# Is it a male-dominated world? Why or why not?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 27, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563 "2018-01-27T02:30:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 11

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/201 "2018-02-26T12:32:29Z")

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> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> The consumer boycotts against the NRA have not been led by women, but by teenagers. So is it a teenage-dominated world?

It’s not a teenage-dominated world, but teenagers are far from neglected, either. Companies spend a lot of time and effort to figure out what movies, music, television, clothes, etc. that teenagers will want. There is money to be made by catering to their needs.

> [@](#):
>
> Hyperbole doesn’t help your point. Millions of dollars are spent on men’s cancer awareness. In my tiny country the government spent 4.3 million dollars (in 2013 over four years) on prostate cancer awareness. That’s more than a “bunch of guys growing mustaches.” It isn’t a competition.

No, it’s not a competition. But Luciano700 said men’s health would be more promoted, and you asked more promoted than what, women’s health? So a comparison does seem to be called for.

Can you provide a source for the 4.3 million dollars, and does it mention (or do you happen to know) how much is similarly spent on breast and ovarian cancer? I did a bit of searching and the best I could find was a reposting of an article from Australia that discussed a funding gap between breast and ovarian cancer, and prostate and testicular cancer there.

> [@](#):
>
> Nothing is being “ignored.” You want more money spent on prostate cancer awareness? Then donate to a relevant charity. Or start your own charity. Lobby the government to increase funding. But if you think that prostate cancer awareness needs more money then make that case without saying that another “worthy cause” should have less money.

I never said more should be spent on prostate cancer. I certainly never said that less should go to another worthy cause (presumably you mean breast cancer). The thread is about whether it’s a male-dominated world, and it may well be, but if female-specific cancers receive more funding than male-specific ones that’s an interesting fact to add to the debate.

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**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/202 "2018-02-26T13:40:57Z")

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> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> Politically and governmentally does not = all the attention

Do you read/watch the news? Politics is overwhelmingly in the public spotlight and therefore = attention.

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> When I start seeing more male teenage drama films and male models, then remind me again about that

Call me by your name. Lion. Moonlight.

All films about teens and young men coming of age. All award winning.

Just because you’re not aware of them, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> Well the reasons dads are not also the dominant parents is because work and child-bearing reasons from women play a big role too. But with stay at home dads soon becoming the norm that’s all about to change anyways

I’m a working father of two young adults and I say you don’t know what you’re talking about.

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> Is about as much of a female-dominated world as it is to males. Power is not source of dominance, while some of it may play a role, is not a big indicator of dominance.

So you are walking back your OP? Are you saying the world has achieved parity and we can all relax? What are you saying?

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> That’s like saying just because black dudes are seen as the best athletes right away they automatically dominate all sports lmao.

Irrelevant and not what anybody has said. What’s so funny?

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> Hell I could even use the case of homosexuality being more acceptable for women than men, particularly for white women.

Use it to say what? Again, irrelevant and not what anybody is discussing.

> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> That’s not fair, men probably have more fear of sharing their gayness than women.

Who is more to blame for that - male or female dominant cultures?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/203 "2018-02-26T14:44:15Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> It’s not a teenage-dominated world, but teenagers are far from neglected, either. Companies spend a lot of time and effort to figure out what movies, music, television, clothes, etc. that teenagers will want. There is money to be made by catering to their needs.No, it’s not a competition. But Luciano700 said men’s health would be more promoted, and you asked more promoted than what, women’s health? So a comparison does seem to be called for.
> 
> Can you provide a source for the 4.3 million dollars, and does it mention (or do you happen to know) how much is similarly spent on breast and ovarian cancer? I did a bit of searching and the best I could find was a reposting of an article from Australia that discussed a funding gap between breast and ovarian cancer, and prostate and testicular cancer there.
> 
> I never said more should be spent on prostate cancer. I certainly never said that less should go to another worthy cause (presumably you mean breast cancer). The thread is about whether it’s a male-dominated world, and it may well be, but if female-specific cancers receive more funding than male-specific ones that’s an interesting fact to add to the debate.

