How important is gender to you?

[Alonzo]

**This isn't about sexual preference**

The older I get the more I realize that I simply don't care about gender. I mean, it plays a significant role in my life because people react to you based on gender, you have certain gender roles, expectations and so on. It affects your socialization, beliefs, and your role in society in ways that are beyond your control. But, in terms of how I identify myself consciously, gender is one of the last things I think of. Honestly, if I woke up as a woman tomorrow I think the first thing in my head would be "How the hell do I go about my life without this causing a huge problem for me?" instead of the more typical "Oh my god I'm a woman!". If anything the concept of gender is an obstacle, as it prevents me from engaging in some behaviors or actions that I otherwise would.

So, basically, the question is how important are gender roles to you? I'm talking about consciously, not simply how much of a role have they played in your life.

[Stoner]

How important is gender to you?

When it comes to the horizontal dance it is absolutely crucial.

[Alonzo]

Ya, this isn't about sexual preference.

[lily]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding correctly, but gender doesn't mean that much anymore. Maybe it was in the way I was raised. One of my first memories was of my brother telling my mother he wasn't going to do something because it was women's work.......then all of us got to go outside, while he did everyone's chores. I don't think my gender has stopped me from doing anything that I have really wanted to do.

[Alonzo]

It's basically a question of how important your identity as a male or female is to you.

Think of it this way, the stereotypical frat boy would likely choose very important, while the stereotypical effeminate metrosexual would choose not important.

[Saigio]

Gender is something I don't look at first with a person. I don't care if you are male or female. What matters is personallity.

[Labrocca]

Gender is VERY important when trying to find the correct bathroom. However for conversation and meeting people...it's irrelevant for me. Although at times the fairer sex can be nice on the eyes.

[BoogyMan]

Gender has enormous value to me as I have many roles based upon that gender including husband, father, uncle, brother, etc.

[Buck Laser]

One of the things I notice as I get older and more married (50th anniversary this year) is that I have at least as many women friends as men friends. I don't enjoy jackass behavior the way I used to, perhaps because I can belch and fart (sometimes simultaneously) in my wife's presence.

But I don't see that my role as husband/father/grandfather, etc. is substantially affected by gender. I think men should teach the same values to their children that women do.

That's why I objected to Mayberry's mention in his essay about the "feminization of America." I believe in human values, not gender values. I suppose some moderator thought it was just a smartass remark, and put it into "Fool's Paradise" or whatever, but I was serious.

[ticbeast]

Gender doesn't matter in the longrun. I agree with Buck.

[BoogyMan]

I guess I take a different tack with regard to gender. I am from a lineage where such roles mean a great deal, and we put great value behind the existence of both male and female gender roles. It is my firm belief that both roles are required, especially in regard to child rearing in order to produce well adjusted young adults.

[Pookie]

I don't think gender has anything to do with anything. If one gender can get the job done as another, so? And what about personality and who the person is?
Phooey on the idea that gender makes any difference...unless, of course, one lets it.
Purrs,

[underdawg]

I think I am a bit confused as far as the question goes. Are we talking about gender roles, or what we are attracted to as far as gender, or how we feel about our own gender? I think as far as sex is concerned gender tends to be important to everyone. Gender doesn't matter to me when we are talking about friendships. I do like the fact that I don't have to sit down when I urinate and since being a male is all I have ever known I tend to like the idea of being a male and all the physical characterists that come with it. I am sure I would feel the same way if I was born female. As far as gender roles, I don't think that much matters anymore. We now live at a time where most jobs held by men and women are very similar. The jobs that require physical strength are slowly being replaced by machines.

[Alonzo]

It's basically gender and gender roles. Do you identify yourself as male, female or is that relatively inconsequential to your conscious thought?

[Nitrus]

Gender is relatively unimportant to me, I will be more cautious of what I say when im around a woman, and generally my attitude changes when im with "the lads".

[potter]

This is an interesting question. Being a man, my identiy as a man is pretty important to me. I LIKE being a guy. I don't like dealing with some of the emotional issues of the women in my life and I like the role of the (physically) strong one. I think there are some things women are better at, and some things men are better at, and I think they were made that way for that very reason, to complement each other...yin and yang.

I consider men and women to be equal when all attributes are laid on the table. (at least the women in my life humor me and let me think we're equal) :)

[Elrathin]

I put moderately important simply because there are situations with family and myself that my gender is important to me, however the gender of others is of no concern with me otherwise.

