Anyone else wish they were a man?

Eathrin

Athena Stocky Plank wrote: »

The only times I wished I was a man when I was in the throes of labour having my children...

:eek:
Believe me.
You would not want to be a man while in labour, trying to push a baby out of a penis :pac:

The Corinthian

Eathrin wrote: »

You would not want to be a man while in labour, trying to push a baby out of a penis :pac:

If I was a spotted hyena, I'd definitely want to be male for this reason:

"Also, unlike other hyenas, the female spotted hyena's external genitalia closely resembles that of the male."

Meangadh

Stheno wrote: »

I had the opposite experience especially when I was married. My then Oh's parents had certain expectations which I didn't conform to, nor did he. They went nuts when he was unemployed and I wasn't and equally nuts when he wasn't too fussed getting a job as I earned enough to cover us both fairly comfortably

I was probably lucky growing up in that I was my dad's "boy", as the first born with a ten year gap between me and the first boy, so I learned loads of stuff, and everyone in my family was encouraged to be independant from day one

Essentially your post is saying that a previous generation of women have programmed men to expect/want/have an easier life than women as they have facilitated them.

Now aside from my former partner, I can't agree with that, I work in an almost exclusively male environment and they have plenty of obligations in terms of family/kids etc that wouldn't have been expected even twenty years ago.

I'd actually consider it worse to be male than female in some regards in modern Western society

I posted a reply to this earlier and I have no idea where it went!!

Anyway, trying to remember what I said.....

I definitely agree that there are things I think are harder for a man- as you said, particularly in western society today. But I do think overall men have things easier.

As regards the my particular group of male friends, I wouldn't say they represent all males their age- I have male friends too who had a lot expected of them from quite a young age. Just comparing the girls and the lads though, us girls would have been ahead of them as regards educational achievements, getting long term employment, learning to drive, buying houses etc. Not that that's always a measure of success, but I think those lads had less pressure on them from their parents. But maybe that's just my particular friends, I don't know! And certainly my home situation has influenced my opinion- my mother does everything for my father, but then they are of a different generation so I know that's not really the case in most homes now (I try telling Mam that but she still insists on doing everything- can't change the habits of a lifetime I suppose!)

Funnily enough though, I generally prefer the company of men- I would be closer to the lads more than any of my female friends would. I dunno, maybe I feel that laid back attitude coming from them when I'm around them so my friendships with them are easier.

I do think men have a tough time in certain areas- rights regarding their children and difficulties with emotions I suppose are the things that come to mind first. But I honestly do think that overall, women (or at least the ones I am around most often) have more pressure on them. Maybe not all women, but that's my particular situation so that's why my own personal answer to the OP's question would be yes, I would probably think I would prefer if I was male!

beks101

God no, I love being a woman.

I love the superficial things - the makeup, the clothes, the hair styles, spending an entire day getting ready for a social event, the sort of 'power' that your sexuality can have over the opposite (or same!) sex.

I love how emotional I am and how emotion-based my friendships with other women can be - we talk about our feelings, we talk about our relationships, our friendships, our worries, concerns, we instinctively know when something is amiss with someone...while not necessarily a female thing, I think men can be a lot more practical in general.

I'm also weird in that I quite enjoy my time of the month - in no small part because I've had menstrual issues to the point where having a regular cycle once again feels like a relief, a sign of my fertility, a sign of everything that my female body can do.

I love the female form - I couldn't imagine life without my boobs, my ass, I love the way my curves look in clothes. I love that I can dress up or dress down but still look womanly, still feel an inherent confidence in my femininity.

And - weirdly - sometimes I love the fact that you can be the underdog in certain situations. Now I'm not talking about blatant old-fashioned sexism or anything, but if I come into a situation where I feel like less is expected of me because I'm female - whether it's at college or in the work place or at the gym or whatever - that represents a huge opportunity to me to prove everyone wrong. That's where I shine.

Eve_Dublin

Can either gender really say who has it harder? None of us can see it from an objective POV so it seems like a pointless argument to me. We could reel off the disadvantages to each and see which list is longer? I imagine most people are happy to be the gender they are despite the hardships that go with it. I imagine if I was a man, I'd be happy to be a man but right now, I've no idea what it's like. I think it comes down to the individual more than the gender in the Western World.

