We're trying to overcome our history Amos, not repeat it in perpetuity. I for one am not willing to return to the social rules of Chaucer's day regarding the treatment of women. Or even the social rules of post-WWII 1950s, for that matter. We want people to treat women with MORE respect, not the same amount of respect (in other words, little to none) that was offered them in the past.

Invoking the history of sexism as justification for it in this forum just won't wash with a lot of us.