What Traits Are Unique To Men And Women?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 2:10pm

Lately, whenever I go to a movie or read a book or something, I tend to ask myself "Without knowing who directed this, could I tell whether it was made by a man or a woman?"

It got me thinking...

What traits are unique to men and which traits are unique to women? Besides the genitals, of course.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 2:55pm

aside from biology, I do not believe there are any. anything you can say to describe a woman, you could find men that would fit that description and vice versa.

what you tend to see are the stereotypes that may or may not be true about a good chunk of one gender.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 3:12pm

well said Jerby

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:01pm

I would agree as well but it just seems like, in art, men and women tend to approach things somewhat differently.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:25pm

I can't agree that aside from genitals, men and women are exactly alike.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:29pm

ok--tell us what the differences are. the unique differences.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:35pm

I'm just going to leave it that I think there are many differences.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:44pm

uh huh. exactly.

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:48pm

Why do we have to be men and women? Why can't we just be people? It's all much less complicated that way.

[Broadway Bound2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:50pm

very well IHeartMyGeek

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:50pm

"uh huh. exactly"

uh huh exactly what, Jerby?

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:56pm

"There are major, significant differences between men and women. The differences are different, NOT better or worse."

The topic isn't a matter of opinion, it has pathology. Anyone who even took Psych. 101 knows there are differences. I don't feel like getting into a heated discussion or an argument today, if that's ok.

Please google if you don't think there are any differences!

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:57pm

you can't think of a single trait that is unique to men or women.

it's fine if you want to believe that we are different--society sure as heck wants to believe it, often at the expense of one gender or the other but usually women. however, that doesn't make it so.

I should hope that at the very least we can all agree that no one should have to be subjected to the prejudging that comes with believing people are different because of their gender (or race or ethnicity or sexual orientation, etc.)

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 4:58pm

I guess we posted at the same time. It's not a matter of opinion.

[iHeartMyGeek]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:00pm

That's funny, Jane. I was taught in my psych class that gender is socially constructed. Sex is biological, and that involves hormones and obviously our anatomy, but gender and all that it implies is something we are socialized into.

No matter what stereotypes or boxes men or women may be put into (women are more emotional while men can remain strong and objective, for example) there are always exceptions. Not even exceptions so much as differences, because exceptions implies that there's a rule to begin with.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:01pm

I feel like no matter what i say someone here is gonna take it wrong, but to some extent you have to acknowledge that hormones inform the behavior of men and women differently.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:02pm

Of course there are exceptions. There are exceptions to everything! We are talking in general.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:05pm

I said I didn't want to argue, so I'll stop posting here with the statement that of course there are differences, and it's silly to even suggest there aren't. Just google the topic for quick info.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:09pm

uh-huh means, that if you don't have the "juevos" to give an answer, don't say there are differences Jane.....have the guts to state your point, or.....don't attempt to make one by using passive-aggressive means...as it never works.

Updated On: 12/24/07 at 05:09 PM

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:10pm

I am wondering when you last took Psych also Jane. In the psychological community gender is now seen and treated as a social construction.

The differences which do exist, and can merely be treated as stereotype, exist because of our social construct and not because of the biological predisposition.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:14pm

who is 'arguing' or engaging in a 'heated debate'? besides you, I reckon from those admissions of yours?

and, no, I don't need to google it. I asked you to back up your opinion and you couldn't. and iheart already disproved your psych 101 example as that's what I was taught in psych 101 myself.

tazber is the only one to bring up a possible point. perhaps there are anthropologists who have witnessed UNIQUE traits that came about without societal reinforcements. and I would imagine that anthropologist would deduce that hormones cause humans to behave a certain way.

but the question here is indeed what are those traits that are UNIQUE? No exceptions.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:14pm

"exist because of our social construct and not because of the biological predisposition".

Thank you!

Elphaba-I don't have the jeuvos? Now that's a laugh-admit it!

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:15pm

I don't see any juevos being used at this point by you. I see passive-aggressive nonsense.

(by the way I do love your avatar).

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:17pm

Thanks, hon. xoxox

Anyway, I just pmd you.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 12/24/07 at 5:17pm

But that's the point Jane. That's what Jerby is really saying here (from what I understand), is that any "differences" you're able to discern between men and women are purely artificial and can be directly attributed to our atmosphere and that as a result you will find many individuals that do not fit into the societal norm.