A Woman without a Man is like a Fish without a Bicycle

Some time ago I heard a quote: “ Awoman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” (Gloria Steinem). The words made me laugh a lot, but at the same time they made me think. I believe that on some level the phrase can be rather empowering to women. When women in places like the United States or Europe compare their life to that of women in places like Iraq and Afghanistan I can’t help but feel relief and feel gratitude for the level of freedom and utter equality women in the industrialized countries enjoy. While women cannot yet claim complete and utter equality in every aspect of life, we have certainly come a long way in the last few generations.

There was a time in history when women were little more than the property of their husbands. Women were absolutely dependent on men. Now a modern woman no longer needs a man, at least in money matters. Women today may allow themselves to travel, seek advanced degrees or start businesses. An independent female of the 21^st century has no longer the necessity in a husband and children. There are other ways to escape from loneliness.

When we say “ Awoman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle”, what kind of message are we sending to our daughters and sons about the nature and values of male/female relations? Is it really fair to say that women derive no benefits from interaction with men? Do people of both genders lose anything interacting with each other? As women have gained freedom and equality, there seems to be the evidence that some are dangerously close to crossing the line from being oppressed to being oppressors. Does gender equality really require that another group, named males, should be forced to become the new scapegoats for all of our women’s ills? I do not think it is fair. We should not be cross with men for all the mistakes in human history. I do not think that women can live without men at all. Women need men as much as men need women.