hard power vs. soft power

An interesting question was raised in class on Tuesday as to the correlation between soft/hard power and femininity/masculinity. I think that it would be an accurate judgement to say that women are generally associated more with soft power and men with hard power in the world of international politics. As Enloe also mentioned, many women are behind the scenes negotiating through NGO's or labor unions or enacting their political influence in other ways through soft power. She also mentioned that these women are not highly visible, and so they are continually suppressed. It is interesting to note, however, that this may not be the case. Distribution of power between men and women may be closer to equality than Enloe makes it out to be. What she does not adequately address is the kind of power women exert. Who is to say that one form is better and more effective than the other? The UN, for example, recognizes the power of women in society by setting up programs where money is given directly to the women rather than the men in the family. Although in these third world countries the male is often the head of the household, the UN trusts that women are more likely to spend the money on their families and social infrastructure that will improve their society and so they empower the women. Applied to Enloe's argument, I think that men simply tend to be the drivers of a different kind of power -- hard power -- which is of a significantly greater visible nature.