BREAKING: Kid who wanted more Facebook time behind Cartoon Profile Pic

BREAKING NEWS: After this blog posted the previous post on standing up against child abuse, a young teen contacted our webmaster and revealed he was the source of the campaign. The purpose behind his call to action - to get his parents to give him back his Facebook privileges.

"My mom took away facebook saying I spend too much time on Facebook and not enough time on my school work and chores," confesses 15-year-old Martin Tomfoolery in a Facebook chat interview. "After I didn't clean my room for three weeks, she said it was going to be a week without TV. When I said that was like child abuse, she took away my facebook time! That's just wrong!"

Marty, who is certainly no stranger to the viral potential of the social media realm having been behind previous efforts as "Every time you don't "like this" on Facebook, God kills a kitten" or "Retweet this if you want to be like the awesome people who retweeted this - or you really are just a loser, just like we always thought anyway", took to the masses to call attention to his plight.

"To take away my TV, that's just totally unfair. I've already missed all of my favourite shows, so I'll have to find them on Pirate Bay - and you know how slow that is," says Marty, who admits to being a fan of old-school cartoons including the original Spider Man and He-Man series from the 70s and 80s. "But to take away my Facebook time, that's just not right, man. Today, that's like locking a kid up by himself and feeding him nothing but bread and water - it's child abuse. I'm gonna die at school, if I didn't know what's going on twitter and facebook. My stupid parents just have noooooo idea."

Marty, who was unable to log in with his own facebook account (my parents joined Facebook last month, major bummer!) used a friend's account to spread the word.

"I figured, if I could show that everyone thought what my mom was doing was child abuse, then she'd get scared I'd sue her or something and I could get my Facebook back," says Marty, who was inspired by a case in Quebec where a 12 year old successfully sued her parents for grounding her for posting inappropriate images of herself on Facebook.

When asked about the success of his campaign, Marty appeared genuinely surprised. "To be honest, I didn't think it'd really get much hype. But I mean, people WANT to put up pictures of their favourite cartoon characters anyway. You just have to give them a good reason to do it," he says. "That's like, the secret to being popular."

Marty has since had his facebook privileges restored to him (Without facebook, he had spent the weekend cleaning his room, but Marty strongly believes the level of support he received onliine had something to do with his mother's final decision). Asked about his next campaign cause, the teen replied thoughtfully, "Maybe update your profile pic to your favourite childhood toy or first pet or something." He hasn't decided on a worthy cause behind his campaign but is considering a few interesting political offers, he says.

Facebook Cartoon Profile Pic to Fight Child Abuse December 6 - WTF???

Okay I have to comment on this because it's driving me mental. Just as I can't understand the double standards and complete confusion of the dating world - I understand even LESS the idiocy behind some social media "meme"s and what we do on the online world to really demonstrate how overly accepting and unquestioning we are about advice, networks and supporting generalisations and ideals without thinking for ourselves.

Change your Facebook Profile Pic to a Cartoon to Fight Child Abuse

Last weekend, I received a message from a dear friend on Facebook:

The challenge? Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB until Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse and copy and paste to your status to invite your friends to do the same.

Now while I loved this dear friend dearly, I always believed she was of the more "gullible" sort - well meaning, but well gullible. I certainly didn't think her post and status would be the first of many an internet phenomenon.

Before I knew it, within 24 hours, my entire facebook feed was overtaken by status update and cartoon characters proclaiming I should change my profile picture for the goal to "not see a human face" to fight child abuse.

Many authorative (by authorative, I mean awesome blogs like mashable) reported on the trend, but were unable to trace the source of the campaign to any particular NGO or special interest group. Some say that it was a game that had originated in Greece.

What I say is - HUH???

Maybe I have too much faith in my network and friends but I thought everyone would see through the idiocy of such a declaration - I mean I LIKE seeing my facebook feed taken over wiht awesome cartoon characters - but I have so far received NO RESPONSE from any one as to the nature of this campaign, namely:

What sort of child abuse are we fighting? Is it...

• is it the cases where teens sue their parents for slapping them in the faces or for not signing permission slips?
• or is it the baby girls in china that are drowned or sold off because they're female?
• or is it child abductors who are known to use toys and cartoons to lure kids in?

