what does it mean to be a man or woman?

[Jessie_Heart]

I have to ask these questions!

what does it mean to be a woman?

what does it mean to be a man?

I am just wondering is there any easy simple description of either of these?

it seems to me that what it means to be either gender or between genders are as personal to each individual as religious beliefs or the right to have no religious beliefs. masculine and feminine seem to sometimes be viewed on these forums in such a narrow scope that it scares me most of us have been forced or expected to fit these narrow scopes through out our lives and we feel oppressed by it. but I am scared that even once we come out completely and make our feelings known it seems that we are still expected to conform to others expectations. it seems that there are always going to be issues of am I masculine enough or am I feminine enough and people who don't fit either mold and have no desire to fit these molds are treated as non-entities for the most part when does the oppression end?

[InBetween]

Well, if you ask me it's very hard to describe. I think it depends on the idividual. It also depends on "energy".


-Merrick

[NickSister]

What does it mean to be a woman or man?

It means that you feel and identify with a group of people called men or women. I think that's all it means. I don't think it means you have to be like them. I think what it is to be a man or woman depends on your society, family, friends and self (and religion if your so inclined).

[Jessie_Heart]

thanks for the repliesit is nice to know that thier are people willing to look past sterotypes!

[asiangurliee]

I have to ask these questions!

what does it mean to be a woman?

what does it mean to be a man?

I am just wondering is there any easy simple description of either of these?

it seems to me that what it means to be either gender or between genders are as personal to each individual as religious beliefs or the right to have no religious beliefs. masculine and feminine seem to sometimes be viewed on these forums in such a narrow scope that it scares me most of us have been forced or expected to fit these narrow scopes through out our lives and we feel oppressed by it. but I am scared that even once we come out completely and make our feelings known it seems that we are still expected to conform to others expectations. it seems that there are always going to be issues of am I masculine enough or am I feminine enough and people who don't fit either mold and have no desire to fit these molds are treated as non-entities for the most part when does the oppression end?

I have no desire to fit in any gender stereotype for the sake of society.

[Fer]

That is a complicated question. It depends on your culture, in part - whether you feel true to yourself in conforming more to the male or the female role. Its not just about societys definition of male and female gender though. It is partly internal to the person doing the questioning. Do they feel right in a gendered body? There is also an element of feedback, of passing or being read, or being seen as appropriately masculine or feminine so as to be attractive to the desired audience. Besides those, theres the genetic and the physical definition of male or female sex. Lastly, its worth mentioning that the male/female dichotomy isnt absolute in all cultures. In fact, many cultures also have a place for people that are neither or both or something other than what their outside body might indicate.