[GoneGirl]

So we are left with peeing standing up. LOL

Well, that's a hell of an advantage, as my DW points out when we go primitive camping!

No, Sammie, hon, although I agree that there are exceptions among any group of bio-males or bio-females, in the aggregate, there are differences in strength, intelligence, longevity, and dozens of other characteristics based on genetic sex. There's been too much research done to discount that. Obviously, sex hormones play a critical part in determining those differences during and after fetal development, and that is the source of many exceptions that we see in life. I would agree that the differences are not as great as assumed in the past, but they're not limited to how we pee.

Just as an example, I was part of a team of engineers who developed some of the first mobile navigation systems. I was involved in the human factors aspects of these early systems. Studies found that men and women navigate from point A to point B differently. Women (in the aggregate) prefer step-by-step instructions including landmarks along the way. They generally are not comfortable using visually based vector methods of navigating. This difference shows up in the stereotypical male reluctance to stop and ask for directions. But, men have through evolution developed the ability to find their way using a spacial sense that most women lack. Differences in verbal communications ability that favor women over men (in the aggregate) is another well-established difference.

I think there are hundreds of positive things to be said in praise of men. I just don't happen to want to look like one! LOL.

Clara

[Marina Kits]

Boy, this is interesting ...seriously. I'm not getting what I was looking for but nonetheless, enjoying the conversation. I find it VERY hard to agree that the world is [currently] at war with femininity as Julia Serano purportedly believes. I would say quite the opposite! I think everyone hates masculinity at the moment. Evil corporations run by greedy chauvinistic pigs kicking women off the ladder. Out of control males who rape women are commonplace. Dead beat dads by the droves who leave the women they impregnated to raise their children alone and without support. And lazy males who never grow up and become productive members of society. All the while, women are stepping up to the plate and filling in where males have gone AWAL. That's what I see. I know there are many men who are nothing like this the ones I've described but no one is holding them up as examples of ideal masculinity. No one is saying, "men are especially good at ____ and that's why we should value masculinity.

The thought that male and female roles and gender traits that have previously been "owned" by one or the other gender are on the switch as society changes is a new paradigm to me and I'm taking it all in. Perhaps my gender identity issues are just a product of the unsettled dust as this takes place. I like the idea that we are all equal except for the minor anatomical differences. You have a womb and ovaries, I have a penis and testicles but aside from that we are the same. You are a driven goal setter, I am content to follow, you like blue I like pink, you like your hair short, I like mine long and we BOTH like pastels and fashion ...BIG DEAL! ...Wouldn't that be a nice world to live in?

[GoneGirl]

I think I'm falling back on many of my male-side behaviors and attitudes today. Argumentative, aggressive, and self-assured commentary is tarnishing my otherwise sweet Clara persona.

Damn! I think it's that I feel like crap lately battling this flu bug. Sorry, girls.

Clara

[Missed Miss]

Hmmm...still thinking...al I can come up with is that you can pee standing up...tee hee

I can teach women how to pee standing up. If nothing else, they can win a lot of bar bets!

[Heather-H]

Kari, this is a great question and I would require a considerable amount of time to formulate my answer. Samantha, Clara, Sarah & MissC all raise very good points that I fully concur with. However, I do believe there is a place in our ever changing world for both male and female outside (of course) procreation.

I am not gifted with the deep thinking and vocabulary that our previous respondents but I do believe we all have a part to play! That being said, where do I fit in? Well to answer that question would depend on the day and my mental state.

Today, I dislike my male persona but some days I recognise my place in society. My wife relies on me to open jars she doesn't have the strength for or take the challenges that are not becoming for a woman. I have over our 45 years of marriage and raising 3 great offspring performed my male roll dutifully and without complaint.

In truth I am a totally confused individual who falls back on my life as a reluctant male to deal with the needs of the day but I am so jealous or envious of my female inhabitant.

So again, in short, we all have a part to play regardless of our sex.

Love
Heather

[GoneGirl]

Well said, Heather.

Clara

[RobinMurphy]

I do not think that masculinity is the real problem. My male friends are not crazy wife beaters. I think that most women are not accepting about what were doing. I think that a lot of the males that make males look bad have a problem themselves with their sexuality or gender. i have been fascinated by this article about Richard O'Brien the creator or Rocky Horror Picture Show, and he says that he is 70% percent male and 30% percent female.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21788238

I think it would be great if society would just let us be who we want to be without judgement, but I do not think that it is going to happen for a while. People's sexual orientation has been more accepted but when your with male and female friends they still have stuff to say about it.

[flamesabers]

Kari,

When I first read your OP, I got the feeling I would be like some sort of public defender lawyer for the case for masculinity. Some of my personal preferences and such fall more in the spectrum of masculinity, thereby masculinity has some benefit to me.

One positive is being taller when you need to get stuff from a high shelf. It's an inconvenience I think to always have to use a stepping stool or ask a taller person (like me) for assistance.

A second advantage is I get little to no criticism for not wanting to start a family or having zero interest in other people's babies. Nobody bats an eye when I would rather continue working than take a break from my job and coo at a co-worker's baby.

Third, I think my political and religious beliefs (libertarianism and atheism) are more common among men. I think the same goes for my Myers-Briggs type: ISTJ.

[GoneGirl]

Is this thread one long exercise in stereotyping?

Clara

[Marina Kits]

Is this thread one long exercise in stereotyping?

Probably. I didn't mean for it to turn into that though. Sorry. My original motive was to get a list of admirable qualities that are typically common among males so that I could embrace my birth gender a little more than I currently do.