I also just googled the pink tax.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Luciano700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Luciano700](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Luciano700)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/204 "2018-02-26T14:51:54Z")

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> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> Do you read/watch the news? Politics is overwhelmingly in the public spotlight and therefore = attention.
> 
> Call me by your name. Lion. Moonlight.
> 
> All films about teens and young men coming of age. All award winning.
> 
> Just because you’re not aware of them, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
> 
> I’m a working father of two young adults and I say you don’t know what you’re talking about.
> 
> So you are walking back your OP? Are you saying the world has achieved parity and we can all relax? What are you saying?
> 
> Irrelevant and not what anybody has said. What’s so funny?
> 
> Use it to say what? Again, irrelevant and not what anybody is discussing.
> 
> Who is more to blame for that - male or female dominant cultures?

I am not a father, so what the hell do I know.

Teenage girl films still get way more attention, award winning doesn’t equal jack.

No what I am saying is no gender dominates the world 100%, women lead communities, help raise children, achieve strong foundations. Men create technology, lead the world, help motivate people.  
Both sexes need eachother about as much as we think  
My point with that comment power is not a good indicator of dominance. Being strong, powerful and jacked up doesn’t lead to a path of dominance.

Idk, I say society in general. But to be critically honest male cultures more.

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**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/205 "2018-02-26T21:15:49Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> It’s not a teenage-dominated world, but teenagers are far from neglected, either. Companies spend a lot of time and effort to figure out what movies, music, television, clothes, etc. that teenagers will want. There is money to be made by catering to their needs.

…well yeah. “Money to be made.” I think you’ve made it clear where the power actually lies.

> [@](#):
>
> No, it’s not a competition. But Luciano700 said men’s health would be more promoted, and you asked more promoted than what, women’s health? So a comparison does seem to be called for.

You’ve chosen a single data-point for comparison. Does this single data-point prove that “mens health is less promoted” at the moment? If funding changed tomorrow so that prostate cancer awareness got the same funding as breast cancer awareness, what would that mean? If next week prostate cancer awareness got more funding than breast cancer awareness, is mens healthcare now “more promoted?” Is it a male-dominated world then?

> [@](#):
>
> Can you provide a source for the 4.3 million dollars,

[https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme/prostate-cancer-programme](https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme/prostate-cancer-programme)

And I’m pretty sure if you checked where you live there would be more than a “bunch of guys growing mustaches” going on there as well. When you’ve looked into it please feel free to report back on what you’ve found.

(Having said that: “a bunch of guys growing mustaches” is a pretty cost-effective method of awareness. If you are going to be comparing the “amount of money” invested in awareness, you need to also evaluate the effectiveness of that money spent.)

> [@](#):
>
> and does it mention (or do you happen to know) how much is similarly spent on breast and ovarian cancer?

It isn’t a competition. Why does this matter? Why not ask how much is similarly spent on skin cancer?

> [@](#):
>
> I did a bit of searching and the best I could find was a reposting of an article from Australia that discussed a funding gap between breast and ovarian cancer, and prostate and testicular cancer there.

Are you looking for articles that discuss a funding gap between breast cancer and prostate cancer? Because if that’s the sort of article you are looking for then that’s the sort of article you are going to find. (And a hint for future googling: Australia is not New Zealand. If the only article you could find for prostate cancer funding in New Zealand was an article about funding gaps in Australia it sounds like you need all the hints you can get)

> [@](#):
>
> I never said more should be spent on prostate cancer. I certainly never said that less should go to another worthy cause (presumably you mean breast cancer). The thread is about whether it’s a male-dominated world, and it may well be, but if female-specific cancers receive more funding than male-specific ones that’s an interesting fact to add to the debate.

What has it added to the debate?

Please enlighten us.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/206 "2018-02-26T21:44:40Z")

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> [@Luciano700](#):
>
> … so what the hell do I know.

I think we can all agree with this.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/207 "2018-02-26T22:07:49Z")

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> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> …well yeah. “Money to be made.” I think you’ve made it clear where the power actually lies.

Teenagers have money to spend. Music companies and films studios will give those teenagers what they want in order to try to get them to spend some of it on their products. What do you think power is, if not the ability to get other people to try to fulfill to your desires?

To the extent that this is an economic debate, all you can really do with money is spend it. A teenager buys a movie ticket, a studio head buys a Lexus, the car salesman takes a vacation in Hawaii; each of them voting with their dollars and with various entities competing to give them what they want. Teenagers don’t dominate, but they aren’t left out.

