Depends on if you are asking about physical characteristics or personality.
Physical is easy. Larger, stocky, muscular vs smaller, thinner, and softer.
Personality is more complex...
Traditionally being business like, aggressive, rational, stoic, competitive, and willing to take risks have all been considered “masculine” traits.
People who were nurturing, emotional, timid, and passive exhibited “feminine” traits.
Does this still hold true? For the most part no. There has been a huge push to label thinking like this as archaic and oppressive. Surprisingly though, there are times when even the most enlightened men and women revert back to the traditional roles.
Hear a strange noise, it’s the mans job to check it out.
Need to cook dinner or prep for a party, that’s a woman’s thing.
There are countless other examples, but in the end we can change traditional roles all we want, and in a lot of cases we should. But at the end of the day there are still some roles that exist at a subliminal level and I don’t know if they will ever change.
I dont think it is a generalitu as much as it is a stereotype.
Women used to do domestic chores in cave man era. But since we are in a different era, there is no functional need dor that , yet society wanta to uphold certain stereotypes .
I think outdated stereotype would be more accurate, since it was accurate for a good part of human history but is now changing. And yes, some people both men and women still have these expecatations of the opposite sex, which goes to my point that even with all the changes that have occurred in our society sometimes we revert back them.
Obviously it’s not absolute since it has changed. In order for it to be false it would have to have always been false. It was valid in the past, but isn’t now.
Personally, I support feminism in the sense that I support a woman's choice to do whatever she wants to do with her life and body without society pushing her into a role she doesn't want to be in. That includes being a housewife if she wants to as well as being the CEO of Google. I personally enjoy being girly and feeling feminine. Nothing turns me on more than when a guy makes me feel like a sex goddess, but I wouldn't want to feel pressured to be a certain way or act like a stereotype just because that's what people expect of me.
Sometimes they do and I feel like that is the anti-thesis of feminism's original goals. Kind of like feminists who try to stigmatize sex work and conflate it with human trafficking. Human trafficking is despicable but prostitution is a woman's choice.
I agree with Dblednmike on the physical differences he touched on. Those are easy. We men are so visual (and sometimes the ladies, too!).
@Dblednmike posted: "Physical is easy. Larger, stocky, muscular vs smaller, thinner, and softer. "
***Generally, I'd define masculinity as doing what women can't or won't do. Just that plain and simple.***
Now with that said, I don't mean that women are less complete or un-whole without men. No way!! Also this is absurd stance for single mothers or two women in a lesbian relationship, for example, as no man is needed. As a woman can provide and support for herself on her own in modern times. But I find that we often fall back into stereotypical traditional gender roles, even feminists. Some call it Chauvinistic or sexist (the modern trendy term is Patriarchy). But I find for lots of women and for me, traditional gender roles makes the woman happy and me, too.
Masculinity and femininity are complementary positions. Can't define one without the other. And the characteristics are unique, special, and different for each couple and individual.
W.R.T. the food preparation at a party. That should be an all-hands-on-deck situation. No excuse not to step up or pitch in IMO.
I think that masculinity and femininity are almost universal cultural interpretations of evolutionary drives.
Its all based on biology. The interdependence of a woman and child. Sexual dimorphism and men traditionally doing more physical work. Drives towards emotional monogamy to counter sexual polygamy...Things like that.
I don't think feminism is good for society. Men and women can be equal without any kind of western feminism. Think what you want about the Soviet bloc of countries but women were pretty much equal there without the trappings of western feminism. Also, look at the history of Islamic feminism in Iran, from Dr Ali Shariati to today.... women's rights don't require western ethnocentric bitches telling us what to do.
The most detrimental impact of feminism in the US has been divorce and the subsequent castration of American men. You can't tell who is gay or straight anymore, men under 30 basically act like little bitches and look it. Blame how easy divorce is and no masculine role models.
Modern feminism in the US, much like the gay rights movement has also taken a turn to the right. Gay rights are now about heteronormative standards like marriage and the military. Feminism is about women profiting off their own exploitation. Madames are good, pimps are bad. Porn is bad unless women are profiting from it the most and capitalism is bad unless its a woman owned business. Its basically libertarian feminism. Although few will admit it. I'd also say its pretty racist cos its all about white elitist women imposing their standards on the world.
20 comments
Physical is easy. Larger, stocky, muscular vs smaller, thinner, and softer.
Personality is more complex...
Traditionally being business like, aggressive, rational, stoic, competitive, and willing to take risks have all been considered “masculine” traits.
People who were nurturing, emotional, timid, and passive exhibited “feminine” traits.
Does this still hold true? For the most part no. There has been a huge push to label thinking like this as archaic and oppressive. Surprisingly though, there are times when even the most enlightened men and women revert back to the traditional roles.
Hear a strange noise, it’s the mans job to check it out.
Need to cook dinner or prep for a party, that’s a woman’s thing.
There are countless other examples, but in the end we can change traditional roles all we want, and in a lot of cases we should. But at the end of the day there are still some roles that exist at a subliminal level and I don’t know if they will ever change.
U said "Need to cook dinner or prep for a party, that’s a woman’s thing. "
Does this mean that if we had a party , u would not be okay with cooking for the guests ?
Women used to do domestic chores in cave man era. But since we are in a different era, there is no functional need dor that , yet society wanta to uphold certain stereotypes .
@Dblednmike posted: "Physical is easy. Larger, stocky, muscular vs smaller, thinner, and softer. "
***Generally, I'd define masculinity as doing what women can't or won't do. Just that plain and simple.***
Now with that said, I don't mean that women are less complete or un-whole without men. No way!! Also this is absurd stance for single mothers or two women in a lesbian relationship, for example, as no man is needed. As a woman can provide and support for herself on her own in modern times. But I find that we often fall back into stereotypical traditional gender roles, even feminists. Some call it Chauvinistic or sexist (the modern trendy term is Patriarchy). But I find for lots of women and for me, traditional gender roles makes the woman happy and me, too.
Masculinity and femininity are complementary positions. Can't define one without the other. And the characteristics are unique, special, and different for each couple and individual.
W.R.T. the food preparation at a party. That should be an all-hands-on-deck situation. No excuse not to step up or pitch in IMO.
Its all based on biology. The interdependence of a woman and child. Sexual dimorphism and men traditionally doing more physical work. Drives towards emotional monogamy to counter sexual polygamy...Things like that.
I don't think feminism is good for society. Men and women can be equal without any kind of western feminism. Think what you want about the Soviet bloc of countries but women were pretty much equal there without the trappings of western feminism. Also, look at the history of Islamic feminism in Iran, from Dr Ali Shariati to today.... women's rights don't require western ethnocentric bitches telling us what to do.
The most detrimental impact of feminism in the US has been divorce and the subsequent castration of American men. You can't tell who is gay or straight anymore, men under 30 basically act like little bitches and look it. Blame how easy divorce is and no masculine role models.
Modern feminism in the US, much like the gay rights movement has also taken a turn to the right. Gay rights are now about heteronormative standards like marriage and the military. Feminism is about women profiting off their own exploitation. Madames are good, pimps are bad. Porn is bad unless women are profiting from it the most and capitalism is bad unless its a woman owned business. Its basically libertarian feminism. Although few will admit it. I'd also say its pretty racist cos its all about white elitist women imposing their standards on the world.
Ladies look pretty and cook and clean. They don't grow hair on their chest or fart in public.