Hello:
I liked what Szymanski had to say. I tend to agree with his thinking and reasoning.
I relate to this part of what he had to say most.Fortunately, authoritarian socialization is not always effective in suppressing people's natural drives. Healthy parents often succeed, despite the pressures they themselves suffer, in providing a supportive and liberating atmosphere for their children. Healthy people have a strong tendency to take the strictures of authority with a grain of salt, and to seek ways to meet their needs as best they can. Liberal and radical people working within the school system, or in the helping professions, may find ways to help people understand their own feelings and needs and how these relate to the larger society. Often, however, those people who are most oppressed by the system may not have the resources to escape the repression built into the system. Consequently, movements for change often emerge first from among people who have had enough advantages to create a tolerable environment for themselves and their families within the present system.

My parents are both from middle class, upper middle class families
I think my family was ahead of their time. My parents were into organic healthy diets, fitness, sunshine, fresh air, sustainability, environmental preservation/well-being, green business, they explored their consciousness, strived for higher consciousness, they experimented, and associated with accomplished successful often affluent persons of society who were into alternative personal lifestyles-artists musicians, dancers. They took yoga, they sailed half way around the world before I was born, and after they graduated from their universities, where they both
held 3 three jobs, while making their way through college. They questioned authority and encouraged creativity, finding positive, proactive, progressive solutions, they thought outside the box, they blazed their own path and own lives and managed to relate well to and respect, operate within, the mainstream well. My parents brought perspective, options, solutions, and insights etc. to people in society which helped, healed, and improved many peoples lives for the better, I believe. My parents worked to make the best of their lives, learn much constantly, make positive changes as they went along, and keep growing and improving in their own lives. My parents used a blend of authoriarian, authoritative, and more permissive parenting styles. My parents had some traditional ideas of gender I guess but are open to us kids making our own interpretations of how we relate to gender. I remember as a young girl only wanting to wear dresses for a few months, then I only wanted to wear pants for a few months, then I wanted to wear pants and dresses alternately for a few months. I remember learning the value of human life, of being humane,of respecting all life, of the interconnectedness of all life. I remember thinking of people as individuals more than as men or women. I think my parents taught me to respect peoples relationship to gender and my own relationship to gender and to find good ways to relate to others and find activities and things I had in common with others, common ground with others, so I could relate well with others, regardless of gender. My Mom had a practice of always addressing and recognizing
the female first in a couple rather than the male first so that the female wouldn't be threatened and think my Mom was coming on to the male in the couple. I think this is a respectful gender etiquette of my Mom. I think this is a good gender communication to know. I think my parents have taught me and my siblings to be independent thinkers and initiative, assertiveness, leadership,as well as politeness, pleasant manners, and cooperation. My parents taught my siblings and I good ways to communicate and relate to others in general more than gender specific ways. We all were expected to pull our weight, do our part, and be constructive, female and male.
Kind of a do under to others as you'd have them do unto you motto. And, treat others well, and be treated well by others, regardless of gender.
Shaunasi