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"It's a man's world!"

If I said that aloud in a thickly crowded place, with people coming from different cultural, political, socio-economic and religious backgrounds, a very heated, wildly-animated, and strongly-worded debate would most probably break out amongst the men and women present. After all, the "battle of the sexes" has always been an age-old, hot-button topic that people from both genders (biological, not political ones) have vigorously fought and persistently tried to win.

Or...

Is there even a battle in the first place?

Should there be a battle at all?

Men and women have been created differently and imbued with gender-specific abilities, instincts and inclinations that, on their own, are unique and define their particular maleness or femaleness. However, when these unique traits and characteristics are combined with each other in the union and cooperation between the sexes, something entirely new is created, something that upgrades the man and the woman: one flesh! 

Being a believer of this, it pains me to see that the very institution that God has designed for both male and female uniqueness to flourish and complement each other, has been maligned, perverted, and turned into a battlefield when it should have been all along a garden where beautiful things grow and thrive.

Instead, what we have is a gladiator arena where the combatants fight to prove themselves as the better, smarter, stronger and more capable gender; where the contenders' "hearts have been to battle" and their "souls have been to war"*; and where no one -- not even the victor -- walks away unscathed. It's vicious!

And it shouldn't be.

Part of the reason this battle between the sexes exists is the fact that many of us do not know the purpose of each gender being created distinct from the other. Gender distinction was created so that a male can fulfill his God-ordained role in the grand scheme of things, and so that a female can also fulfill her God-ordained role in the grand scheme of things. Each one an incomplete masterpiece in their own right with both sexes designed with strengths that would complement the other's weaknesses; therefore creating a support system to build each other up, not a competitive arena to tear each other down.

To avoid that, I believe each of the sexes must first learn to appreciate and understand their own uniqueness without pride or superiority over the other. Learn to live with their maleness or femaleness in such a way that they get to value their gender-specific strengths, while also owning up to and making adjustments in light of their distinct weaknesses. Have a healthy self-evaluation, so to speak, so that when the time comes one does not end up one-upping their life partner or any member of the opposite sex for that matter.

There are specific and unique aspects of the sexes that one has to discover, cherish and celebrate in order for one to be able to bring something to the relationship table that enhances others and, in doing so, themselves as well.

(to be continued...)

*Victims of Love, by Joe Lamont