Serious question. 'Cause I've separated myself from society for so long, I'm not really sure what it is. I know there is one. But I can't place my finger on it. I can only go by what I've experienced for myself online, though, and who knows how much is valid.

I think girls get to have more fun. Don't ask what it is that makes me feel that. Maybe it's because of the much larger variety of clothes. Maybe it's because they seem to be typically shown giggling over stuff. I dunno.
Guys need to be more "macho" and "level-headed". Sensitive guys are frowned upon by other guys, but not from girls.
Um... girls are more outgoing and guys tend more to keep to themselves? Well, there's the shyness shared by both sides, I guess...

That's pretty much all I got. And like I said, I'm probably pretty wrong in my assumptions.

What do you guys think the differences are?

I don't agree with that dray. Atleast where I live girls are suppose to act a certain way. For example people are baffled by the fact that I take MMA classes. I'm constantly hearing but you are a girl and that the sport is too rough for me. And I'm not even in any of the competitions. So I'm constantly defending my hobby. Plus I get called weird.

The other difference I see is that women aren't suppose to really stand up for themselves when it comes to guys. If you piss me off enough I got no problem telling ya. So I'm always hearing you are a lady and aren't suppose to act that way. Sorry if you wrong me you are going down.

As for being level headed, not so sure with guys. I have seen groups of men be more nosie and annoying then a bunch of women. Plus I have seen them fight because I women was dating both of them. Frankly there it is the women they should be mad and not each other. Men also seem to let there ego get in the way more. I know if i mess up I take responsibilty for it instead of trying to pass the blame off on someone else.

I do agree that a shy and emotional guy is frowned upon by society. They see it as a sign of weakness. Which is really sad cause most of the time that is not the case.

I hope this helps.

Well, first, I'm gonna start by evaluating you for a second. You stake too much into what others consider as fun, and what is considered more acceptable in society and what isn't. How you behave and how you express yourself is part of your being, so don't try to change yourself just because people think it's weird.

Now, to answer the question, at a very basic level, there's not much difference between men and women. The difference is the physiological aspect and the reproductive aspect. Beyond that, there's truly not much difference. Chemically and psychologically, we are different, but we already know that.

Gender roles were produced a very long time ago and many people still think we should live out those roles. The man should make the most money in a household. The man has to be strong and so on and so forth. We know the gender roles well enough. The reason it seems like girls are having more fun is because of what society deems as acceptable and how men and women view friendship. Two guys hanging out all the time and being the best of friends are typically regarded as "gay" simply because they're not hanging around girls. If a guy isn't hanging around a girl, he must be a cig. Now, when two girls hang out and are the best of friends, no one second guesses it. Again, it's the societal perception. Two girls kiss each other and not many people make a great deal of fuss about it. Two guys, it's national news. There's many different instances that make it seem like there's such a major difference between guys and girls.

If you step away from what society believes and wants you to think, you will realize that there aren't many differences. Men and women all have problems, emotional or not. When you can separate yourself from the shackles of society and its judgmental eyes, you can easily allow these things to show. Women and men want to be loved by others, they want to be noticed by others, they want to enjoy themselves, they want to feel things, and so on and so forth. These are things everyone wants, but how we show it to the world is different.

So, my answer is, there is no TRUE discernible difference between the two, but society makes it look like the sexes are two very different things. It's all a matter of how you want to live your life. Now, I don't know if this really answers your question, but it's my answer.

In some ways women are more free than men, but the opposite is also true, like face said. It depends on what you want to do, and what you consider fun.

But, I don't think that I can add much of anything beyond what Syn said.

Well, I'll add something that fits with my interests and personality - Maxim 11, from the Maxims of Ptahhotep. (Which is my favourite, and something I believe in.)

"Follow your heart as long as you live."

I think that it kind of depends on what area you mean. If you mean it from a relational standpoint, the difference is that women choose, and men just accept. Men never really get to choose, per se (there are rare instances, but that's the exception to the rule). Which kind of makes me laugh that women these days still fight for gender equality... because they are damn near worshipped as is. Well, minus the domestic voilence guys that women seem to prefer for whatever dumbass reason.

