His regime issued the Law in Norway (1687) which, following the Danish rules of that time, defined unmarried women as minor.

It does so by defining women in general as sexual objects, available to any man who desires them".

This example points to an underlying trend in the English language: to assume that male is the norm and to define women by reference to their sexuality.

"The women's movement struggled against the idea of defining women solely in terms of their role in the family as mothers," she added.

"It really is going to depend on how they define women."

But there are many ways to define women as tough, that make them late 20th century Olympians and role models.

This is another example of defining women by the men in their lives.

Rather than defining men and women by physical characteristics, he urges a deeper look: "The self that hovers in between is neither man nor woman."

When men want to look hard enough, there will always be a way to define women as everything but what they wish to be.