“If things have gotten better then it would be better and people would recognize so. It seems worse because it is worse.”
That’s only true if context and perception don’t matter. For example, suppose something is bubbling below the surface such that you’re unaware of it. It hasn’t gotten worse when it bursts into view, it’s just more visible. For example, the case below.
“If things then were as bad as they are now, it would not have taken this long before people called it out.”
Absolutely not the case. For an easy example, consider homophobia. For most of my life, being gay was a great way to get yourself marginalized, ostracized, fired from your job, or even physically attacked. They couldn’t complain about mistreatment because they’d be outing themselves and making the situation worse. So they kept quiet. As society has become more accepting, they’re gaining the confidence to stand up for themselves. To people who didn’t realize the problems that were out of sight, things might appear worse, but they aren’t
If you ask Black folks, they’ll tell you their complaints about racism aren’t new, they’re just more willing to bring them up.
And the same for women. Instead of sobbing in the ladies’ room about something a coworker did or said, they’re bringing it out into public — which is better, even if it seems worse to those who didn’t realize what was going on.
“Women should be free to pursue whatever life path they want, and they have been.”
Absolutely 100% ahistorical nonsense. I barely know where to start. For instance, 150 years ago, women were essentially forbidden from pursuing a career. Seventy-five years ago, it was almost impossible for a woman to be anything other than a nurse, teacher, or secretary. Fifty years ago, some states wouldn’t allow women to take out loans. The examples are legion, go look them up. Things have gotten better — the issues aren’t new, women are just more willing to point them out.
“That does not mean it is easy.”
Yes, but it shouldn’t be harder than it has to be. But any objective analysis shows that, among others, race, gender, and sexual identity do make it harder. That doesn’t exactly seem fair.
“We are seeing the results of pressuring a majority of women to be more masculine, to prove a liberal ideology of equality. Women are more stressed, depressed, and overworked.”
Our whole society has become more stressed, depressed, and overworked because conservative economics has created an environment in which single-income families can’t get by anymore.
“You cannot see gritty reality because it is happening in real-time, while you are still stuck in the idealism of your past.”
Maybe there’s a typo here(?) Because this is precisely backward. I’m saying we should push forward into a more equitable future. I see the past as more primitive, less enlightened, and something we should evolve away from. You’re the one arguing things used to be better.
