Interesting question. Do you believe there are average psychological differences between the genders?
I think there's probably some very generalized ones that resulted from evolution. Things like "unafraid of conflict with strangers" or "willingness to face rejection" might, on average, show up more often in men than women. This is, however, part of a wide spectrum of characteristics that any man or woman can have to varying degrees at various times in their lives.
Are there moments in your life, no matter how brief where you feel "manly"?
Well sure...I suppose...but the only ones I can think of are related to the act of sex. When one is using one's equipment in a way consistent with one's gender....I can understand the connection to "manliness". It's probably also related directly to the feeling of being desirable "as a man" too.
I don't think it's what you mean though.
Perhaps using your dominate strength to defend a lady?
I really only have one instance of using violence in that way and at the time...I can't say it felt any different from using violence in other circumstances.
As far as being a disembodied brain in a vat. Depends on the circumstances. Are you able to communicate with others?
Sure.
I would guess you would still act like your masculine self, but your brain would have no way of contextualizing it.
That's the thing....what would possibly be "masculine" about it? Can you think of an example?
I would wager a guess that if we were all disembodied brains floating in a vat with no prior memory yet able to communicate with one another that we'd quickly come up with "male" and "female" categories and we'd identify with one or the other. Or both or none, depending on where you are in the gender spectrum.
Do you really? Without the body associated with "masculinity" or "femininity"....why would we come up with those categories and how?
I don't know if I'd be able to directly connect my thoughts, feelings, or desires to those concepts without the associated body parts and the context they lend.
I believe our physical bodies and psychology are heavily intertwined. The way we look dictates how we're treated by others. Masculinity and femininity in my opinion can be summed down to neoteny. Women on average are more neotenous than men. They retain more childlike traits until adulthood. Including a higher pitched voice and tear ducts that enable for more crying. While men tend to have harsher more authoritative voices, wider shoulders, greater height and more muscle. Gender roles can largely be summed up at as women having a childlike role and men have a more parental role.
I think you're using that word in a way I don't understand. That's partly why I took so long to respond.
I mean, is a higher pitched voice really a neotenous characteristic if adult females have, on average, a higher pitched voice? Simply sharing a characteristic with children doesn't automatically make it neotenous. Babies and very young children have a tendency towards exploration and risk taking....but it's due to a lack of experience. I wouldn't necessarily say a man or woman who has a tendency towards those things is "childlike".
We've been historically expected to be financially and physically responsible with women. While women have generally been the role of the damsel and victim (something feminism really seems to want to fight.. lol)
Do you think that's social or a product of genetics?
Growing up I have been called confusing when it comes to gender expression. Many people saying I act feminine yet other times hyper masculine. Strangely I have not been really bullied for this, I owe this due to being highly noetenous for a man with European origin. Something that really opened my eyes was when I read a post from a man who looked hyper masculine. Over six feet tall, with huge muscles. He said despite liking the attention he received from women he wished he was shorter with less muscle mass. I thought to myself, hmm.. while I hate how my height and low muscle mass hurts my chances in the dating market I am not sure if I would like having his physique in my overall life. I would certainly be treated differently for it, and not in a way that my mind would probably be content with.
Don't you think guys who act "stereotypically male" are generally insecure/putting up a front? I tend to see it as an act that attempts to hide insecurities.
I would say that generally speaking, the overwhelming majority of men have several characteristics that go against the stereotype. I don't really care about team sports....at all. It's one of those things that other guys tend to find odd in me. I have other examples as well.
Perhaps you would start developing psychological problems if you were to wake up as a woman and start interacting with the world? And have more of a yearning to express yourself as a man?
What does that mean though? Express yourself as a man?
