Man, I Feel Like A Woman!

LadyJ

Just a question I thought I'd throw out here:

When did you first start to consider yourself to be a woman, rather than a girl? First period? First time yor had sex? First child? Was there any one definitive moment for you?

For me, I think when I started to realise what I actually wanted from life and decided that I have to accept myself for who I am I began to feel more "grown up" I suppose. There was no one moment, just an ever increasing sense of self-sufficiency!

watna

I suppose I felt grown up and "like a woman" when I left home after college. Having to go to work, pay the bills, keep myself eating healthily, clean an apartment and take responsiblity for myself really made me grow up. This is especially true since my bf moved in. I've got very responsible and domestic! My friends all laugh at my homemaking etc, a lot of them still live at home. Also, making plans for the future with someone and taking someone else in to consideration, I think makes you more mature as you're not only thinking of yourself. I definitely feel more like a woman now then a girl.

Jules

Would have to agree with you there LadyJ, think it was when i kind started standing on my own two feet. Paying rent and bills, but i think the biggest was when i did my first weekly shop. I know it sounds corney but jsut walking around with the troll, paying at the check out and then putting it all away in my own cupboards etc. It was a case of crap im a grown up!

But still laugh at when i refere to myself as a woman, im like, feck off im still a girl!

Tom Dunne

:eek::eek::eek: And me in my innocence thinking this was going to be a discussion on Shania Twain.

I'll just scuttle off back to BG+RH.

Hagar

The truly defining moment for a woman is when she irons her first man's shirt.

watna

Hagar wrote: »

The truly defining moment for a woman is when she irons her first man's shirt.

ooh, controversial!

Jules

Hagar, behave your little self. And to keep it on topic, when did you first realise you were a woman?

JC 2K3

What's ironic about this thread is that all the responses so far have been that posters first felt like women when they started to pay bills, stand on their own two feet etc. , which is what would be traditionally a male societal role.

It begs the question of why this thread is here and called, "Man, I Feel Like a Woman!" and not in AH and called "Man, I Feel Like an Adult". Gender is kind of a negligible factor here.

JC 2K3

JC 2K3 wrote: »

What's ironic about this thread is that all the responses so far have been that posters first felt like women when they started to pay bills, stand on their own two feet etc. , which is what would be traditionally a male societal role.

Say what? Nonsense.
Our traditional roles, were as part of an integrated agricultural social unit. Men, women and children were equally responsible for providing for the family unit.

watna

Moonbaby wrote: »

Say what? Nonsense.
Our traditional roles, were as part of an integrated agricultural social unit. Men, women and children were equally responsible for providing for the family unit.

Exactly, while traditionally, in times gone, men may have provided for the family, who do you think ran the home, paid the bills and kept everything running smoothly? You can't claim that men did all the grown up stuff and the ladies did nothing.

And yes, this could be a question of when did you feel grown up but as this is a forum mainly for the boards ladies to discuss their issues, woman is in there instead. plus some women may have different opinions of when they felt "like a woman", you're only going on 3 responses.

I started considering myself a woman in the last year, as the general public have stopped refering to me as a girl. Bastards.

LadyJ

JC 2K3 wrote: »

What's ironic about this thread is that all the responses so far have been that posters first felt like women when they started to pay bills, stand on their own two feet etc. , which is what would be traditionally a male societal role.

It begs the question of why this thread is here and called, "Man, I Feel Like a Woman!" and not in AH and called "Man, I Feel Like an Adult". Gender is kind of a negligible factor here.

Well because I wanted to hear from women tbh. When girls are growing up there's always a lot of talk about "becoming a woman" when you get your period for example, but I certainly didn't feel like a woman then and I just wondered about other women.

Not interested in the men for now!

JC 2K3

Meh, my point was more to do with the fact that this isn't a very female specific thread. IMO this forum and threads like these seem a bit like separating female posters from male posters for the sake of doing so.

When will we start viewing people as people, undefined socially by their gender....

I'll probably just leave this forum alone from now on.

LadyJ

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Meh, my point was more to do with the fact that this isn't a very female specific thread. IMO this forum and threads like these seem a bit like separating female posters from male posters for the sake of doing so.

