<<The more of this I read, the more I realize that men and women really ARE different in many more ways than their physical attributes or sexual organs..>>
I would make the following modifications, if you don't mind.
1) This generalization does not necessarily apply to individual men or individual women. Most of us are a "blend" of male and female. After all, men have female hormones, and women have male hormones. And definitely there are many "feminine" men (not necessarily homosexual) and "mannish" women (ditto). Personally, I think the absolutely "pure" types -- "All Man" and "All Woman" -- are in the minority.
2) We still haven't settled the "nature vs. nurture" debate. I personally happen to incline more towards the "nature" side of the debate (with significant reservations). Note the way children draw, when they are in that endless drawing stage. In my observation, little girls draw houses and flowers and smiling people (even I did, and I was a tomboy); little boys I have known drew cowboys and Indians (youngest brother), football players and knights on horseback (older son), planes bombing people (younger son), etc.
Interestingly enough, my younger son (the mad bomber) totally disagrees with me, and insists that it is all socialization, that by the time children start drawing like crazy they have already learned what their roles are "supposed" to be. As far as he is concerned, the "differences" between men and women are strictly sexual (and vive la difference). He is also astounded by men who think women inferior, or "of another species," and want to keep their women "in the kitchen." He simply does not understand their psychology. Do you suppose this is a generational thing? He is 30.
Joan |