Earthhorse

Nope. Although gender can have a huge influence in our lives there's just too broad a range of experiences to say one is better than the other.

For instance, I could say as a man I'm more likely to be involved in a war but being Irish and middle class it just isn't relevant to me. Being shy does though, as it is still very much the expectation in this country that men make the first move; something that a shy girl doesn't have to pay as high a price for.

I don't think you can really put our happiness in life solely or even mostly down to gender; too many variables come into it. I am obviously talking about Western countries here, by the way, where there are broadly speaking equal rights and where the genders are seen as being equal.

sam34

I may be lowering the tone a little here, but I'd love to experience life as a man for a few days.... to know what it's like to have an erection, to be inside someone, to wake up with a morning erection, aroused and 'ready to go', to get a blowjob...

but other than that, no, I'm quite happy being female.

Galwayguy35

sam34 wrote: »

I may be lowering the tone a little here, but I'd love to experience life as a man for a few days.... to know what it's like to have an erection, to be inside someone, to wake up with a morning erection, aroused and 'ready to go', to get a blowjob...

but other than that, no, I'm quite happy being female.

I always assumed you were a man with the name Sam.

As regards bedroom antics though I'm not so sure evolution gave men the better deal, a man can only have one orgasm at a time and after that has to wait until his body is ready to go again.

There also can be erection problems to deal with as a man gets older or sometimes sleeping with a new partner for the first time when he feels under pressure or nervous.

sam34

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I always assumed you were a man with the name Sam.

As regards bedroom antics though I'm not so sure evolution gave men the better deal, a man can only have one orgasm at a time and after that has to wait until his body is ready to go again.

There also can be erection problems to deal with as a man gets older or sometimes sleeping with a new partner for the first time when he feels under pressure or nervous.

i don't particularly think men have the better deal in that regard but I would like to experience sex as a man, just to see what it'd be like. a couple of days as a man would be fine!

cdaly_

sam34 wrote: »

I may be lowering the tone a little here, but I'd love to experience life as a man for a few days.... to know what it's like to have an erection, to be inside someone, to wake up with a morning erection, aroused and 'ready to go', to get a blowjob...

but other than that, no, I'm quite happy being female.

And vice versa here...

dearg lady

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I always assumed you were a man with the name Sam.

As regards bedroom antics though I'm not so sure evolution gave men the better deal, a man can only have one orgasm at a time and after that has to wait until his body is ready to go again.

There also can be erection problems to deal with as a man gets older or sometimes sleeping with a new partner for the first time when he feels under pressure or nervous.

The nerves and pressure apply equally to women.
I wonder what % of women have multiple orgasms on a regular basis...

The Corinthian

dearg lady wrote: »

The nerves and pressure apply equally to women.
I wonder what % of women have multiple orgasms on a regular basis...

Most can, I would have thought.

Eve_Dublin

The Corinthian wrote: »

Most can, I would have thought.

Not on a regular basis though. I don't have much control over that. Sting I am not, unfortunately.

evilmonkee

xLexie wrote: »

Yes I would love to be able to pee standing up and aim it at spiders and things.

Shewee Bringing all your dreams to life!
http://www.shewee.com/

The Corinthian

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Not on a regular basis though. I don't have much control over that. Sting I am not, unfortunately.

Fair enough. I can only speak from personal experience.

IvyTheTerrible

The Corinthian wrote: »

Most can, I would have thought.

Actually, it's said that 10% of women can't orgasm at all.

I've no desire to be a man, although until this moment I thought I'd like to try it out for a day or so.

Thinking about it more closely, I think I like the little puzzle of not knowing how a man feels, or how his body reacts differently, or how he experiences his own sexuality and physicality - not that every man isn't different anyway. Some things are probably best left as one of those little mysteries between men and women.

I like being female, feminine, and everything that goes with it.

Coffeeteasugar

Yeah, think it would be fairly cool to be a man for a while, wouldn't have to worry about periods, taking the pill, shaving, make-up or wounded feet from high heels. Getting ready to go out would be so easy. Hanging around with them wouldn't be a problem either, they're usually fairly easy going.

