No Place For Machismo

Reading the ferry tragedy, I came across this gem:

"Long before it sank the passengers learned of the fire and stormed to the deck seeking help from the crew. Although there apparently were plenty of life jackets readily available, some survivors said they were discouraged by the crew from putting them on "so as not to cause the women and children to panic.""

Women and children are not helpless beings. This is sickening. Can anyone tell me what good this did? This is a prime example of how regarding women as helpless people is damaging to society. They've actually convinced themselves that it is better to not cause alarm amongst these delicate counterparts than prevent a potential disaster.