Opinions | City Talk
City talk: Another inconclusive end to a battle of sexes
A Sharjah-based pupil who ranked first among 8,000 candidates in her crucial grade 10 examination has been quoted as saying that "girls are smarter than boys".
- By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 3, 2006
Dubai: A Sharjah-based pupil who ranked first among 8,000 candidates in her crucial grade 10 examination has been quoted as saying that "girls are smarter than boys".
Figures in the recently declared results of the secondary and higher secondary examinations has also shown that girls outshone boys in the pass percentage. For decades there have been intense debates on whether girls are smarter than boys or vice versa. The war of the sexes as some call it has been on for decades.
Gulf News took this debate to the streets of Dubai, and this is what the people had to say.
"Girls are more mature than boys. They think quite rationally while boys just act on impulse. My girl friend is more sensible than me although we grew up together, went to the same school and college. She even scored more grades than me," said Alan Cruz, a 25-year-old Filipino who works plant foreman in Jebel Ali. "This does not mean that boys are all brawn and no brains but compared to girls we are a bit slow in getting our grey cells activated."
He said that he still collects toys much to the irritation of his girlfriend. "Whenever I am not able to take a decision I pick up the phone and either called her or my mother. I am sure to get a clear answer."
Hitendra, a Dubai-based Indian who works as a Shipping Assistant, felt that the very question on the whether girls are being smarter than boys or vice versa is itself discriminatory.
"Why ask the question. We are in the 21st century and today both the sexes have to work equally harder to survive," he said. He said girls and boys, men and women are both sides of the same coin.
But Mohammad Walid, a 36-year-old Syrian, is of the opinion that boys are better than girls. According to him girls are manipulative and often get their way around, while boys have to slog and achieve something in life.
"Girls are very cunning, but boys are very naïve and often fall victim to the manipulation of girls," he said.
Eman Ebrahim, an 18-year-old Jordanian, advocated for girl power. "Girls are smarter, funnier, more down to earth and know exactly where to place their head and heart. Boys according to me are more look oriented. They go by the cover of the book and think they are the 'know-all'," she said.
She said that even the question papers of examinations are set keeping in sight the limitations of the grey cells in boys. "Look around whether it is boys or men they always have an over-confident look about them. But when it comes to actual work it is always girls who get it done," said Eman
Echoing similar sentiments Teresa Teruel, a 34-year-old Filipina secretary, said that boys perpetually complain on how they are made to work for longer hours while girls are not. "This is because we girls get it right the very first time, while boys if you notice take twice the time to carry out the same type of work," she said.
Isra Ebrahim, a 13-year-old pupil, disapproves. She said boys are smarter than girls in every aspect of life.
"Boys are exposed to the realities of life while girls are given the security by their parents and later on by their husbands. How do you expect girls to be smarter than boys," she said. Questioning whether academic brilliance alone was enough for girls to be termed "smarter" than boys she said: "Boys are all-rounders while girls are not."
Saeed Hassan, a 28-year-old Palestinian assistant manager, agreed to what Isra. Calling girls as emotional creatures, he said: "Girls and boys can never be equal. No matter what girls achieve they will always be a bit weaker than the boys," he said.
In his perspective boys are full of wisdom as compared to girls who are more manipulative.
"Girls also lag behind in sports and other manual work whether you need physical strength. Have you come across girls driving heavy vehicles? If girls are smarter why do they expect boys to treat them in a particular way? Why are girls allowed to break the line and approach the counter in all places be it a bank or any public office?" he added.
Jannat Sareea, a 14-year-old Indian pupil, stood up for the genuineness of girls and said: "We tend to think before we start on some work, while boys do not and as a result end up in a total mess. The fact is that girls have good analytical power and hence are able to handle any type of situation."
"Girls are undoubtedly smarter than boys. And guess what, boys are aware of this fact, they just can't gather the courage to admit it."
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