Gender and how society treats you

[Ichneumon]

Would you feel society treats men/boys different from women/girls? I'm not just talking about sexism, but also about people's general view towards individuals of certain gender.

I have to do a school paper on something like this and I would just like some introductory views of different people on this before I start doing my research.

[DamnedIrishman]

I think it would be entirely naive to think that gender discrimination, both malevolent and benevolent, of some kind affects all forms of interpersonal relationships. Considering the huge amount of factors that influence our perceptions of other people to a greater and lesser degree - personality, intellect, social class and grouping, ethnicity (which is not to say everyone is racist, but just like we tend to pick up generalised perceptions of social groups, we tend to do the same with ethnic groups. Everyone I meet assumes I can hold huge amounts of drink purely due to my Irish ethnicity)... even completely superfluous details like where we met them - I think it's impossible to honestly claim that anyone treats men and women truly equally.

I certainly don't, being a complete sexist, a male chauvinistic pig of the highest order... that's right, I hold doors open for women, carry their bags for them and even stand between them and the road when walking down the street.

[SurlySeraph]

This is definitely true, but it's hard to think of examples that aren't arguable. Men are definitely expected to be less emotional, but are expected to be more open about their personal lives.

[DamnedIrishman]

This is definitely true, but it's hard to think of examples that aren't arguable. Men are definitely expected to be less emotional, but are expected to be more open about their personal lives.

I think the reason that examples are arguable is because your prejudices regarding gender vary from society to society, culture to culture and person to person.

Although... I've just had me an idea...


A Man Is Not A Virgin
All Guys Want Cheerleaders
Men Have No Self Control When Attractive Women Walk By
Men Are Uncultured

Women Are Monogamous
All Girls Want Bad Boys

[The Rose Dragon]

Gender, or sex?

Because most people don't even care about the gender of the people they are interacting with, or whether they even have one. All they see is a human with a penis or a vagina (and boobs, don't forget boobs).

[DamnedIrishman]

(and boobs, don't forget boobs).

Hah, like we could ever forget them...

[GoC]

Isn't it obvious that your gender matters in society?
Treating everyone the same is both impossible and inadvisable. Circumstances such as whether the individual you're speaking to is a possible mate affect how you treat them.
A person is very influenced (maybe even defined) by their upbringing and that upbringing does not treat the two sexes the same.
It's likely that even the small things (such as PMS) can have a difference in how you percieve and react to things.

Hmm...
From an evolutionary perspective is it possible that men and women have evolved to have slightly different brains? Niether superior to the other but better at different things.

[Dogmantra]

Hmm...
From an evolutionary perspective is it possible that men and women have evolved to have slightly different brains? Niether superior to the other but better at different things.

Not only is it possible, I'm pretty sure it has happened. I seem to recall reading something about females having more grey matter than males, who have more white matter, or vice versa.

[potatocubed]

I think "Does gender affect how people treat you?" is a trivial yes. There are plenty more interesting questions related to this issue along the lines of "Why does gender affect how people treat you?" or "To what extent, if any, can these differences be justifed by the physiological differences between men and women?"

[GoC]

I think "Does gender affect how people treat you?" is a trivial yes. There are plenty more interesting questions related to this issue along the lines of "Why does gender affect how people treat you?" or "To what extent, if any, can these differences be justifed by the physiological differences between men and women?"

Or even: Which differences need to be justifed and which are harmless?

[Recaiden]

I think "Does gender affect how people treat you?" is a trivial yes. There are plenty more interesting questions related to this issue along the lines of "Why does gender affect how people treat you?" or "To what extent, if any, can these differences be justifed by the physiological differences between men and women?"

Or even, how has it affected you?

[DamnedIrishman]

Hmm...
From an evolutionary perspective is it possible that men and women have evolved to have slightly different brains? Niether superior to the other but better at different things.

Studies regarding the subject are innumerable. The general consensus is that, quite frankly, men's and women's brains are different.

An interesting fact, actually - did you know that women, on average, have a wider field of vision than men? Men actually have slight tunnel vision.
Which allegedly is why men turn their heads and look at passing women, then get slapped by their partner. Whereas women do exactly the same thing but, not having to turn their heads to see the same amount, don't get caught.

[Berserk Monk]

I still tend to place men/women in certain gender roles. I see a girl acting flamboyant, I think nothing of it. I see a man do it, probably gay.

Also, I had an idea for a thread kind of like this awhile back. I don't mean to side track this one, but what if gender traits were undetectable. Both men and women had the same facial and body structures. Genitals would be different and how they are now for men and women, but nothing else about them could be used to distinguish gender. Basically, an entire planet of V's. How do you think relationships would change? Trying ask someone out, hanging out with "the guys" and not knowing there's a chick amongst you (or vice versa).

[DamnedIrishman]

Also, I had an idea for a thread kind of like this awhile back. I don't mean to side track this one, but what if gender traits were undetectable. Both men and women had the same facial and body structures. Genitals would be different and how they are now for men and women, but nothing else about them could be used to distinguish gender. Basically, an entire planet of V's. How do you think relationships would change? Trying ask someone out, hanging out with "the guys" and not knowing there's a chick amongst you (or vice versa).