I see what you mean but I think that girls turn into women in a very different way to the way boys turn into men. Hard to explain really but I do think it to be true so I don't think the thread is too out of place.

JC 2K3 wrote: »

When will we start viewing people as people, undefined socially by their gender....

As for this, I do look at the world in this way but I'm not defining my whole way of thinking in this one thread. I just thought I'd throw the question out there. I mean, I'm totally with you on the viewing people as people and not categorizing but I'm more curious about womens thoughts on this because I feel it happens differently than with men. That's all.

Jesus Wept

JC 2K3 is right.

Some women sing and dance about the fact they are self sufficiant.
It's called being an adult, it's not an achivement. Far too many women think it is
an achivement.

You wouldn't hear a man ever sing and dance about it.

Beyonce: 'I buy my own shoes and I pay me rent'

And all the sisters pumpin their arms in the air. Woohooo you go girl!!


:rolleyes:


Well donnnne!!
//slow hand clap.

LadyJ

The-Rigger wrote: »

JC 2K3 is right.

Some women sing and dance about the fact they are self sufficiant.
It's called being an adult, it's not an achivement. Far too many women think it is
an achivement.

You wouldn't hear a man ever sing and dance about it.

Beyonce: 'I buy my own shoes and I pay me rent'

And all the sisters pumpin their arms in the air. Woohooo you go girl!!


:rolleyes:


Well donnnne!!
//slow hand clap.

Maybe you didn't read my first post but I certainly don't think being a woman is an achievement of any kind. :rolleyes:

It's a legitimate question. I really didn't think it would cause such hyper-sensitivity among people.

Peared

D'ya know I dont think I do feel like a proper woman yet despite all the evidence the the contrary. Still refer to myself as a girl and so do other people.

Think I may cry the day somebody uses woman instead!

bronte

I have to say when I had the first period..I felt fairly womanly.

Jules

The-Rigger wrote: »

JC 2K3 is right.

Some women sing and dance about the fact they are self sufficiant.
It's called being an adult, it's not an achivement. Far too many women think it is
an achivement.

You wouldn't hear a man ever sing and dance about it.

Beyonce: 'I buy my own shoes and I pay me rent'

And all the sisters pumpin their arms in the air. Woohooo you go girl!!


:rolleyes:


Well donnnne!!
//slow hand clap.

Its the same thing as saying when did you first think you had gone from boy to man.... or have ye lot not gotten there yet?

Jesus Wept

LadyJ wrote: »

Maybe you didn't read my first post but I certainly don't think being a woman is an achievement of any kind. :rolleyes:

It's a legitimate question. I really didn't think it would cause such hyper-sensitivity among people.

I read your post. I referenced JC 2K3 comments in my post.
Perhaps you didn't read mine?

Jules80 wrote: »

Its the same thing as saying when did you first think you had gone from boy to man.... or have ye lot not gotten there yet?

I have a normal amount of respect for anyone who is self sufficiant, regardless of their gender.

I think it's a bit tragic when anyone, male or female feels that being self sufficiant is worthy of singing about and/or bigging themselves up over.
With that said, it is mostly women (some, not all, a select group) who do this.

Also, the only women I expect to take offense to what I said are the ones who do it.

LadyJ

The-Rigger wrote: »

I have a normal amount of respect for anyone who is self sufficiant, regardless of their gender.

As do I but this has nothing to do with the topic really.

I think it's a bit tragic when anyone, male or female feels that being self sufficiant is worthy of singing about and/or bigging themselves up over.

With that said, it is mostly women (some, not all, a select group) who do this.

Also, the only women I expect to take offense to what I said are the ones who do it.

Ok, but no one here is doing that. We're discussing when we started considering ourselves women and not girls. In our own heads that is. No one is saying that they're great because they are self-sufficient, just that self-sufficiency is a contributing factor to what makes them feel grown up.

I didn't start a thread to big myself up for being independent and no one here has done that either. The thread is about the point in time that we stopped calling ourselves or thinking about ourselves as girls.

I don't understand why you're picking it up so wrong.

Jesus Wept

LadyJ wrote: »

As do I but this has nothing to do with the topic really.

