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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!fortune!polard
From: polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry Polard)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: PMS and incompetence
Message-ID: <5417@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Jul-85 12:34:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: fortune.5417
Posted: Wed Jul 31 12:34:48 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Aug-85 00:25:04 EDT
References: <993@ubc-vision.CDN> <202@ihlpl.UUCP>
Reply-To: polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry polard)
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 49

In article <356@timeinc.UUCP> greenber@timeinc.UUCP (Ross M. Greenberg) writes:
>In article <5392@fortune.UUCP> polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry polard) writes:
>>Men, of course, never have their emotions doing weird things 
>>during important decision processes.  They never make misteaks,
>>either.
>
>Henry, if we assume that men and women both have the same emotional
>baggage and weirdness, then are we saying that this is without
>considering potential PMS problems (in which case women would have
>*more* emotional strangness), or are we saying that things are
>equal *with* PMS.

Ross, I was highlighting the notion that PMS might be a factor of 
minor significance.  When a woman is competent at anything, be it
as a nurse, homemaker, or prime minister, it indicates that she has 
come to terms with her emotional and physical baggage and weirdness.
The same is true of men.

We trust women with positions of great responsibility without regard to 
PMS when it is convenient.  During the world wars, women took over
from men quite capably even in such male preserves as heavy industry.
Was PMS an issue then?
 
I would prefer to be lead by a woman who suffers greatly
from PMS but is competent, intelligent and honest than by
a male who has no physical problems but is incompetent, 
stupid and dishonest.

>If things are equal with PMS, then just consider what great leaders
>women would make *after* menopause.  If things are equal without 
>taking PMS into consideration, think what lousy leaders women would make
>*before* menopause.
>Which is it?

According to the above lines, women would be lousy leaders before menopause and
great leaders after.  Methinks thou loadest the question.

>Or should PMS not be an issue and, if this is the case, why?

For me, the main issue is whether a person is competent or not, whether
as a secretary (which was a man's job a century ago) or as a leader
(which many claim is a man's job now).  As far as I can see, 
women have demostrated that they are as competent and as incompetent as 
men at being leaders.
-- 
Henry Polard (You bring the flames - I'll bring the marshmallows.)
{ihnp4,cbosgd,amd}!fortune!polard
N.B: The words in this posting do not necessarily express the opinions
of me, my employer, or any AI project.