> I don't think it would make me feel as humanely connected if I was upset over a yeast infection and was hoping for a "connection" about it while talking with a man. Oh he could be compassionate about it and all-- but he really would have NO idea what so ever what I'd be going through.

Hmm. I guess I think that sure guys can know what it is like to have a yeast infection (vaginal thrush is closely related to atheletes foot and oral thrush). And guys can know what it is like to have trouble with their sex organs too... So... I don't really see what the difference is... And I guess... Maybe I'm slightly unique here... But I don't see that one needs to have experienced the same (or similar) in order to adequately empathise.

I haven't been a prostitute or a russian taxi driver but I can know quite a lot about what it is like to be those kinds of things because I can listen to people relating their experiences. I understand what it is like to feel afraid or hopeful or sad or scared. I don't see why I have to literally have been there in order to be sympathetic. And I guess I think that a sympathetic ear is often what people most need / want. I don't think that you have to have an experience of addiction in order to be an effective addiction therapist anymore than you have to have an experience of bi-polar or schizophrenia in order to conduct effective therapy for those either. Sure, it can help to have personal experience. But you know what? I think that sometimes personal experience can harm too because people tend to generalise from that to everyone else in the world. The best addiction therapist I ever had was someone with no history of addiction. Why? Because she listened to me talk about my experience instead of insisting on telling me all about hers...

> Women in modern society are basically expected to hold down a job, keep a house clean, cook meals, do the shopping and raise children.

Ah. I find that interesting. In the 'good old' days what was expected was to keep a house clean etc etc. Nowdays a career has entered into the picture. Notice how the stereotype of the 'career woman' tends to be counter-balanced with sexiness? to make it socially acceptable? e.g., consider ally macbeale (who was desirable as smart primarily because she was desirable sexually in the first place)... (though don't even get me started on the actors eating disorder)...

in the words of alanis morrissette: 'the sexy treadmill capitalist'

none of that is breaking free of traditional stereotype...

it is simply adding another layer to it.

i do think, however, that women need to take some responsibility for what they do to perpeptuate the gender stereotypes too, however... e.g., if you think it is reasonable for your husband to expect you to do these things in the sense that you actually do take the responsibility for the housekeeping and the childraising and the income... well...