I think that people would probably dress deliberately to denote gender.

[Berserk Monk]

I think that people would probably dress deliberately to denote gender.

Not necessarily; People dress in what they're comfortable in. Sometimes that isn't the norm for their gender. There was once a time when women only wore dresses and men had short hair. That's not the case any more.

[GoC]

I think that people would probably dress deliberately to denote gender.

Correction: They dress like their gender when on the lookout for a possible mate. With humans this is likely to be almost always.

[Faulty]

I think it's blatantly obvious that men and women are treated differently, and women often get the shaft.

[Toastkart]

Would you feel society treats men/boys different from women/girls? I'm not just talking about sexism, but also about people's general view towards individuals of certain gender.

Men and women are treated distinctly differently in a lot of ways, and not so differently in others. This starts happening even before you're born. Just take a look in a toy store and see the vast difference between the kinds of toys boys are expected to play with and the kinds of toys that girls are expected to play with.

Princess fever reigns for girls and What's wrong with Cinderella? are both pretty good articles.

As for all the talk about differences between men's and women's brains, chances are that, like most differences between the sexes, there are more differences within one group than there are differences between groups.

[Berserk Monk]

I think it's blatantly obvious that men and women are treated differently, and women often get the shaft.

Am I he only one that thought double entendre?

[DamnedIrishman]

I think it's blatantly obvious that men and women are treated differently, and women often get the shaft.

That's true. I hate to admit it, but I only ever give the shaft to women and never to men.

Am I he only one that thought double entendre?

[Nameless]

Men and women are treated very differently. Although men and women officially have equal rights in this country, I find that it’s not true socially. On of the things I find as a guy is the annoying issue of “not being allowed to touch a girl”. I can literally pat a girl on the shoulder and all of a sudden I’m a freaking rapist. The other thing that annoys me a little, though I don’t pay much attention to is the “boys can’t hit girls” thing. I’m sorry but if a girl hits me I’m just as likely to hit them back as if it was a boy. I honestly thought this was just a stupid school playground thing, but it appears that it isn’t.
Another thing that applies to both women and men is that they are both expected to act, dress behave and contribute to society in certain ways, and if a man or women does what the other is expected to do then there’s something wrong with them.
I try not to pay to much attention to any of these things, and I know all these thing seem pretty pathetic- but it doesn’t matter what people (including myself ) say , everyone cares about what others of them to a certain degree and it’s something that can be pretty difficult to get over.

[Coidzor]

Well, depending upon where one goes in life, it can be quite disturbing to have someone either directly say or at least imply that due to one being a young man, one is little more than a genetic syringe and liable to commit rape at the drop of a hat to boot.

Suffice to say, whatever women get in this life, they're not likely to be called out for being or wanting to be rapists due to their genitals.

I find such behavior to be rather rude, myself.

[DamnedIrishman]

I get funny looks if I take my little sister to the park.

That is what is wrong with society.

[GoC]

As for all the talk about differences between men's and women's brains, chances are that, like most differences between the sexes, there are more differences within one group than there are differences between groups.

We're a planet of 6 billion. I would be very surprised if this were not the case.

I get funny looks if I take my little sister to the park.
That is what is wrong with society.

Yeah... Our screwed up world.

Now here's a difficult question: Who has the better deal? Men or women? Or are both sexes being screwed by eachother?

[DamnedIrishman]

Now here's a difficult question: Who has the better deal? Men or women? Or are both sexes being screwed by eachother?

That depends what you want from life.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Not having taken any time to think this post out, my knee jerk response is blind, homicidal rage. I've been raised by females, most of my closest friends growing up were female, and I LIKE doing activities that females stereotypically do together (sans going to the restroom, usually. I mean, there WAS the one time they pulled me into the ladies' room to put make-up on me, but that's a story for another time). That being the case, I OBVIOUSLY have to be either flaming gay (an accusation that got me thrown out of the private school I grew up in) or there is something equally as "wrong" with me. Such a view killed my self-esteem as a kid and, to this very day, usually leaves me alienated from my male peers. Gender "roles", or rather the default view thereof, are always (if only a small one) part of how people view each other. It's just the nature of the beast, and will only change in time.

[DraPrime]

The other thing that annoys me a little, though I don’t pay much attention to is the “boys can’t hit girls” thing. I’m sorry but if a girl hits me I’m just as likely to hit them back as if it was a boy. I honestly thought this was just a stupid school playground thing, but it appears that it isn’t.

I hate this too. If women want equal rights and such, they can damn well take a punch. It's not that hard.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

^I still have trouble with this one. I see the reason behind the stance, but I still can't do more than play strike females.

[DraPrime]

^I still have trouble with this one. I see the reason behind the stance, but I still can't do more than play strike females.

Well, I would typically only play strike females too, but if they anger me enough that I want to hit them, I'm not going to give the sudden protection.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

I suppose I HAVE worked around the issue though. My fighting style has always been, especially since I got into martial arts, more along the lines of grappling and other such debilitating methods that are NOT striking. Male, female, they all tap out the same in a wrist lock. I just have a damnable hard time causing females pain of any sort unless it's a matter of life or death.