It's a problem that certain groups and individuals out there these days like to label practically any criticism of women or anything women do as "misogyny". Being critical or not approving of something doesn't necessarily equal the "hatred" that misogyny is explained as in the English dictionary.

There are some things and behaviors associated with women that I do not do because my brain tells not to act in those ways. When people then turn around and expect I act in those ways, or treat me as one, my negative response kicks in, and usually toward those people (and toward the wider 'image' of what society thinks a woman in 'supposed to be') not women. So what I experience isn't misogyny - actual hatred of women - but a hatred of being labelled as one and expected to conform to the stereotypes of one. In short a hatred of the grind of being shoved constantly into the wrong pidgeonhole by other people, or excluded from the correct groups by other people.

This can eventually result in negative feelings towards the thing you are mistaken constantly for, and the behaviors of the thing you are mistaken for, and sometimes eventually the thing itself. Our brains learn by association, and associate negative feelings with pain, upset, sadness and the causes of those things. It's not surprising we have issues to some degree with women, but I've never actually met a real woman-hater in my entire life so I assume they're rather rare. I've met people who didn't want to date women, people who avoided women, people who had bad experiences with women, but never a person who just flat-out, abjectly hated all women. Or if I did, they hated them so much they never felt compelled to mention it. I think many of us are just being told if we don't just automatically like or tolerate or love everything woman (including being born genetically female) then we're misogynists. Which we are not, just because we don't want to be women. Apparently many women don't want to be men or approve of all male behaviors but that doesn't make them misandrists.

Quote from: T.K.G.W. on April 01, 2016, 02:47:50 PM
It's a problem that certain groups and individuals out there these days like to label practically any criticism of women or anything women do as "misogyny". Being critical or not approving of something doesn't necessarily equal the "hatred" that misogyny is explained as in the English dictionary.

There are some things and behaviors associated with women that I do not do because my brain tells not to act in those ways. When people then turn around and expect I act in those ways, or treat me as one, my negative response kicks in, and usually toward those people (and toward the wider 'image' of what society thinks a woman in 'supposed to be') not women. So what I experience isn't misogyny - actual hatred of women - but a hatred of being labelled as one and expected to conform to the stereotypes of one. In short a hatred of the grind of being shoved constantly into the wrong pidgeonhole by other people, or excluded from the correct groups by other people.

This can eventually result in negative feelings towards the thing you are mistaken constantly for, and the behaviors of the thing you are mistaken for, and sometimes eventually the thing itself. Our brains learn by association, and associate negative feelings with pain, upset, sadness and the causes of those things. It's not surprising we have issues to some degree with women, but I've never actually met a real woman-hater in my entire life so I assume they're rather rare. I've met people who didn't want to date women, people who avoided women, people who had bad experiences with women, but never a person who just flat-out, abjectly hated all women. Or if I did, they hated them so much they never felt compelled to mention it. I think many of us are just being told if we don't just automatically like or tolerate or love everything woman (including being born genetically female) then we're misogynists. Which we are not, just because we don't want to be women. Apparently many women don't want to be men or approve of all male behaviors but that doesn't make them misandrists.

Well said!

Quote from: Cindi Jones on March 26, 2016, 12:29:46 PM
You know, I sort of feel the same way. I look down on no one, but I do have a difficult time with senseless banter and stereotypical sheep mentality shopping/clothes/whatever. Most of my friends are men. Quite honestly, I'm having a very difficult time figuring where I fit in the world. I don't feel attracted to men or women. I don't dwell on it much. I could get depressed. I'm working on a few projects hoping I'll get excited about something. That's what happens to me. I get going on something and I don't come up for air for a couple years. That's when I'm happiest.

What kind of projects do you like to get into? I sometimes get into crafts, most definitely all kinds of exercise, reading more books. I get depressed and bored about life and then use one of these things do get distracted.

A lot of us feel that way, so don't think that you're alone in this.

I have that as well and I'm gay, so I do have those thoughts about women sometimes and I do feel guilty about them. As I progress in my transition it becomes easier and actually accepting myself as a gay man made it easier, because I always felt pressured to like women and I just couldn't no matter how hard I tried. So everyone has their reason and their way out as well.

Quote from: graspthesanity on April 02, 2016, 07:48:59 AM
A lot of us feel that way, so don't think that you're alone in this.

I have that as well and I'm gay, so I do have those thoughts about women sometimes and I do feel guilty about them. As I progress in my transition it becomes easier and actually accepting myself as a gay man made it easier, because I always felt pressured to like women and I just couldn't no matter how hard I tried. So everyone has their reason and their way out as well.

Women do a lot of hard respectful jobs that I couldn't do. Like being mothers.