Seriously, folks, I would like to ask that we try this again - let's get this right and create a real cause and a real page with real statistics on child abuse for someone to think about and decide how they want to make a difference? Or if the whole point was just to get a lot of awesome cartoon characters on FB (which I would like to think is why so many people joined the cause) let's call a spade a spade and have National Cartoon Week where everyone can post as their profile picture a cartoon from their early childhood. Let's just please not hide behind some seemingly blanket good cause and belittle the seriousness of violence against children - and look to raise awareness in a proper and real way.

Is chivalry dead?

Opening doors, offering chairs, paying for dinner, taking off the hat - these are the usual concepts of chivalry, stemming from the days of knighthood when the great gentlemen were expected to follow a specific chivalric code. Knights were trained to fearless fighters, full of honour and gallantry, aggressive on the battle field, that was then tempered by a particular chivalric code that centred around respect. The Song of Roland was one example, outlining how one should behave. Much of the chivalric code and expected duties stem from Faith in the church, with honourable characteristics including honesty and prudence.

The chivalric code extended to matters of the heart - and love in the medieval courts. Damsels were aplenty in the King's court and a knight courting his beloved had certain ideas and notions on that love. The Rules of Love in the court are outlined by Andreas Capellanus in his work, De Amore:

• Marriage is no excuse for not loving.
• An easy attainment makes love contemptible; a difficult one makes it more dear.
• It is not proper to love one whom one would be ashamed to marry.
• True jealousy always increases the effects of love.

Of course, when we talk about chivalry, we don't really mean the knights of the courts - we're talking more about men honouring women, being courteous and considerate to the "finer sex". So when we ask if chivalry is dead, we're really considering this fundamental question: do men today respect and honour women?

And I guess, there's no real answer - there are certainly plenty of women that I respect, Angela Merkel for one, while there are plenty of women that I don't really have a lot of respect for - say Lindsay Lohan with her ankle bracelet - not that I'm really judging her or anything. There are plenty of respectable men - like Obama - and absolutely abhorrent ones (I'll let you come up with a few on your own).

So back to the question - is chivalry dead? In the age of Carrie Bradshaw, have sex like a man and Lindsay Lohan's party girl independence - do men respect women less than they did in the past?

Call me an optimistic - but I don't think so. I think men are confused about the appropriate actions to demonstrate their honour and respect - do I hold open the door or am I infringing on her independence? It's a minefield to walk through - depending on the girl and the situation. But deep down underneath - the modern man still respects the modern woman.

After all, if they didn't - they'd be hearing from their mothers.

Do you think chivalry is dead? Do women want men to be chivalrous? Are certain girls worth it?

Sex and the City - a phenomenon

I am standing in a queue for the new Sex and the City flick - you can feel the energy in the room. Women of all shapes, ages, backgrounds and races - all keen to see their fav fab 4 in action.

Reading the reviews, there's little doubt that S&C is - a phenomenon - that's what Margaret called it last night on At the Movies. And it is - something about the show has really captured the heart of the fairer sex so that plot, realism, dialogue - all that stuff we look for in movies - they don't matter. It's about the clothes, the style, the setting - what these women represent.

And only women seem to get it. I loved watching Margaret become so animated in defending her enjoyment of the movie. A girl I work with had the same reaction - it's a love that cannot be challenged - like defending the honour of someone bitching about your BFF.

What can I say - it's a girl thing.

Queue's moving, here we go. :) See you all on the other side.

Does social media empower us?

Facebook, twitter, blogs - web 2.0 has given us all a forum to voice our thoughts and opinions, share our feelings and ideas - and give us the satisfaction that we matter. Doesn't matter that we're not experts on a matter - this is democracy in the 21st century and our opinions count!

From broadcasting our hook ups and conquests - to our fails and faux pas - social media gives us a forum to say what we really think - and with 140 character limits - we don't even have to give evidence or support our claims. Don't like it? De-friend me right now - go on I dare you.

So has social media liberated and empowered our society - giving us an outlet to speak our minds freely? Or are we in such a frenzy to be heard that what we say has no real substance anymore?

And where do women fit into the social media sphere? I wonder about women in particular because women are seen as being exceptionally influential in this space. A 2008 study shows that while both sexes are adapting social media, women far outpace men in the use of these networks. Women are generally more community and network oriented in their daily lives and there more mediums - such an online gaming - that demand male attention in front of the computer.

