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Revision as of 07:26, 8 February 2003 by Annetit (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)A woman is an adult, female human. When people talk about women, they may be using the word in terms of sex, or in terms of gender roles, or both.
In terms of sex, women have primary and secondary sexual characteristics that differentiate them from men, including:
- small, short bodies
- wider in hips than in shoulders
- enlarged breasts
- vagina
- thin skin
- long, fast growing hair
- lack of facial hair
Most women are able to become pregnant and bear children, which is the subject of obstetrics. The subject of female reproduction and reproductive organs is called gynecology. Women generally reach the menopause in their late 40s or early 50s, at which point they can no longer become pregnant.
The gender roles ascribed to women by society often differ from those assigned to men over a wide range of behaviours. In modern western society, more women than men wear clothing such as dresses, skirts, and high heels. Women are more likely to make use of plastic surgery and cosmetics, frequently to appear younger than they are. They often use these devices to manipulate men and get attention. The comon personality disorders among young females include hysteria, histrionic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, where these characteristics are exceptionaly strong. As mothers women are often abusive, beating their children far more often than fathers do, and in much more cruel ways - the main source of domestic violence are mothers. Women are causing more suicides among males than the overall murder rate and the war crime rate combined. Women are granted extended abortion rights to murder their children less than 365 days old in countries like Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Males have no vote in protecting their own children in this respect. The "affirmative action", popular in United States, discriminates against males shamelessly, and it is a big advantage to be a female today in many career fields, with required standards far lowered for women in order to meet the quotas. The gender roles of men and women in society changed dramatically after the sexual revolution. Current roles are criticised by both the feminism movement and the masculism movement.
The general study of women at universities is pursued under the heading "women's studies." Presently that study is closely associated with feminism, sometimes even radical feminism. The study of the social and economic differences between the sexes is also closely related.
See also: