«I JUST READ EVERYTHING»

Males, young and old, are less interested than females in talking about feelings and personal relationships. But there is no evidence that that this is due oppressive gender stereotypes. On the contrary, the different interests and preferences appear to be hard-wired—innate, spontaneously manifested, and probably ineradicable. Gilligan and other feminist talks of a female ethic, an ethic of care, suggesting that girls are morally better, more caring than boys. But no one has been able to show that little girls are nicer or more virtuous than little boys. It is of course true that boys are more violent than girls. Bullying is a problem in many schools. Boys, being stronger and generally more physically aggressive, do most of the physical bullying, but they do not have a monopoly on malice. Girls are proficient at what sociologists call "relational aggression." They hurt others by shunning, excluding, spreading rumors. Almost any junior high school girl will tell you that girls can create as much misery as boys, especially to other girls. I see no evidence that boys are morally inferior to girls. They are more reticent about discussing their feelings than girls. But this is not any kind of personality deficit. On the contrary, the reticence may actually be a virtue and a sign of psychological health.

-Christina Hoff Sommers