So how are women using their online voice? Many speculate that as social media continues to grow as a viable and necessary business component, more and more women will be needed to execute these strategies - which means more opportunities to females to be in control. On the other hand, on a personal level, maybe it's a bit of a social crutch that lets us hide behind our idealised visions of the world - where everyone is tweeting, liking and digging the same things - and speaking with the same voice.

But who's REALLY listening?

What are your thoughts on social media in society? Do you use it? Do you like it?

Ego check

We all have egos - and our individual preferences lead us to different actions to satisfy our egos. Some of us need verbal affirmation, some of us need to demonstrate an amazing accomplishment or achievement - still others, thrive on the thrill of secrecy or being covert - like having a secret awesome identity that nobody else knows about.

When it comes to relationships though, our egos can change. I've noticed this. The usually secure and boastful alpha male becomes insecure and doubtful in front of his mate. Or the usual secretive silent achievers can't shut up about their awesome quiet accomplishments in front of their loved ones.

What is it about us as social beings that requires us to wear a mask through most of our daily interactions?

Is the world such a truly gruesome and terrifying place? Are we all so afraid of each other? What's the worse that could happen if we abandoned our facades for a day?

Apologies for the existential rambling - I blame the gloomy weather. Next week, I'll be reviewing Sex and the City 2 - should be fun!

Everyone has gone Cougar Crazy

The blogging world is abuzz with Google's decision to ban the dating site, CougarLife.com from appearing on AdSense. With celebrity cougar cub couples like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore and the RV shows like Cougar Town, cause we all know Courtney Cox-Arquette is the stereotypical cougar - the world has gone really gone cougar crazy. I went on a City Chase in Sydney a few weeks back (think Amazing Race but in the city) and the winning creative team name was - "The Cougar and the Boy". (She didn't really look cougary and he didn't really look like a boy in case you were wondering).


Meanwhile, a recent study conducted in Germany warns that cougars who marry younger men could be shortening their life span by as much as 20%.

It's hardly a new phenomenon really. I remember shows that go as way back as Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris before he was Barney) that talked about the phenomenon - essentially men hit their sexual prime at the age of 17 while a woman's libido doesn't peak until she's about 40 - so really the match up makes sense. And then there are the cougars way before Demi Moore - Elizabeth Taylor with rumours going around that she may be set to make her most recent beau, Jason Winters, hubby number 9. Winters, is of course, 29 years Taylor's junior.


So really, I find myself asking, what's the big deal???

Is this the next part of the great feminism wave and step for women's rights? Now that we are keen on our careers, our social lives, our freedom to have sex like a man - is the next logical step to promote and glorify cougardom so that when we do decide we're ready to settle down - we think we're hot enough to get the 20 something year boy cubs?

What do you think? Why the interest in cougars? Will we see more of them in the coming years or is it just fad?

Cougar Terms to Know

Cougar - a woman, usually aged 35 or older who prefers - and actively pursues younger men - usually 8 years her junior.

Cub - the young male counterpart to the cougar.

Trout - a term used for a male dating a significantly younger female.

Puma - considered a cougar in training, refers to a woman in her late twenties or early thirties who dates a younger man.

Source: Wikipedia

Do women just want too much?

Interesting tweet came up on my dashboard a few days ago that I wanted to share with:

"RT @Dymocksbooks: RT @onebigorooni: #101comp "Eat, Pray, Love: 1 Woman's Search for Everything": Ppl r SO greedy these days"

Onebigorooni may have run out of characters, but I wonder if he/she really meant "WOMAN r SO greedy these days."

And it could be a valid point.

I haven't read the book, but I've heard that it's an inspiring read. The very personal journey that Gilbert embarks on to heal and grow is, supposedly, very real and relatable. I will have my hands on a copy of it to find out for myself.

Outside of the literary merit of the work, what about the social implications? Do we as women, or maybe as people just simply expect too much?

These days, it's not enough for many to have a roof over their heads and food on the table - we're looking for some sort of "spiritual" or "soulful" satisfaction. We want to feel like we have rewarding careers, loving partners, excitement and security, intimacy - and independence. In a nutshell, we really want it all.

Are we just being too greedy?

