Do you think traditional concepts of masculinity are more important to men than....

Question

traditional concepts of feminity are to women?

I was finishing up a book today and this subject got brought up between the two main characters (male and female)

I thought it was an interesting question so I figured I'd see what you lovely people think.

Thanks for the input!

Answer 1

Yeah.  Being a "real man" is still important to men among themselves.  And contrary to what many of them say, most women want a man who is at least somewhat "masculine" in a boyfriend or a husband.  Most women don't really care that much if other women are feminine or not, and while a woman who has some feminine qualities will be more attractive to most men than one who's completely "butch" for lack of better term, many men like a woman who enjoys some traditionally masculine things.

Answer 2

I agree with others-women have less pressure to conform to rigid gender stereotypes today (unless they are part of a very conservative family/community). But quite a few younger men seem to be ignoring the junk about what "real men" are "suppose" to do and do what's important to them and their values. I see more men my age and older doing some of the same things-they're realizing their career can't meet all their needs and neither can a partner-they need to do what makes them happy. But of course I still see plenty of people who are lonely and sacrifice their happiness just to have a partner.    

Answer 3

Women are born, men are made.

Women are very comfortable with their sexual identity because they are women, their mother was a woman they never had to separate from her.

Little boys are different, they can't grow up to be just like the person they bonded with intimately for the first years of their lives. I say can't because it's usually their hormones that don't want them to.

I've known plenty of 'feminine' men, underneath it they were still men and the 'masculine' women still women.

Answer 4

Men do seem to want to hold on to the concept of masculinity whereas women in general seem ready to leave their femininity behind. I think it comes from the social attitudes towards masculinity and femininity; masculine traits like assertiveness and competitiveness are valued in modern culture much more than typical feminine traits. Women are expected to take on masculine characteristics in order to succeed in the workplace, whilst feminine qualities are discouraged in both sexes.

Now we've achieved gender equality, maybe it's time to work on making the perception of roles and personalities equal.  

Answer 5

yes, i think so for the most part. i think men still feel like they need to be the strong, protective type and these days more and more woman don't feel the need to be the stay at home, take care of the family type. they don't feel like they should wait for the right man to have s*x and they feel like they can do any job a man can do.  

Answer 6

It seems like women have more choices about their idiom these days, how they carry themselves etc. Modern men (the new castrati) seem to be completely willing to let womyn define them. In doing so they have completely lost touch with their more feral masculine roots, and morphed into subservient tubs of goo.

Answer 7

Yes, I do.

I think that the women's movement did much to release women from the constrained views "womanly behavior," but there has not been a movement for men that's done the same thing.  

Answer 8

yea that important to me because i don't want anybody to take care of me if you a man you should be able to take care of you and whats yours

Answer 9

Yes. Women have outgrown enforced femininity. Men need to be given that change for enforced masculinity now.

Answer 10

It does appear that way, at least with generations past. However, I am noticing more and more young men (under 25) who are less sensitive about perceived "threats" against their masculinity.

There was a young man who once worked for me as an assistant editor...(he was 22), heterosexual, urban, literate to the NINES (he celebrated Bloomsday every year!!), liked sports and had tattoos, but he had such a new and unusual vibe about him for a young man. It's hard to describe, except that he was true to himself only and didn't worry if he expressed interest in a topic or made a comment that might have once been perceived as "feminine."  

I think young people in general are increasingly less threatened by flexible gender behavior, but it's a nice trait to be showing up in young men. I think women cast off gender expectations a long time ago, but it's only now happening with men.

Answer 11

Well its only important to women who want to be married to a man and not a femefied pansy.