That's a very well written article @girl99 about how women are expected to be treated/ behave, and the older I get, the angrier and more frustrated I feel that in all the years I've been around, practically nothing (really wanted to use more colourful language here) has changed. 
Throughout my early working years, the wording on various legal documents included the word '...man' (eg 'garbageman') there was no room for women, or political correctness as in 'garbage collector, or garbage person. The previously male only workplace was outrageously anti-women to the point of assault and hazing us to get rid of us.
Because of that word, I, and every other woman in that working environment, was prevented from signing those documents even though I (we) was/were properly registered etc to do so.
So while so called political correctness might seem to have gone mad, it certainly has a place in bringing about some semblance of gender balance.
Oh, my, I so strongly agree with you also on the influence religion has on keeping women and children in a position of denigration. The influence is so covert that often people don't realise how deeply they, and those around them, are affected by it. The most appalling thing, imo, is that because religion is an accepted pass-time, so too are its effects.
One of the most influential books for me in days gone by has been The Cinderella Complex, author Collette Dowling ... (thank you DuckDuckGo!) This book opened my eyes to the ways women are subjugated by society into believing they need someone to look after them. It was hard to read and it was written in the '80s, I expect it would still have relevence today. It changed me forever, and I'm glad it did.
Also, The Road Less Travelled can be a useful read to get a different perspective on how to shift old patterns of behaviour and beliefs. I can forgive the author being christian because he is aware of, and writes about how some of the flaws of religion negatively influence lives.
Yes, the ridiculous fears and other horrors that revolve around female biology. so unnecessary.
I knew a woman who used to leave a big tampon box on her car seat as a deterent for theft. she'd inadvertently discovered that just the sight of a tampon box was enough to deter men and boys from interupting conversations, so she carried that over to into other aspects. We all had a laugh and who knows how effective it might actually have been.
@girl99 @Sahara @Appleblossom @frog @Queenie I live for better days. Let's do as Girl99 asks and share the knowledge we have stored away somewhere.