An interesting read by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, talks about the Paradox of Declining Female Happiness. Over the past 35 years, females as a sex have seen a number of important milestones, from the introduction of birth control to increased female education - a study shows 41 % of women earned a tertiary degree compared to just 33 % of males. We're blazing the way into roles that have always been traditionally held by men - look at the amazing achievements of German chancellor Angela Merkel.

But despite all that, women don't seem to be any happier and Stevenson and Wolfers studies show that women are much less happier than men, compared to 35 years ago when these sorts of opportunities weren't available.

"The increased opportunity to succeed in many dimensions may have led to an increased likelihood of believing that one’s life is not measuring up," Stevenson and Wolfers raise in their discussion. Women are more likely to compare themselves to a broader group - even ones that sit outside of their abilities. We want to succeed as mothers, as lovers, in our careers and among our peers. Perhaps, because women are traditionally more sympathetic to the needs and demands of others - part of our nurturing instincts, we don't want to let anyone down - even if it is just ourselves.

But are we really letting our loved ones down as much as we think we are? In a survey of 3rd - 12th graders and their mothersin the US, while 56% of mothers' believed their children would wish that their mothers could spend more time with them, only 10% of children actually made this wish. The most popular wish was "'I want my mom to be less stressed and tired."

Maybe we have to cut ourselves a break.

What do you think? Are women more or less happy than they were in the past? Do we want and expect too much from life and ourselves? What makes you happy?

Is future happiness tied in the past?

When I was about 3 months into seeing this guy, my good girlfriend asked me "so what's his story? How many people has he been with?"

I honestly had no idea.

About two years later now and we're moving in together - I've met his family and spent Xmas with them twice. I know most of his friends. We spend most of our time together. I also know he hasn't been previously married, doesn't have kids and has never had a gay experience.

I just don't know anything about how many ex's he has or how many people he's slept with.

And he doesn't really know my history either - not that I haven't volunteered it, but he says there's no reason to know.

I can't help but wonder sometimes though. Were his ex's hot? Were they bitchy? Did they live together? Am I kinky enough for him?

That's probably one of the main reasons for partners wanting to know about their partner's past - to ensure that they are sexually gratified. You don't want to find out he has a long standing history of BDSM and the most adventurous you've ever been is doggy style.

The other concern is infidelity. You've heard the expression "once a cheater, always a cheater" and for those who have been hurt by a cheating partner - it's exceptionally hard to trust again. However, according to Private Investigator, Bill Mitchell (who's solved over two thousand infidelity cases, only about 15-20% of cheaters are repeat offenders - so perhaps that offers some level of comfort. Although varying statistics say anywhere between 22 - 50% even 70% of partner's cheat in a marriage - but I have my suspicions that these tests and statistics are conducted by online spy software companies - and PIs like Mitchell - trying to hock their wares. The NYTimes quotes the National Opinion Research Center that says 1/4 of men and 1/6 of women cheat.

So are we paranoid in our desire to know about our partner's past? Is it pivotal to our future happiness? Is it true once a cheater always a cheater?

Your thoughts!!

Can men write women?

I just finished reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Silly, fun book but the main character, literary investigator Thursday Next - left me a little...flat. She didn't seem like a credible woman. She was strong, independent and stubborn - but was strangely alienating in her desire to marry the man she loved.

To me, she seemed like a man's mind put into a woman's body.

It makes me wonder - can men REALLY write women?

I'm thinking of Stiegg Larrsson's Lisbeth Salander or the women of Fitzgerald's books - they were certainly interesting and captivating characters but were they credible women? Was Dickens eccentric Miss Havisham and cold calculating Estella real women? Compared to the Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre or her sister's Catherine in Wuthering Heights - male authors seem to make their female characters, unique - more than just the typical "woman". While their men tend to be more often than not, typical Joes that do something extraordinary.

What do you think? Who are your favourite female book characters? Can men write women? And how about women writing men?

The State of the ahem "Union" in Australia - Affairs

A new online dating site has launched in Australia - but I'm not saying singles take note! Ashleymadison.com caters to married individuals and those in long term relationships that are looking to indulge in a bit of...dallying on the side.