> [@](#):
>
> You’ve chosen a single data-point for comparison. Does this single data-point prove that “mens health is less promoted” at the moment?

One data point doesn’t prove anything, but I find it interesting.

> [@](#):
>
> [https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme/prostate-cancer-programme](https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme/prostate-cancer-programme)
> 
> And I’m pretty sure if you checked where you live there would be more than a “bunch of guys growing mustaches” going on there as well. When you’ve looked into it please feel free to report back on what you’ve found.
> 
> (Having said that: “a bunch of guys growing mustaches” is a pretty cost-effective method of awareness. If you are going to be comparing the “amount of money” invested in awareness, you need to also evaluate the effectiveness of that money spent.)

I mentioned one very high profile campaign for a women’s health issue (During the fall, it’s hard to get more high-profile in the U.S. than the NFL) for which there’s no corresponding campaign for men’s health. (At least, none that I’m aware of.) And I’m sure that there’s more going on for prostate cancer awareness than guys growing mustaches. There’s also more for breast cancer awareness than the NFL.

> [@](#):
>
> It isn’t a competition. Why does this matter? Why not ask how much is similarly spent on skin cancer?

It’s not a competition, just an interesting comparison.

> [@](#):
>
> Are you looking for articles that discuss a funding gap between breast cancer and prostate cancer? Because if that’s the sort of article you are looking for then that’s the sort of article you are going to find. (And a hint for future googling: Australia is not New Zealand. If the only article you could find for prostate cancer funding in New Zealand was an article about funding gaps in Australia it sounds like you need all the hints you can get)

There’s no reason to make this personal.

I did a web search; can’t remember the exact terms, but something like “prostate cancer funding New Zealand”, which brought me to [this page](https://prostate.org.nz/2014/01/men-die-earlier-womens-health-gets-four-times-funding/) at the website of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. Reading to the bottom, it’s pretty much just a reprint of something from news.com.au. Having clicked on those links, I suspect it influenced the results I was able to get with other searches.

> [@](#):
>
> What has it added to the debate?
> 
> Please enlighten us.

It has added a data point.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/208 "2018-02-26T22:57:06Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> Teenagers have money to spend. Music companies and films studios will give those teenagers what they want in order to try to get them to spend some of it on their products. What do you think power is, if not the ability to get other people to try to fulfill to your desires?

…you seem confused as to what the point of advertising is. It isn’t about “fulfilling a desire.” Its about “creating that desire.”

> [@](#):
>
> To the extent that this is an economic debate, all you can really do with money is spend it. A teenager buys a movie ticket, a studio head buys a Lexus, the car salesman takes a vacation in Hawaii; each of them voting with their dollars and with various entities competing to give them what they want. Teenagers don’t dominate, but they aren’t left out.

And women don’t dominate, but they aren’t left out. But that isn’t an argument that it isn’t a “male dominated world.”

> [@](#):
>
> One data point doesn’t prove anything, but I find it interesting.

I find it uninteresting that you find it interesting.

> [@](#):
>
> I mentioned one very high profile campaign for a women’s health issue (During the fall, it’s hard to get more high-profile in the U.S. than the NFL) for which there’s no corresponding campaign for men’s health. (At least, none that I’m aware of.)

But why does it matter that there isn’t a “corresponding campaign” for a “men’s health issue?” Why is that interesting to you? How does it contribute to the debate?

> [@](#):
>
> And I’m sure that there’s more going on for prostate cancer awareness than guys growing mustaches. There’s also more for breast cancer awareness than the NFL.

As I said: hyperbole didn’t help your point.

> [@](#):
>
> It’s not a competition, just an interesting comparison.

Why is it interesting?

> [@](#):
>
> It has added a data point.

A data point to what? Here is a single thing that happened that we can add to the other million different things that has happened? How does that data point add anything here? Why compare to breast cancer and not skin cancer?

I’m still trying to get the OP to come up with something to debate. So your data point really doesn’t add anything, because the entire point of the post you responded to originally was to try and focus what we are talking about here. If we can’t come up with a functional definition of what a “male dominated world” then how is adding data points supposed to help the debate?

