Why are these things considered feminine and the negative oppersites of them considered masculine: Gentleness, empathy, sensitivity, caring, sweetness, compassion, tolerance Surely shouldnt everyone have these traits? How can we expect to fix this messed up world if to be masculine your expected to behave like an emotionless asshole that doesn't care for people? (Oops, wrong section)
Because sexism. Everything regarding gender can pretty much be summed up as sexism. Women are seen as physically and emotionally weaker than men, but in reality they're just normal human traits that men have to hide because society with think you're a pussy if you don't. Trust me I know... :dry:
This has caused me a great deal of confusion in the past. It's not supposed to be like that. Every one of those traits should be a part of everyone's life. Can you imagine a world like that? It would be wonderful. But society tends to shun men like that because they are perceived as weak. The truth is, I have know several straight men who showed those traits and could also take care of their own quite easily. What was really admirable was that they had endured the torture of being called weak and having been bullied because of their sensitivity, and still remained true to themselves. Not everybody can be that strong all of the time, including myself, and that's because everybody's situation is different. Anyway, maybe one of these days these great traits will reign supreme : )
Likely because gentleness and compassion are considered to be "motherly" traits, or what we would expect or want in a potential mother figure. "Fatherly" traits would include strength, assertiveness, level-headedness, logical reasoning, ambition, and conviction. These are in most cases positive traits, yet they too are not and should not limited to one gender. People should strive to be the best of themselves and not the best of one cookie-cutter gender mold.
There are some things we can't change and need to accept. This is one of them. It varies by culture by slight degrees, but there is a critical mass of men who either bought into, felt they needed to buy into, or conformed into this mindset.