It's actually not supposed to be that surprising. According to many estimates, 60% of men ad 45% of women admit to having an extramarital affair. Meanwhile, that puts estimates of all marriages affected by affairs at a whopping 70%. Noel Biderman, founder of the site, told SMH that it's not in the human nature to stay in with one partner for the long term. It would seem like the general populace agrees, with 280,000 users subscribed to the site already - 36% of them are women.

Some reckon that a little affair can rekindle the old marital flames - add a little spice in your life. Even if this were true, is an affairs' based website the way to go about it? Isn't part of the excitement of an affair is that it's spontaneous and wasn't meant to happen? The appeal and romance that the two of you couldn't keep your hands off each other and are risking your unions for the sake of passion and animal magnetism?

Meanwhile, today's other Life & Style headline is that Australia is one of the world's cluckiest nations - Australia ranks just behind Norway as the best country to have children. So to the outside reader, we're a nation of clucky cheaters - who believe a woman can't be raped wearing skinny jeans.

If I was a woman thinking about moving to Australia - I'd definitely be considering New Zealand at the moment.

What do you think about the state of the "Union"? Are most marriages affected by affairs? Would you consider starting an affair online?

--

The State of the "Union" in Australia - Relationship Facts

Top 3 challenges people face in finding a partner:
1. No one suitable
2. How do you meet people?
3. Too busy

Top 3 causes for relationship breakdown
1. Communication Difficulties
2. Financial Stress
3. Lack of commitment

Top 3 factors that would make people happier
1. More money/better finances
2. Better health
3. More downtime and less work

Source: Relationship Australia 2008

Seriously, is there such a thing as balanced love?

Love advice from my mum: it's better if you end up with someone who loves you more than you love them. Seriously - she reckons that if you're gonna be in an unbalanced relationship, better that the scales should be tipped in your favour - typical Mum advice.

But it does get me thinking, is there ever really such a thing as a completely balanced relationship? Can 2 people really love each other entirely equally?

The fear I guess that mothers have for their daughters is that love is irrational and can cause us to do irrational things. They're the driving force behind crimes of passion, youth suicide packs - and why guys will stand in the rain with a boom box held over their heads or why girls will fly across country to rush in to try to stop her ex's wedding - why we seem to so willingly rush to make fools of ourselves - all in the name of love.

But is it better in the end to have a partner who loves us more? In some ways, it makes sense - since women want to be romanced and wooed - worshipped even. So isn't it better to be loved more?

Meanwhile, women still seem to fall for the bad boy and end up in abusive relationships - where you question if the partner cares for them at all. In this extreme, it's the thrill of being entirely in love - crazy in love - that makes life exciting. Without that irrational emotional...passion - is life too boring?

What do you think? Can two people really love each other equally? Is there always an imbalance? Which is better - to love or be loved?

Father knows best - except in matters of the heart

They say father knows best - at least that's what Glamour magazine is saying in its exclusive interview with Father Pat Connor. Father Connor reckons that he's doled out enough couples counselling advice to be able to compile a list of men who women just shouldn't marry.

It's a fairly obvious list - with the usual cast of characters when it comes to bad news boys - mummy's boys are a no-no as are men who are rude to waiters. Really at the end of the day, even celibate priests can spot a doomed relationship from miles away.

The thing is this is always easier said than done - cause your priest only ever has to worry about love for one guy - the Big Guy.

My cousin is a good example. She's 33 and on the husband hunt. She's been seeing a guy for over a year now but they live in different towns and have different days off so don't really see each other as often as they would like.

And he's a mama's boy. For her birthday, he gave my cousin a pearl necklace, that his mother had picked out. And he's hesitant to commit and comes with baggage - at 22 his wife left him in the night.

But despite all this, my cousin loves him.

Look, no matter what Father, me or anybody says, he's not the worse guy in the world. He has a steady job and he cares about my cousin and they love each other, so isn't that enough? Do his bad points really spell doom in the end?

What do you think? Are there really some guys you should write off at the start? What happens if you fall in love before you realise these faults?

Father Pat Connor's list
WHOM NOT TO MARRY

Mummy's boys

Men who are bad with money

Men with no friends

Men who put you down in public

Men who are rude to waitering staff

Men unable to laugh at themselves

Men unwilling to share authority

Men who never make demands countering yours

Are you loyal to your friends or your sex?