[Mayberry]

That's why I objected to Mayberry's mention in his essay about the "feminization of America." That was in regard to the attitude of this country that everything can and should be dealt with by diplomacy and coddling. Arguably feminine thinking. There are times that we must grab the bull by the horns and kick his arse, in a manly fashion. On that note, I find gender to be very important as a large part of one's identity. I am a man, and I act like a man. Like Potter said, I really don't want to deal with a bunch of emotional crap like a lot of women do. I have two daughters, and I consider my oldest to be almost handicapped with emotions. Her feelings get hurt so easily that she can barely function at school sometimes. Myself, you can say or do what you want to me and I can blow it off without another thought, or in my younger days I'd reply to insults, attacks, etc. by laying you out on the floor. It didn't happen often (I can think of two occasions), but I didn't let anyone insult or try to hurt my friends or family. Like the great country singer Aaron Tippin said, "You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything." Pretty well sums it up for me. Now I know there are many women who've done just what I've described, but as a whole, women tend to be more passive and nurturing. Some things can't be nurtured, and it takes a man, or at least a manly mindset, to deal with such things.

[Buck Laser]

That's why I objected to Mayberry's mention in his essay about the "feminization of America." That was in regard to the attitude of this country that everything can and should be dealt with by diplomacy and coddling. Arguably feminine thinking. There are times that we must grab the bull by the horns and kick his arse, in a manly fashion. On that note, I find gender to be very important as a large part of one's identity. I am a man, and I act like a man. Like Potter said, I really don't want to deal with a bunch of emotional crap like a lot of women do. I have two daughters, and I consider my oldest to be almost handicapped with emotions. Her feelings get hurt so easily that she can barely function at school sometimes. Myself, you can say or do what you want to me and I can blow it off without another thought, or in my younger days I'd reply to insults, attacks, etc. by laying you out on the floor. It didn't happen often (I can think of two occasions), but I didn't let anyone insult or try to hurt my friends or family. Like the great country singer Aaron Tippin said, "You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything." Pretty well sums it up for me. Now I know there are many women who've done just what I've described, but as a whole, women tend to be more passive and nurturing. Some things can't be nurtured, and it takes a man, or at least a manly mindset, to deal with such things.


Sorry, but I don't regard responding to an insult with a punch in the nose as a mature response. I thought we outgrew duels in the 19th century. I absolutely do not buy your statement. And I'm willing to fight you.:D

[Mayberry]

Sorry, but I don't regard responding to an insult with a punch in the nose as a mature response. And that's your perogative. But I've never lost a minute's sleep over anything I've done. And given the same circumstances, I'd do everything the same. Of course I was talking about high school squabbles, nowadays the only reason I'd hit someone in self defense. I don't like to fight, but I will if I have to. And sometimes you have to.

[manyfeathers]

Like it or not - statistics show that the male person is still considered more important than the female, even among other females who should support each other - the man will get first considerations.

[lily]

That's why I objected to Mayberry's mention in his essay about the "feminization of America." That was in regard to the attitude of this country that everything can and should be dealt with by diplomacy and coddling. Arguably feminine thinking. There are times that we must grab the bull by the horns and kick his arse, in a manly fashion.

If that's the case, then I think you just made the perfect argument for a female president. I'll take diplomacy over a war any day.


On that note, I find gender to be very important as a large part of one's identity. I am a man, and I act like a man. Like Potter said, I really don't want to deal with a bunch of emotional crap like a lot of women do. I have two daughters, and I consider my oldest to be almost handicapped with emotions. Her feelings get hurt so easily that she can barely function at school sometimes.

I think you can chalk that up to hormones. I doubt your wife acts like that. As you mentioned in your post, you had a temper in your youth.......same thing......hormones raging.


......but then I guess I've taken the topic off of How important is gender to you? Sorry.

[lily]

Like it or not - statistics show that the male person is still considered more important than the female, even among other females who should support each other - the man will get first considerations.


I'd like to see those statistics.

[Buck Laser]

Like it or not - statistics show that the male person is still considered more important than the female, even among other females who should support each other - the man will get first considerations.


I'd like to see those statistics.


I don't know how this fits in with manyfeathers' statistics, but I believe that women are now in the majority in both medical and law schools--and looking at my seminary alumni magazine, I'd guess they are in most protestant seminaries as well. About half the numerous doctors I have to see are women now, including my internist and my oncologist. During the many years I spent in academia, I saw women come close to parity in top university administration jobs.

I like women, so I'm glad it's happening.