Gender Symbols

[ManAliveThisThingsFantastic]

What are your thoughts on the Gender Symbols?

From my understanding, they are derived from the astrological symbols denoting Mars and Venus. The male Mars symbol is interpreted to look like the spear and shield from the war God. The female Venus symbol is interpreted to look like a hand mirror. Do I have to say much more?

Lastly, I don't buy into the "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" as I believe it is stereotyping and too simplistic. So what does the mean for the gender symbols? And is there a "fairer" symbol?

[Squidstirfry]

Isn't it the positioning of where the genitals "point" so it's an erect penis coming out of a circle and a fertile vagina at the bottom of a circle...
I don't they cause or reflect gender steroetyping.

I also agree strongly that the assumption that there is an inherent difference in men and women's brains or emotional quota is damaging and untue.

[Incacola]

I have absolutely no issue with the gender symbols. I don't really consider where their origin is when I use them everyday (I work in a medical type job so we use them a lot) because it is just like using punctuation or shorthand to me. I certainly don't consider them offensive.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

What symbols would you suggest OP?

[ReallyFuckingFedUp]

Fairer?

[ReallyFuckingFedUp]

TO be honest I didn't know the history behind either symbol so it never bothered me.

so much of our language and culture is rooted in misogyny and we don't even realise it. I guess because people don't know what it means it probably wouldn't be worth searching for a new symbol. I'd rather focus on the misogynistic language we use everyday that we understand and still use with no concern

[BillnTedsMostFeministAdventure]

I prefer this one;

Another, perhaps more ancient, interpretation of these gender symbols names them as the spear for men and the distaff for women. A distaff (pronounced dih'-staf) is a weighted spinning tool on a string used for creating threads and yarns

[Scarletohello]

Reallyfuckingfedup. Brilliant! Thanks for the laugh. ( love Prince too..)