I have a lot of male friends. In high school I mostly hung out with an all male crowd - we played touch football and cards, hung out at fast food restaurants and - occasionally talked about girls. I guess they talked about girls around me because I wasn't really a girl per se. I didn't play the girl games on them that a lot of the other girls played and we didn't want to go out with each other. I think I just wanted good mates that didn't just talk about shopping and boys - and didn't giggle a lot.

They're some of my best friends now and yeah they tell me their girl troubles. Actually it's more like:

"Paige you have to help me find a hot chick."

"She has a boyfriend already and she doesn't want to mess around. What do I do?"

Now, some girls might be appalled at what these guys are saying. To me they're not disrespectful or assholes, they're just my friends and we joke around - and they really are really nice guys.

But then again, I've never hooked them up with anyone.

That's the thing, when it comes to what women want, I know these guys too well to feel like I can conscionably recommend them as partners. Meanwhile, I think guys do the same thing in that they won't refer their friends to date their sisters.


Who are you loyal to - your friends or your sex? Are guys really different in front of other guys away from the girls?
Sent via BlackBerry® from Vodafone

The wedding

So I guess it happens at some point in every girl's life - no not THE wedding - I'm talking about the other wedding, the one where you're the bridesmaid.

In this day and age, can any girl ever get out of being a bridesmaid? Is it really like 27 dresses where you end up with a whole wardrobe of dresses you've only worn once?

I'm making the big walk down the aisle next year - and I've been told I'll be wearing...green. Yep. I have no comment.

And if rom-coms are right I'll spend the coming months dealing with bridezilla...she is getting quite involved with all the planning already as is the groom. It's like they suddenly have no more hobbies and the wedding is still 9 months out. And if rom-coms are right, I'll spend the time being really happy for her while I secretly wish that it was me...

I guess the thing with weddings is that they're symbolic, they mean something to the bride, groom, the parental groups - and we all respect that and celebrate it with them because it's important to them - unlike in the past when a marriage meant the survival of the village.

And while they mean something special to the wedding parties - I guess they mean something to us all individually as well. We find ourselves contemplating the future, the present and the past, wondering how we have arrived at this point right now, and where we are headed.

So here's to that first walk down the aisle. I'll be the one thinking deep drunk thoughts - dressed in green.

What do weddings mean to you? Can a girl go through her life and NEVER be a bridesmaid?
Sent via BlackBerry® from Vodafone

Can We Speak Up? - Empowered Women Working

I've been neglecting this blog for quite a bit but it seemed as good a place as any to write down something that has been a real issue (one of the reasons that I started this blog in the first place)

In August 2009, I quit my old job. It was as the Online Editor of a cute small and on the surface, entirely likeable company. It flogged cute, good quality magazines on a socially important issue and was really on the surface - supposed to make a difference to the world and make everyone's lives a little better.

This cute small and likeable company didn't pay me for about a month. It didn't pay my superannuation for more than a year. That's about $7,500 maybe more if you think about interest - that's a lot for a girl in her twenties.

It owes my colleagues (at least 4 or 5 of them) the same amount of money if not more.

The thing is that it was run by a hot, blonde, smart and on the surface entirely likeable and empowered woman. Her first cute small and likeable company went bankrupt and then restarted itself under the guise of a "different" company...that is owned by the 22 year old BROTHER of the woman...but she still holds the reins and runs the place. (I'm pretty sure that's illegal) This "different" company has continued to be operated in the same manner of the first business that owes me money...and is now racking up more debt to co-workers of mine that have believed that they will recoup the money that they are owed...

And none of us have seen a dime.


And the worse part is, it is modern times that lets her get away with it. As a woman with a vision, people respect her. Wow - she started her own business that seems to have taken off. But then the number of times she's played dumb, flirted - maybe slept with people - to get out of trouble with the ATO, the creditors, the employees she owes money. Her crazy excuse for running her company into the ground? Bad employees (that she never paid) and "She didn't know".

If she was male - people would expect more from her.

For the rest of us, when do we get to speak out against then??? When do we get to say that wasn't right? When do we get to say a company...no matter cause and mission..can't do this to us? When do we get to say "no fucking way"?

She really does give the empowered business woman a bad name. :(

Have you been ripped off by a so called empowered woman? In what ways does society make it easier or harder for women in business?