It's as on topic as most threads are. Threads diviate. It's no big deal.

LadyJ wrote: »

Ok, but no one here is doing that.

Didn't say you had.

LadyJ wrote: »

I didn't start a thread to big myself up for being independent and no one here has done that either.

Didn't say you had.

LadyJ wrote: »

I don't understand why you're picking it up so wrong.

I haven't.

Threads take a journey. Someone says something, Somone responds to what they said, something that person says strikes a chord and another person pipes in.

It's not off-topic, however feel free to disregard what I said. It wasn't a personal attack or in reference to anyone here.

bronte

bronte wrote: »

I have to say when I had the first period..I felt fairly womanly.

The morning after the boob fairy left me a c cups aged 11, is not a cheerful memory.
Was morto to be the first with these awkward, jiggling ,objects of curiosity.

Morbid.Angel

This post has been deleted.

Jesus Wept

Moonbaby wrote: »

The morning after the boob fairy left me a c cups aged 11, is not a cheerful memory.
Was morto to be the first with these awkward, jiggling ,objects of curiosity.

Overnight. :eek::)

The-Rigger

The-Rigger wrote: »

With that said, it is mostly women (some, not all, a select group) who do this.

Also, the only women I expect to take offense to what I said are the ones who do it.

The ESRI gave figures earlier in the year claiming that 81% of Irishmen avoid housework and 71% cooking.

Hard for those lads to sing about something they haven't got.

Jesus Wept

Moonbaby wrote: »

The ESRI gave figures earlier in the year claiming that 81% of Irishmen avoid housework and 71% cooking.

Hard for those lads to sing about something they haven't got.

The Simspons wrote:

[SIZE=-1]Homer: Aw, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 40% percent of all people know that.

[/SIZE]Ah don't get me started on cooking. I'll never stop. That deserves it's own thread, but in a different forum.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I have chinese people do my cooking for me.
they're quite good.

Crap thread.

WindSock

Mordeth wrote: »

I have chinese people do my cooking for me.
they're quite good.

Thats nice. Whats it got to do with the topic?

Deleted User wrote: »

Crap thread.

Crap post ^


And now for my fiddy cents...I am both a Woman and a Girl, although less and less I refer to myself as girl. I am in my mid-twenties so I guess when I am in my 30s I guess won't be calling myself girl. When I have a child/children, I definatley won't be calling myself girl.
To reply to the-rigger -I know the type of women too that claps and sings about buying her own shoes. It is of my opinion that this type has emerged in the last 15 years or so. Women haven't been enjoying the right to buy their own shoes for a long long, long long time.

the_syco

Moonbaby wrote: »

The ESRI gave figures earlier in the year claiming that 81% of Irishmen avoid housework and 71% cooking.

Hard for those lads to sing about something they haven't got.

Eh? What percent of that 71%
a) live at home (with their parents) under 25
b) live at home (with their parents) over 25
c) live with a partner
d) live with a gay partner
e) live with their mates
f) live in a house with college mates
g) live in their own house, alone
h) ...

I could go on, but I won't. S[SIZE=-1]tatistics[/SIZE] can be used to prove that God exists & doesn't, depending what agenda the person or company funding the survey has.

Gillo

I would have thought the ESRI to be relatively impartial, can you post a link to the report?

Been a hot blooded bloke I always feel like a woman;)
But to be serious first time, I really felt like a man was when I got my first proper job and moved out, although I don't think there was ever one defining moment when I thought yeah I am a man.

LadyJ

The-Rigger wrote: »

It's as on topic as most threads are. Threads diviate. It's no big deal.



Didn't say you had.



Didn't say you had.




I haven't.

Threads take a journey. Someone says something, Somone responds to what they said, something that person says strikes a chord and another person pipes in.

It's not off-topic, however feel free to disregard what I said. It wasn't a personal attack or in reference to anyone here.

Right so. Let's just forget it. It was just that I didn't really feel that it was relevant but I'm not gonna go on about it so moving on....:)

Jules

Guys can we keep on topic, as said before if you want to discuss other things start a new thread.

