Q&A Forum - May 2008 (The best of Elise series)

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Feminism has not failed and it has given the women of today the access to education and employment opportunities and women are taking full advantage of these opportunities. Women are out-performing men and more and more women are successful in the business and political worlds. Ms Dowd sees this and she wonders if men are necessary since some driven women have difficulty relating to men. Glancing at the final chapter it seems that Ms Dowd comes to the conclusion that men are necessary but she no doubt feels frustrated at times with how men are wired sexually.

She has a chapter where she talks about cosmetic surgery. Not all women choose to go this route when they age. Ms Dowd might be spending too much time with her New York City social crowd. But most women do want to be beautiful and attractive. There is nothing wrong with women getting facials or visiting spas水疗 — a place for massage, baths, and beauty care or whatever will slow the aging process. Women in their fifties and sixties today look sexy and beautiful because they want to look sexy and beautiful. And as Ms Dowd points out in her book, men are starting to get facials and have cosmetic surgery. It is not always vanity to want to look your best.

I realize Ms Dowd’s book is about so much more than what I have discussed here and it is funny in parts and both men and women might benefit from Ms Dowd’s observations. Society should always examine itself.