How Masculine or Feminine Are You?

[seattlegal]

I think a lot of gender is cultural and stereotyped. Thanks, Path, for opening the door to discussing those ideas. I'd like to hear more about what gender means to others.

Namaste,
Pathless

Hi, Pathless. Honestly, I've never really worried much about stereotyped gender roles. People devote way too many brain cells to it, imo. I've observed what might be described as a noticeable drop in intelligence among many people when the idea of gender comes into play. (go figure.)

 

[path_of_one]

You're a girly girl! (For the Greater Seattle area.)

Too true. LOL I noticed right away when I moved up here that (1) a lot of women don't do anything with their hair (2) a lot of women don't wear any make up (3) there's a good reason for that- it rains all the time.

In all seriousness, the culture up here is pretty different from southern California and it is liberal in different ways. I see fewer people who are dressed up goth or punk or other interesting ways (kinda miss that, on the flip side I stand out a ton when I do that) but I see a lot more people who are more "all-natural" (I don't see much of fake tans, fake bodies, etc.). For once I am no longer standing out simply because I am exceedingly pale, which makes things quite interesting. In CA, I was often tagged goth even when dressed corporate just because I don't tan. LOL In reality, I just don't want skin cancer! Here, everyone is pale since none of us see the light of day!

As for gender issues, I notice something interesting up here. Many of the men seem more sensitive, intellectual, artsy types and often seem to care more about their appearance than many of the women. Conversely, I've had a great time meeting women up here because many of them are very into topics I consider interesting- politics, interfaith dialogue, art, music, and science. I don't get much of the celebrity gossip at all, which is great. Overall, it seems like the sub-culture of this place puts the genders closer to one another on the sliding scale of gender roles and stereotypes, which I feel is more accurate to reality anyway.

At any rate, the test is just a bit of fun nonsense. Many of their questions actually didn't have a suitable answer for me, so I just chose the least wrong one. And yes, the test seemed culturally biased to US hobbies and norms.

 

[Snoopy]

Ah, it doesn't like Mozilla...

Anyway, I'm 52% feminine.

This test is (as I suspected) a lot of genitalia (choose which gender).

Gilligan's Island? Yeah right, a world wide phenomenon. Good question.

s.

 

[path_of_one]

Gilligan's Island? Yeah right, a world wide phenomenon. Good question.

s.

Yeah, I caught that too. I like how they assume everyone has seen enough of that show to know who they are most like. I guessed. I wasn't allowed to watch TV when I was a kid and have only seen a handful of episodes in my entire life.

 

[flowperson]

Snoopy...I just knew that we are "soul brothers". Are we on some sort of a mission ? I chose the Skipper. Always telling others how to get through their probs, but always befuddled somehow...little buddy.

Path...You're right about the rain. Even here, where it only rained two and three quarter inches this year, if it showers overnight the air smells so clean the next morning.

flow....

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

You guys are scaring me.

Chris

 

[greymare]

oh cr-p, my secrets out.

 

[Snoopy]

As for gender issues, I notice something interesting up here. Many of the men seem more sensitive, intellectual, artsy types and often seem to care more about their appearance than many of the women. Conversely, I've had a great time meeting women up here because many of them are very into topics I consider interesting- politics, interfaith dialogue, art, music, and science. I don't get much of the celebrity gossip at all, which is great. Overall, it seems like the sub-culture of this place puts the genders closer to one another on the sliding scale of gender roles and stereotypes, which I feel is more accurate to reality anyway.

I think I need to emigrate, path.

s.

 

[Snoopy]

Snoopy...I just knew that we are "soul brothers".

Or soul sisters?

I chose the Skipper. Always telling others how to get through their probs, but always befuddled somehow...little buddy.

Clearly I chose "I don't know", because I'd not heard of the thing.


s.

 

[Snoopy]

You guys are scaring me.

Chris

Why's that Chris? Is it cos you're a bit girly?

s.

 

[Snoopy]

oh cr-p, my secrets out.

Oh good.

Which particular secret is that?

s.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Was I in a coma the day people decided men should be more feminine and women more masculine?

What the hell is a girly girl? Surely girls are just girls, we are born that way!!

Sometimes this life seriously confuses me.

 

[Snoopy]

Was I in a coma the day people decided men should be more feminine and women more masculine?

Maybe it's just that 58% masculine brain you've got? Or maybe it's just this test is somewhat dubious.


Hope it's nice back in Egypt - it's rather brisk in these northern parts.

s.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Maybe it's just that 58% masculine brain you've got? Or maybe it's just this test is somewhat dubious.

Without doubt the test is a load of rubbish, either that or owning a willy requires you to live and die for sports!!

It is just that over a number of threads about gender/sex there seems to be a very fuzzy line between the sexes now.

Hope it's nice back in Egypt - it's rather brisk in these northern parts.

Wear thermals It is good to be home, well it will be when the tummy settles down and I am over this cold. My body always objects very strongly when I change climate.

 

[Snoopy]

Without doubt the test is a load of rubbish, either that or owning a willy requires you to live and die for sports!!

