Ask Matt: 'Masculine' vs. 'Insensitive Jerk'
August 30, 2012 by Matt Kailey
http://tranifesto.com/2012/08/30/ask-matt-masculine-vs-insensitive-jerk/A reader writes: "I am a young transgender man and I am still in the closet. I am fed up with acting like a girl, but here's the problem. My female alter ego is a good listener, gentle, and empathetic. The real me finds all those social qualities very difficult.
"How can I be authentic and masculine without turning into an insensitive jerk? Did you ever struggle with such issues of masculinity? Even though masculine qualities are supposedly an advantage according to society, I was raised to think gentleness, meekness, and empathy are paramount."
Socialization is incredibly powerful, and even when we are very conscious of our own socialization, and even when we actively work to resist it, or to undo it, it can sometimes get a grip and not let go.
