Understanding Women
continued...
Pressure... to be a nurturer
From the beginning of time, woman have played the role of nurturer. The ability to have children, have higher levels of empathy, be more in touch with their emotions and the ability to better read body language made them perfect for the role. These skills allowed women to raise emotionally healthy children and provide emotional support to men while they spent their time focused on being a successful provider.
Women stayed in this limited nurturer role for thousands of years. While men marched off to fight wars and form empires, women raised children. They instilled their early values, kept them from harm and taught them social skills. While the nurturer role was considered vital, it did not allow women much in terms of social importance or power until recently.
Only after proving themselves more than capable in the workplace during the First and Second World Wars did the nurturer role begin to change. Having proven themselves - while replacing men who were off to war - the role of women in North America and Europe began to evolve.
Before the women's rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s, women went to university to find a husband as much as a career. That quickly changed as women entered into the workplace and the role of nurturer changed dramatically. Not only were they expected to nurture their children and husband, but they were expected to do this while working as well.
The nurturer role continues to evolve. With every generation, more is expected of a woman if she is to be labelled a 'successful nurturer.' The pressure of living up to this role has never been greater. A woman can raise happy children, have a loving husband, a great job and still have her role as 'successful nurturer' questioned by society if she doesn't own a house, a healthy savings account and college fund for her kids.
While a woman may not seem like she is under pressure, remember she is always striving to meet the demands of society. When you start dating, tell her you admire her emotional and economic skills. It should be obvious, but saying it often take some of the pressure off her and creates a more relaxed and genuine interaction between the two of you.
Pressure... to be a professional
This rise of women's rights has created increased expectations for women. They are not only expected to be great mothers, but great businesswomen as well. This change has allowed women a chance the earn wealth, influence and power. And sadly they often have to work harder than men to obtain each one.
The path of women to positions of power is still being blocked by men who fear women and operate on foolish stereotypes. Only a handful of women hold CEO positions at major companies. Only a quarter of elected politicians are women. No woman has ever been elected to run a nation in North America. It certainly isn't because they can't do the job.
Pressure for women in the workplace is enormous because they have to continually prove themselves to get the same respect as men. Many women also get paid less than their male counterparts for doing the same job. Men should understand the additional challenges for women in the workplace and stand up against any perceived inequalities.
Pressure... to imitate her Alpha Female
Family and friends help form a woman's value system, but it's usually Hollywood who provides them with their Alpha Female. The Alpha Female is the female role model to which a woman looks up to. Women often choose their favorite on-screen heroines. Women want to be as calm and cool as Jennifer Garner in Alias, as adventurous and seductive as Rene Russo in Thomas Crown Affair.
Women grow up following the exploits of soap opera heroines, movie actresses and desperate housewives. Through television, movies and the pages of magazines, women are taught the traits of Alpha Females. As they grow older they begin to imitate their favorite characters. In fact, a woman's movie collection can tell you a lot about her.
A man can learn a lot about a woman just by knowing her Alpha Female. If a woman idolizes Angelina Jolie, odds are she's going to dress stylishly, be confident, have a calm and cool demeanour, and place a high value on sexuality and seduction. If she idolizes Rosanne Barr... you're in trouble.
CONTINUED: Shattering stereotypes1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >
Udo Weber / iStockphoto.com
Women face pressure from society, history, peers, neighbors and family.
| UNDERSTANDING TIPS |
| Changing a woman's Alpha Females |
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Men can use a woman's Alpha Female to initiate changes in her. It's as simple as introducing another Alpha Female with traits you desire more through conversation. If a woman respects your opinion she'll ponder switching Alpha Females or at least examine your choice. It happens all the time. Women imitate Angelina Jolie, then switch to Cameron Diaz, then to Reese Witherspoon. - allstardatingtips.com |
