workforce had declined (to 67%), while the
percent of employed women remained steady (at about 45%). She then complained that, since
women earn less than men, they could not afford a decline in their own working rate. If
things were reversed and the female rate had declined to 67% while the male rate remained
at 45% ;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that 67% of women were working while only 45% of men were
working, proving that women work more than men.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that the decline for women proves that recessions hit
them harder.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(18) During the ongoing controversy over the safety of breast implants, it was publicized
that most of the clients of cosmetic surgery are women. One Gender-Feminist commentator complained
that plastic surgeons prefer to operate on women because anesthetized women were helpless.
If things were reversed and most cosmetic surgery was done on men;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men were too vain.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that the male-dominated medical field gears its benefits
toward men.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(19) Gender-Feminists complain that the "male-dominated medical field" keeps turning out new birth
control products for women because men don't accept responsibility for contraception. If
things were reversed and men had a wide variety of products to choose from, while women
were limited to difficult-to-reverse surgery or a piece of cloth that filters out erogenous
stimuli;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that women had comparatively fewer choices.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that women who didn't want surgery and did want to enjoy
sexual stimulation were being kept dependent upon their partner for birth control . . .
giving men control over a couple's reproductive potential.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(20) In a 1992 report on sexism in schools, the American Association of University Women
complained that teachers discriminate against girls by not criticizing them as often as
boys. Children can grow from constructive criticism, the Gender-Feminists warned, and girls are
deprived of this input. If things were reversed and teachers were more critical of girls
than boys;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that boys get more freedom.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that boys get more sympathy.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(21) Dr. Francis Conley, who resigned her professorship at Stanford University's School of
Medicine because she could no longer tolerate the sexism in this male bastion, complained
that "male practitioners" tend to view women as "objects to be cared for." If things were
reversed and doctors generally thought of men as the gender to be cared for;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that doctors take the needs of men more seriously.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that doctors tend to ignore the ailments plaguing women.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(22) A major Gender-Feminist offensive in 1991 forced the medical field to shift even more of its
resources toward women, the group which is already the healthiest. A major complaint was
that most experimental testing is done on male subjects. If things were reversed and most
experiments were performed on women;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that women were treated like guinea pigs.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that women were considered expendable.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(23) A female sports writer reported that women's gymnastics is now one of the most popular
broadcast events at the Olympics. She blamed sexist men who like to watch women in skimpy
outfits. (overlooking that female swimmers and runners wear equally revealing outfits) If
things were reversed and women's gymnastics received low ratings;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men don't appreciate strong, talented, skilled
women.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that men discriminate against women's athletics.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(24) America's largest survey of sexual activity asked, "What is the best moment of
intercourse?" Of the top three men's answers, the MOST popular single response was "my
partner's orgasm." Gender-Feminists complain that men are preoccupied with performance rather
than intimacy ("my partner's orgasm" did NOT make the top three list for women). If things
were reversed and men's favorite moment was their own orgasm;
(a) Gender-Feminists would complain that men were self-centered.
(b) Gender-Feminists would complain that men didn't care about satisfying women.
(c) Gender-Feminists would stop complaining.
(25) In an interview, Gloria Steinem commented that only women are shown enjoying orgasms
in mainstream movies. "Men are in control," she complained, "and don't want to be shown as
vulnerable." If things were reversed and only men's orgasms were portrayed;
(a) Steinem would complain that female sexuality is deemed too dirty or threatening to
show.
(b) Steinem would complain that female pleasure turns off male audiences and makes
female viewers feel vicarious guilt.
(c) Steinem would stop complaining.
SCORING:
Score one point for every (c) answer. If you have any points at all, you have a very
unrealistic view of Gender-Feminist politics.