I hope that I have not given the impression that I am suspicious of men or that I have to compete with them. I'm not suggesting that we don't show due respect to our husbands, to the elderly men and to those in office, but respect does not equal fear and quivering.
Respect can include humor and questionings and even disagreements.
It is not solely the men's fault either. Women frequently, IMO, have a chip on their shoulder and expect to be dissed and therefore, find it at every turn. I have not run into this. In fact my experience has been just the opposite. In Reformed Churches we are so secure that the men are godly and they love the women and treat them as equals that we can't really believe that it's true that there might be men in our churches who think women should be seen and not heard and that women need to be trained like children.