Men Behaving Badly and Women Who Push Back

I mean, really.  The remarks themselves are sexist enough, but the whole lack-of-creativity part also irks me.  You want to put women down?  Come up with something other than "if you bleed you can't lead."

Disclaimer:  What the Governor is to have said is something I read online.  I haven't verified it.  I don't know him.

Back several years the man elected Governor of Tokyo (yesterday) evidently said something to the extent women can't ever be in positions of leadership because we get weird while we're menstruating, and it's because we bleed that we're not orchestra conductors, or hold other "manly" jobs of the like.  (The "manly" is my addition.  Couldn't resist.)

Before I get to my next point, may I just go on record and say male politicians who talk about women this way really need more originality in their condemnation of an entire sex.  Menstruation?  Again?  That's all you've got?

To this remark the he's said to have made, Japanese women living in Tokyo came up with a creative way to keep their husbands from voting for the man-now-Governor.  The message was simple:  Vote for him and you'll get no sex at home.  Dubbed the "sex strike", news conferences of these outraged women calling the then-candidate on his gaffe didn't get as much press as I had hoped.  That, and considering he was elected, I wonder how many men will be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future?  Who said Japanese housewives were submissive and obedient and demure and quiet?  Who said "men rule Japan"?  I wouldn't necessarily recommend using sex as a weapon, but I'm ready to say that's a lot more creative than reducing women to unpredictable and mentally unstable creatures controlled by hormones.  I like creativity.  In the battle of creative come-backs, Japanese women reign triumphant.  You're just going to have to try a little harder, Governor. 

I simply would be remiss if I did not point out clear messages from our friends in the animal kingdom:  in sex, in politics, and in male-female dynamics.  It's the male lion that has to worry about hair.  It's the male peacock and pheasant that's adorned and has to strut for the hens.  And, isn't there an owl species out there where the male kills mice and brings them as a token of his love to the female to show his worthiness?  As a part of owl-courtship?  Why are we humans not more like these animals?

Following this story over the past several weeks, I've allowed myself the following conclusion:  If I'm ever offered a job in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, say to consult for the upcoming 2020 Olympics or something, I've decided I will say to those interviewing me,

"Oh, I'm sorry.  I'm on my period.  You can't trust my judgment today."

That would get me booted out the door, but it would make me feel better.