But from a social standpoint, I don't think there's much difference. A large group of guys will probably have more fun than girls. I remember a LOT of shenanigans I got into with a group of friends that I know women would never do. And still, I find women to be much more irrisponcible. Here's an example: Say you are looking for a fridge for your house with your wife or whatever. You'll be looking at two of the same one. And she'll want one that's a few hundred more just because it's blue... and blue's her favorite color. =/

@whataface2

I didn't realize you were a girl. Good to know. We don't have too many girls hanging around here anymore.

@Draygone
I have way too many thoughts on the subject and they all kind of depend on specifics. In general I think that men and women are more alike than either side thinks...much more alike. But significant differences remain.

In general (and I say this loosely) in my experience, women tend to dislike confrontation but like drama whereas men seem to dislike drama but are usually more OK with confrontation. This doesn't mean men like confrontation necessarily but they don't seem to avoid it at all costs as women seem to (except for the case of ensuring drama). In my opinion this is why girls seem to have more fun...because they are avoiding confrontation oftentimes.

I tend to think that women would prefer more to go on vacation to a beach and sit and enjoy the beauty of ocean, the shore, the foliage, the sunset, and the weather, and men would prefer to go on a vacation where they get to have a mini "adventure" by hiking, climbing, and usually roughing it in inclement weather.

I think women oftentimes more than anything want devotion from a single man whereas men want access to as many women as possible.

I think deep, deep down, at the core women prefer security and men prefer freedom.

Women prefer to talk indirectly and men prefer to talk directly. Women want someone to listen to them whereas men want someone to talk to them.

Both sides are usually not socially independent enough to decontstruct, doubt, or defy their social expectations and thus propogate whatever is en vogue materially and philosophically.

MALE HAIRCUTS SUCK.

(SO DOES THE CLOTHING.)

To quote Kindergarten Cop: "Boys have a penis, and girls have a vagina."

Childbirth doesn't look like fun.

I think SF hit the nail on the head here.

if you ask square what the difference is they will plunk titus or any of their other endogenous chars and ask if this is what you meant.

Actually, Bo took it in the direction I had meant to take this. I mean, the "position in society" responses to what I wound up asking wound up being pretty insightful, don't get me wrong. But what I wanted to ask in the first place (but forgot somewhere between hitting the "New Topic" button and "Serious Question.") was how they differ, personality-wise. My mistake.

I really think that there is no answer to your question. There is such a vast majority of personalities out there, dray. A guy can be shy and quiet, and a girl can be aggressive and outgoing. Those are personalities. But i don't thik there is such a thing as male and female personalities. I hope that makes sense.

If there isn't at least something there specific to gender then why is there so much more understanding of each other within a gender and so much more misunderstanding of each other across genders? Obviously in any population of individuals there will be differences and exceptions but there does seem to be some general rules (even if broadly so).

Let me say this another way. I think women may oftentimes misunderstand guys (and vice-versa) but true women may also misunderstand other women so it is possible that maybe there is confusion girl to girl as well as girl to guy. But if anything holds true in this world it is that guys understand each other. We are dudes and we know what it means to be a dude. That to me shows some basic difference in personality genderwise.

The point isn't that there is some biological imperative to sex-specific personality quirks, whataface, more that there is a social back-drop each child is born into. Women and Men both have different places in this, and this leads to broad, general differences between the sexes that exist and have an influence over us.

Also, I pray this will be the last time I open this topic.

Why's that? You couldn't ask for a more level-headed topic about opinions of gender.


Not me. That's why I wanted to ask this question in the first place. Trying to figure out my position in the gender spectrum. I feel like I lean more towards the female side, but I don't know why.

@Draygone

How would you know about leaning more towards the female side? I thought you haven't been communicating with either gender nearly at all so how would you know what females think?

In other words are you talking about who females appear to be (i.e. a stereotype) or who females convey to you they are via intimate interpersonal communication (i.e. their genuine selves)?

I simply don't know why I feel the way I do. That's why I was looking for answers here.

Dray, by this even I believe that I have the potential to help you become more extroverted by getting you to the Mag Con.

Lol, that's saying something, actually. SK's not a real big on social outings... specially with people he's not quite familiar with.

that's because people understand other people because of similar experiences. sympathy. going back to what Syn said about society and gender roles - stereotyping basically. that's what makes anything fall into patterns because we seek out patterns to make generalisations about. you can be whoever the f*ck you want to be, if you can handle people being surprised that you don't fit into the right boxes for them. people are people though, wherever whatever whoever - if you don't search for humanity you'll never find it.