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/209 "2018-02-27T04:02:23Z")

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> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> A data point to what? Here is a single thing that happened that we can add to the other million different things that has happened? How does that data point add anything here? Why compare to breast cancer and not skin cancer?
> 
> I’m still trying to get the OP to come up with something to debate. So your data point really doesn’t add anything, because the entire point of the post you responded to originally was to try and focus what we are talking about here. If we can’t come up with a functional definition of what a “male dominated world” then how is adding data points supposed to help the debate?

I posted about it because you asked.

> [@Banquet\_Bear](#):
>
> > [@Luciano700](#):
> >
> > men’s health would be more promoted, etc etc
> 
> “More” is a subjective measure. More promoted than what? Than women’s health? Bring some numbers into the discussion.

You didn’t address the question to me, but I’m not aware of any rule in Great Debates that other posters can’t share relevant facts in an ongoing conversation.

I mentioned the NFL awareness campaign because it’s so highly visible in the U.S. From [here](http://www.nfl.com/pink;):

> [@](#):
>
> Throughout October, NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel, on-field pink ribbon stencils, special game balls and pink coins - all to help raise awareness for this important campaign.

I compared breast cancer to prostate cancer, rather than skin cancer, because they are both gender specific. Mentioning funding for skin cancer, or campaigns to raise awareness of it, doesn’t really contribute to a debate about how men and women are treated and prioritized by society.

The whole thing is incredibly complicated. I found an interesting short piece in _The Atlantic_ (from 1994) attempting to debunk the idea that health research and spending were biased in favor of men. One site, using U.S. NIH numbers from 2009, describes a 15-to-1 spending imbalance on female-specific cancers compared to male-specific. Another site says the disproportionate spending on breast cancer is justified because it affects younger women than prostate cancer does men, and so each cured case results in more years of life saved. One site says the NFL awareness campaign is branching out to include other forms of cancer. And on top of all that, some men do get breast cancer, but it seems to be only about 1% of cases.

Some of the sites I mentioned probably have a political bias, which is unfortunate, but that also doesn’t mean they’re wrong. But if the question is “is men’s health more promoted than women’s health”, there’s rather a lot to take in on the subject.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/210 "2018-02-27T09:37:06Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> I posted about it because you asked.You didn’t address the question to me, but I’m not aware of any rule in Great Debates that other posters can’t share relevant facts in an ongoing conversation.

…you can ask what you like. I’m not stopping you. I’m telling you that the question you responded to was directed at Luciano700 to address the deficiencies with his OP.

> [@](#):
>
> I mentioned the NFL awareness campaign because it’s so highly visible in the U.S. From [here](http://www.nfl.com/pink;):I compared breast cancer to prostate cancer, rather than skin cancer, because they are both gender specific. Mentioning funding for skin cancer, or campaigns to raise awareness of it, doesn’t really contribute to a debate about how men and women are treated and prioritized by society.

But what does the NFL awareness campaign say about how men and women are treated and prioritised by society?

I don’t think it says anything at all. Cervical cancer doesn’t get the same amount of attention. Neither does Ovarian cancer. Its an exception to the data. It isn’t the rule.

> [@](#):
>
> But if the question is “is men’s health more promoted than women’s health”, there’s rather a lot to take in on the subject.

Well of course there is rather a lot to take in on the subject. Of course its incredibly complicated.

Which is precisely why I asked the original poster on this thread to bring “more to the table.” You haven’t shared anything new with me. I’ve heard everything you’ve said to me before. You are using standard MRA talking points. (I’m not accusing you of being an MRA) Luciano700 is gish-galloping. I’m countering the gish-gallop. And you hold “gallopers” to account by making them defend the statements they make.

You are welcome to interrupt and attempt to “answer the question”: but just realise you are missing the point. If you want to claim that “men’s health more promoted than women’s health” you are going to have to do much better than repeat the same old tired examples you’ve trotted out here.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/211 "2018-03-02T15:40:40Z")

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Looking at it from a factual perspective, men pretty much either conceptualized or invented nearly everything from a scientific perspective and tend to be the business owners, religious leaders, and political leaders.

So it makes perfect sense they are over-represented.

I think dominated the wrong word; a better question is why is the above so?

If you look at mammals in the wild, usually they too are male-dominated. However, if we are talking insects, it’s the other way around.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-a-male-dominated-world-why-or-why-not/807563/212 "2018-03-02T17:11:01Z")

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Of course we’re talking about insects. What do you think is the point of this debate?

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