It is just that over a number of threads about gender/sex there seems to be a very fuzzy line between the sexes now.

Maybe this fuzzy line is good if it means willy-owners don't have to live and die for sports if they don't want to and non-willy-owners can live and die for sports if they want to?

Wear thermals It is good to be home, well it will be when the tummy settles down and I am over this cold. My body always objects very strongly when I change climate.

I think half the UK have had a bad cold in the last month (including me) and I've not even stepped on to a plane.

s.

 

[seattlegal]

Was I in a coma the day people decided men should be more feminine and women more masculine?

Actually, I think people decided that men shouldn't have to be ultra masculine and women shouldn't have to be ultra feminine. (You know, female circumcision nonsense and such to make a girl into 'a proper woman,' and making boys go out and hunt down an animal, kill it, and eat its liver raw in order to be a 'real man.' Gender caricature is pretty silly, imo.)

What the hell is a girly girl? Surely girls are just girls, we are born that way!!

Slang for an exaggerated caricature of femininity.

Sometimes this life seriously confuses me.

Oh, do you mean like this? :

Hi, Pathless. Honestly, I've never really worried much about stereotyped gender roles. People devote way too many brain cells to it, imo. I've observed what might be described as a noticeable drop in intelligence among many people when the idea of gender comes into play. (go figure.)

 

[Muslimwoman]

Maybe this fuzzy line is good if it means willy-owners don't have to live and die for sports if they don't want to and non-willy-owners can live and die for sports if they want to?

Oh no women are not allowed to live and die for sports, whenever I see a woman at a football match that appears to actually be enjoying it I have a desperate urge to teach her needlepoint LOL (although rugby is a different matter, we are allowed to love that but only because we are watching men being tough and beating the hell out of each other which is what we wish we could do to men sometimes)

Actually, I think people decided that men shouldn't have to be ultra masculine and women shouldn't have to be ultra feminine. (You know, female circumcision nonsense and such to make a girl into 'a proper woman,' and making boys go out and hunt down an animal, kill it, and eat its liver raw in order to be a 'real man.' Gender caricature is pretty silly, imo.)

I have never seen those issues as gender caricatures, more just sheer insanity. The female circumcision thing is actually to stop a woman being a woman (ie having 'urges' and actually enoying her marriage - ho hum) and the men hunting was no doubt necessary at one time in our evolution.

Having lived on a working farm and seen beefy men taken to hospital trying to get bulls into a truck for market I have to say there is still generally a vast difference between the genders when it comes to physical strength and no amount of girls drinking pints or demanding equality is ever going to bridge that gap. Hence why farmers hold gates closed to stop bulls and their wives bake cakes.

Maybe that is where life is changing? Modern life rarely requires us to fulfill our natural gender roles in ever day life (other than the who gives birth issue).

Slang for an exaggerated caricature of femininity.

aha - the legally blonde stereotype, must love pink fluffy things.

Oh, do you mean like this? :

Sort of but I get the feeling you have a much better grip of it all than I do, at least you seem to recognise and understand the insanity - I just sit in the corner rocking back and forth wondering what the hell is going on and can I opt out

 

[Tao_Equus]

Maybe that is where life is changing? Modern life rarely requires us to fulfill our natural gender roles in ever day life (other than the who gives birth issue).

You hit the nail square on the head there. Not bad for a woman!

Tao

 

[Muslimwoman]

You hit the nail square on the head there. Not bad for a woman!

Tao

Hee, hee- I asked a bloke and he told me the answer coz I am just a girly girl so can't think for myself!!

 

[seattlegal]

I have never seen those issues as gender caricatures, more just sheer insanity. The female circumcision thing is actually to stop a woman being a woman (ie having 'urges' and actually enoying her marriage - ho hum) and the men hunting was no doubt necessary at one time in our evolution.

I agree that they are sheer insanity, but to deny that they aren't tied to gender caricatures?

Having lived on a working farm and seen beefy men taken to hospital trying to get bulls into a truck for market I have to say there is still generally a vast difference between the genders when it comes to physical strength and no amount of girls drinking pints or demanding equality is ever going to bridge that gap. Hence why farmers hold gates closed to stop bulls and their wives bake cakes.

Oh, I agree that there are differences between men and women in this respect. However, I believe that much of the insanity that has become attached to gender might be due to considering that these differences are what makes a "real man" or a "real woman," imo. Being able to control any beast isn't what makes a man, it's being able to control the beast within that makes one truly a man. Likewise, it isn't being a submissive, doting wife and mother that makes a real woman, it's helping others with their inner struggle that makes a real woman.

Maybe that is where life is changing? Modern life rarely requires us to fulfill our natural gender roles in ever day life (other than the who gives birth issue).

Those things really aren't necessary for our everyday survival anymore, so we have to look deeper at what makes a real man or a real woman.

Sort of but I get the feeling you have a much better grip of it all than I do, at least you seem to recognise and understand the insanity - I just sit in the corner rocking back and forth wondering what the hell is going on and can I opt out

One thing you can do is to help encourage people to examine these things closely instead of accepting the status quo without question. It's a natural extension of the woman's role of being a help-mate.