Amazing,
Thanks for asking! OK, here goes!
Throughout history women have for the most part been oppressed in some way (I am of course speaking about society in general and not individual men or women), sometimes women did not realize it, other times they did.
The JW men/women social structure is very much a part of that real world, while by some standards it may give an outward appearance of not "keeping up" with so called enlightened freedoms of women in the Western world, it still reflects the undercurrents which are very much alive even in the West.
How did I feel about the males, the Elders etc.? No different than I felt about other males; judge, policeman, senator, President, attorney, were all men just doing their job, they were there because that's what men are, that's what they do, all of those titles were soaked in a maleness, not femaleness. It had always been that way!
My thoughts were: if a man was an oak, no way could I be an oak for I am a girl, and besides why would I want to be an oak? I wanted to be what I was trained by my culture to be from my birth; a wife and mother.
But an even stronger feeling than my wants worked its way upon me, it was the feeling of "what is, is." An acceptance without ever really mentally taking the active step TO accept!
There also was the strong social pressure to conform. In high school aptitude tests I scored high in those parts of the test which featured mechanical concepts and engineering, and unfortunately spelling.
My guidance counselor advised me that had I been a young man he would have encouraged me to get further schooling in those fields but being a young woman he recommended I take secretarial courses since my spelling and English skills were good. Well, I didn't know if I should cry or what! But I accepted his advice that my talents were not suited towards a young woman's gainful employment.
So, my personal answer to your question is that when I was young the attitudes in the KH just reflected how it was everywhere.
Hope this helps.
IW
