Deathlist 2006-an All Boys Club?

[Mr Macabre 0]

Has anyone else noted that all the successes for this years list are all men. A fact not surprising considering most of this years selections were male. It clearly shows however that women on the list have a much higher chance of surviving the year and as such are in essence much riskier candidates

 

If i wasnt so damn lazy I would go back over Deathlist history and compare the ratio of male/female hits! Hopefully someone more worthy then me will take up this challenge because I would like to know without doing the necessary work lol

[Tuber Mirum 125]

I suspect just as many women die as men. Perhaps more, since there are more women on the planet than men, though conversely the majority of women may be a result of women living slightly longer.

 

Perhaps there are more male celebrities than female. Certainly from the world of sport, given the popularity of male dominated sports such as Association Football.

 

Whether or not it's easier to predict the impending death of a man or a woman, on average, might be an interesting topic for discussion.

[Banshees Scream 110]

Brooke Astor is insulted.

[Windsor 2,233]

Brooke Astor is insulted.

 

Why? She's not dead.

[Banshees Scream 110]

Why? She's not dead.

 

Yet.

[in eternum+ 22]

Last month I went to a talk at the Cheltenham Literature Festival about obituary writing in The Times. The talk itself was, unfortunately, not particularly stimulating, but at the end someone in the audience asked the panel members why there are always so many more obituaries for men than for women.

 

The answer provided was that the generation predminantly dying at the moment is one that, for the most part, did not really allow women into high positions of power: women weren't really involved in politics, the higher ranks of the military, etc. The only sphere in which women might have made a name for themselves was the arts: as musicians, actors, authors, and the like. Which is why there are so few female obits at the moment. Which makes sense.

 

The general feeling of the panel was that more female obits will begin to appear as women become more prominent within the fields that are considered worthy of warranting obits by the major papers.

[Banshees Scream 110]

Just to add - Death and Time are that of thy same. Within years of the past women weren't givin the respect that most receive today. Fame on there part must have dramatically increased. It's common sense. In days of the future numbers should even out.

[themaninblack 2,112]

We all die eventually, even though women tend to live longer.

They can't keep away from the Grim Reaper for ever...

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Last month I went to a talk at the Cheltenham Literature Festival about obituary writing in The Times. The talk itself was, unfortunately, not particularly stimulating, but at the end someone in the audience asked the panel members why there are always so many more obituaries for men than for women.

 

The answer provided was that the generation predminantly dying at the moment is one that, for the most part, did not really allow women into high positions of power: women weren't really involved in politics, the higher ranks of the military, etc. The only sphere in which women might have made a name for themselves was the arts: as musicians, actors, authors, and the like. Which is why there are so few female obits at the moment. Which makes sense.

 

The general feeling of the panel was that more female obits will begin to appear as women become more prominent within the fields that are considered worthy of warranting obits by the major papers.

As themaninblack reminded us correctly: of men and women the same fraction die, i.e all. That said, women live longer than men and consequentely there are more women then men alive. One would expect that women have a better chance to get celeb status, but that is obviously not the case. I suppose that the difference is a result of past and current sexism. The past bit we can't change and only time will remedy it. The current bit we can. In the West we're working on it, although in politics, business and the military we're far from there yet.

 

As far as politics is concerned I'll do my bit next Wednesday by voting for a woman in the Dutch general elections. I haven't decided which one, though.

 

regards,

Hein

[Rotten Ali 600]

Interesting thread.

This years list has 7 femails on it and no deaths from this set.

As appossed to 10 hits from 43 males.

 

My own system does not yet account for differing ages relating to male/femail average death ages. A major short-coming I think! Still I have to date had 3 femail hits (Princess Alice, Dava Reeve and Ann Richards) from about 50 hits in all my pools.

 

Femails of note, not on the list would include Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jane Tomlinson, Tammy Faye BM, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Denise Matthews, Natashsa Lyonne, Mariane Faithfull, Coutney Love, Lee Starkey, Kathryn Blair, Mary Travers & Sara Brady.

 

But as noted femails do live longer and I'm noting that not only do they suffer less serious illnesses (coming back to less abuse of drink and drugs) but when they do get coverage in the press like Kylie, then its the type of more treatable types of cancer.

 

So I think that its way easier to find better value with a broadly male list, especially when over-arching age range breaks verse points given take effect. Canadian Paul's Dead Pool has to his credit giving an extra point for being femail but I don't even think this was key stack up when I was posting my entry. If I did then an under 84 year old femail list would be tricky to get points from noting that even Brooke Astor is still clocking up the years at over 102.

[in eternum+ 22]

As themaninblack reminded us correctly: of men and women the same fraction die, i.e all. That said, women live longer than men and consequentely there are more women then men alive. One would expect that women have a better chance to get celeb status, but that is obviously not the case. I suppose that the difference is a result of past and current sexism. The past bit we can't change and only time will remedy it. The current bit we can. In the West we're working on it, although in politics, business and the military we're far from there yet.

