I'd honestly like to be earning a dollar for every dollar a man makes first - THEN I'd discuss this.
(And I'd agree that yes, we should also be required if men are, too...)
I read this thread through a while ago...and have been thinking a bit about it. There are different issues at work here, and a lot of these are also somewhat individualized.
To answer the first part, I really don't know if I agree with the SS for anyone, but, maybe since I live in a country where I don't (didn't) have to sign up, I can't say for sure how I would feel about it.
As far as equal rights....I suspect a lot of the 'polls' are looking at jobs like are mentioned in this thread, administration, education, and other fields along those lines. As some of you know, I'm a toolmaker by trade, and worked in machine shops, toolrooms, and factories all along. I've worked with a couple women machinists...both were as good as the guys, but realized that they didn't always have the same strengths (talking physically here). I never gave either of them a hard time about it, nor downplayed it at all.....since I'm a bigger guy, I often got asked to give a lift, and so what? They know how to run the machine, make the parts, make calculations as needed, same as the rest of us.....if I didn't give a lift, they could have used a lift platform or forklift whatever, it was just quicker and easier to have an extra set of hands.
Over the years, we've had lots of girls hanging out here, between the horses, dogs, and just friends etc in general. A few (ok, very few) have expressed mild interest in some of the work I do. A couple have tried running my excavator a time or two, and a couple have tried a bit of welding. I have told a few of them that if they are interested, to look into it, in the trades, often women turn out to be as good, or better, than the guys. (And yea, everywhere I worked they got paid the exact same money too!)
I've often heard that women welders are VERY good at tig welding, due to the extra dexterity and 'nimbleness' (is that a word) that they have. As of yet, I don't know any in person, but from other things that I have seen, see no reason why it couldn't be so. Just yesterday, I was talking to a fellow chazzer that wants to try some welding next time she's here to visit.
In the other field that I'm familiar with, heavy equipment, any women that I've known or heard about were always highly regarded. Often they are easier on equipment, but still make it work. (Don't rev engines quite as high, easy on clutches for example, etc.) Just last week we had a lady driver delivering gravel in a tri-axle dump truck, she did a great job, placed it right where we asked, was easy to talk to, and did a good job on the truck. (It was a brand new truck too!) I don't know how her pay was, but from what I do know, I hope it was equal.
Sorry for the lengthy post.....