Thanks

Also the original post was started by woman, in a forum aimed mainly at woman, so it is not necessarlily for the girlie, hey look at me i pay my own bills, i got my own money, destinys child singing blah blah.

It just so happens that most girls feel they have reached adult/womanhood when they are self sufficient. But as you can see others feel it at different times. And talking about "traditional roles" i would of thought that in this day and age we would of scraped the idea of the women as "Little Susie Homemaker" and the men being the "Providers". We are not in the dark ages here people, ya know women can vote too now!

Bottle_of_Smoke

Since the sex change.

Nevyn

First time you get sexually assaulted.

Tree

it's scary time the first time some woman and her child come up to you and she says "give the money to the lady" to the child instead of "give the money to the girl/bawbah"

Maple

hmmmmm interesting topic.......

i first realised i was an adult when i declined to go out on the razz one Tuesday night because i just couldn't face work the next day with a hangover.

I first realised that I was a "woman" when after a few wonky smears and cancerous cell results, I was sitting in the specialists office and he told me that it would not affect my ability to have children, I burst into tears with the relief. It was the first time that the whole "bigger picture" hit me.

LouOB

The first time i felt like a woman was when a lady (any woman over the age of 50 imo is a lady) I use to work with commented that she liked the way I dressed for work that day. I had started wearing jewelry to work and make up done proper - must of been a good week.
As girls wearing make-up is abit taboo in some households - Im sure every girl has come across either parent saying - You are not going out looking like that - speech. But when you start presenting yourself as adult you get respected for it.

watna

I had a "I'm a woman, not a girl" moment last night. I had my parents over for a roast dinner (very grown up!) and my mother announced that as i was serving the gracy in a large bowl she was getting me a gravy boat for Christmas. What made me feel "womanly" about it is that I was pleased. I really need a gravy boat!!

Maple

watna wrote: »

I had a "I'm a woman, not a girl" moment last night. I had my parents over for a roast dinner (very grown up!) and my mother announced that as i was serving the gracy in a large bowl she was getting me a gravy boat for Christmas. What made me feel "womanly" about it is that I was pleased. I really need a gravy boat!!

:eek: a gravy boat?

wanting to own a gravy boat would just make me feel ancient!!

watna

maple wrote: »

:eek: a gravy boat?

wanting to own a gravy boat would just make me feel ancient!!

I know! I feel ancient! I need to do something a bit mad I think.... maybe a crazy Monday night out even though I've work tomorro would help?!

Nightwish

I suppose fancying men does it for me. And wearing corsets...

Maple

watna wrote: »

I know! I feel ancient! I need to do something a bit mad I think.... maybe a crazy Monday night out even though I've work tomorro would help?!

perhaps it would! ah no, i hear you girl, sure i've a juicer and coffee percolator (sp) and a few other kitchen accoutrements that a few years back would have had me reaching for the phone book to call the men in the white coats.

when a gravy boat makes sense, then you know there's no turning back.

Tree

i dunno, i accrue loads of kitchenware, doesnt make me feel old. though i worry for my family when i move out and take half the kitchen w/ me

Jules

I got excited about a new set of glasses the other day.... God im sad!

pretty-in-pink

I get excited over things like candles, cookers, bed linen,towels, glasses, cutlery, cooking utensils. I sometimes feel like a woman, sometimes a girl. I don't really want to be a proper grown up- but knowing that in the next 5 years I want to be married, own my own house and have kids/ kids on the way makes me feel like a grown up. Esp as the thought excites me. I also sometimes want a Saturday night in. Probably the first time I felt really womanly was looking in my boyfriends eyes and knowing I had never felt so safe in my life.

Dinxminx

I think I'm still a girl. Nobody's called me a woman yet - closest they've come is calling me a "young lady". I'll probably balk the first time anyone calls me a woman...

Not long now!!! :eek:

Piste

My first time I felt like a woman, as in, felt every bit female, was when I had the first real long bitch and moan about the bane of our lives that is the monthly haemorrhage.

Cheese Princess

I had my 30th birthday last week and I don't think anyone has ever called me a woman in my life, I think I would cry if they did!

Had a very happy moment in New York a few weeks ago when a bouncer asked me for ID