Which was precisely my (and the panel's) point. If the DeathList operated purely on a 'everybody dies' premise, it wouldn't make for a particularly exciting competition, would it?

 

As far as politics is concerned I'll do my bit next Wednesday by voting for a woman in the Dutch general elections. I haven't decided which one, though.

[youthful idealistic mode]Shouldn't the decision about whom to vote for be based on who would best represent the people and/or who would best run the country, and not gender?[/youthful idealistic mode]

[Dave to the Grave 11]

[youthful idealistic mode]Shouldn't the decision about whom to vote for be based on who would best represent the people and/or who would best run the country, and not gender?[/youthful idealistic mode]

I read an article once, which stated that if the women of the U.K. had never been given the vote, there would have been a continuous Labour Party government in office since 1945. (How this sort of statistic is calculated I do not know, since voting patterns would have changed, but lies, damned lies...etc.)

I may have read this in the Guardian so make of it what you will, but think of a world without Mrs Thatcher .

[Typhoid Harry 23]

Don't be sexist, birds hate that.

[Paul Bearer 6,119]

Don't be sexist, birds hate that.

 

[Banshees Scream 110]

Femails of note, not on the list would include Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jane Tomlinson, Tammy Faye BM, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Denise Matthews, Natashsa Lyonne, Mariane Faithfull, Coutney Love, Lee Starkey, Kathryn Blair, Mary Travers & Sara Brady.

 

Zsa Zsa Gabor had a stroke last year, she should make next years list. Tammy Faye is done for, Either Betty Ford or Gerald is likely to pass next year. Courtney Love might commit suicide or something but chances are she is just a drag on. Nancy Reagon might be a good bet accounting on she is seldomely heard from. And Brooke Astor is still alive. I figure this years list will get atleast one more hit. Can't forget about Jane Wyman and next year Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontain are getting older. And of course Elizabeth Taylor.

[BrunoBrimley 86]

Brooke Astor is insulted.

 

Why? She's not dead.

Although with that dreadful family of hers making her sleep on the kitchen counter top and dine in the foyer off of Chinette plates with a spork as her only eating utensil she may well wish she was dead. Makes her wish her ticket on the Titanic had been honoured.........

[Guest old hacker]

I remember from school that 51 boys were born to every 50 girls.

So as we blokes ware out earlier there should be more girls on the list. It must be the glass ceiling and male arrogance that exclude the females. (Shame on you)

 

What is the ratio of male to female Deathlist members ? Is the obit' industry a reflection of the male dominate Web ?

 

Just my 4p's worth

 

Old Hacker

[Lady Grendel 139]

I remember from school that 51 boys were born to every 50 girls.

So as we blokes ware out earlier there should be more girls on the list. It must be the glass ceiling and male arrogance that exclude the females. (Shame on you)

 

What is the ratio of male to female Deathlist members ? Is the obit' industry a reflection of the male dominate Web ?

 

Just my 4p's worth

 

Old Hacker

 

Out of the Top 50 DL posters 9 are female that I know of, not sure how it compares with the rest of the membership, but I am sure it is fairly similar, so roughly just under 1 in every 5 is female.

[Mr Macabre 0]

I have decided to revive this post as this years death list is even more male orientated then previous lists. I think only 4/50 names on the list are women. In recent years the trend does seem to be to focus on male celebrities, I understand that there is more success with this group but still what is next, an all male list!

 

Instead of reducing the number of women on the list names just need to be selected more carefully. Deborah Kerr and Jane Wyman are two notible names that were missed last year. While Luise Rainer, Gloria Stuart, Joan Fontaine, Anna Wing, and Lena Horne are some names that could/should have made this years list. The women that made this years list seem to have been an after thought, Elizabeth Tayor??, she was swimming with sharks a few months ago! Even Vera Lynn seems an odd choice.

[Death Impends 8,010]

I have decided to revive this post as this years death list is even more male orientated then previous lists. I think only 4/50 names on the list are women. In recent years the trend does seem to be to focus on male celebrities, I understand that there is more success with this group but still what is next, an all male list!

 

Instead of reducing the number of women on the list names just need to be selected more carefully. Deborah Kerr and Jane Wyman are two notible names that were missed last year. While Luise Rainer, Gloria Stuart, Joan Fontaine, Anna Wing, and Lena Horne are some names that could/should have made this years list. The women that made this years list seem to have been an after thought, Elizabeth Tayor??, she was swimming with sharks a few months ago! Even Vera Lynn seems an odd choice.

 

Five, actually: Zsa Zsa Gabor, Vera Lynn, Betty Ford, Elizabeth Edwards, and Liz Taylor.