Ilyana 2.0

I like being a woman, I definitely wouldn't want to swap permanently. I love my make up and pretty clothes and high heels and long hair; the idea of wearing a shirt and jeans for a night out is beyond my comprehension :pac:

Also, I have acne that I'm fairly self-conscious about and if I was a man I wouldn't really be able to wear make up to cover it. My periods don't give me much hassle either, although the magical adventure that is finding the right contraceptive pill (and making sure I take it properly) isn't one of the most enjoyable aspects of womanhood.

As another poster said, I like my womanly body. I like having an hourglass figure, with boobs and hips and a nice bum. I also enjoy the effect it all has on my boyfriend when I'm wearing a nice dress :P

And I suppose the fact that my body can house another human being for nine months and then release it into the world is pretty awesome too, although it's not something I intend to experience just yet.

So yeah, I like being a woman. I certainly don't feel I'll be held back in the work arena due to my gender either. My hard work will get me where I want to be, despite my lack of a penis :pac:

cantdecide

beks101 wrote: »

God no, I love being a woman.

Candie wrote: »

I like being female, feminine, and everything that goes with it.

Right answer, IMO. Lots of Eastern religions make the feminine energies a focal point of celebrations and rites and the phrase feminine energy is something that has stayed with me. Compassion, beauty, gentleness and the myriad of traits associated with femininity; everyone's life is enriched by it but, and at the risk of sound a right twat, I feel l especially lucky to be able to experience it as a man. I really don't see the point in cribbing about who has it worse...

newmug

I love being a man. I love the physical strength, the feeling of being invincible, knowing that you could be shot and still get up and kick the sh1t out of the fella who just shot you. I love being able to drive perfectly, instinctually judging speeds and positions and the size of your vehicle without being able to see it, and being able to do this fluently. Your car feels like an extension of you, another part of your body. I am so thankful for the fact that I can compartmentalise everything in life, mainly into sh1t that matters, and sh1t that doesnt. It cuts out a whole pile of stress and drama that women always seem to struggle with. I love the way I can talk to anybody, any stranger whatsoever, any age, any place, and be completely at ease talking to them. But its more about being at ease with yourself, than with the person you're talking to.

It wasn't always this way though. As a boy, most of those things weren't so. You have to learn how to be confident, how to compartmentalise, how to drive competantly. I suppose the only thing you cant "learn" is the physicality of being a man. But you're not a proper, real, fulfilled man until you have all those other things mastered.

newmug

newmug wrote: »

I love being a man. I love the physical strength, the feeling of being invincible, knowing that you could be shot and still get up and kick the sh1t out of the fella who just shot you. I love being able to drive perfectly, instinctually judging speeds and positions and the size of your vehicle without being able to see it, and being able to do this fluently. Your car feels like an extension of you, another part of your body. I am so thankful for the fact that I can compartmentalise everything in life, mainly into sh1t that matters, and sh1t that doesnt. It cuts out a whole pile of stress and drama that women always seem to struggle with. I love the way I can talk to anybody, any stranger whatsoever, any age, any place, and be completely at ease talking to them. But its more about being at ease with yourself, than with the person you're talking to.

It wasn't always this way though. As a boy, most of those things weren't so. You have to learn how to be confident, how to compartmentalise, how to drive competantly. I suppose the only thing you cant "learn" is the physicality of being a man. But you're not a proper, real, fulfilled man until you have all those other things mastered.

I didn't know being male made you bulletproof!

You sound as though you think being male is a prerequisite for driving competently and prioritising rationally.

I manage to do both while still being the proud owner of ladyparts.:)

Ambersky

I think newmugs post was a parody...... am I right or did I read that wrong.

Galwayguy35

This is quite an interesting thread, seeing what the opposite sex thinks of being a man.

Personally I like being a man, being reasonably strong and some of my exes suffered a lot during their periods so glad I don't have to worry about that.

Forgotten_1

Dear Girls, At first glance, this seems a commonplace idea; but if examined attentively, it is an entirely unprecedented thought. The claim is that in the world, even the easiest task is difficult. And the proof is that man, who by definition is human-- even for him to become human is difficult.

The Big Red Button

Athena Stocky Plank wrote: »

The only times I wished I was a man when I was in the throes of labour having my children...while my husband sat there pain-free holding my hand. Other than those incidents, nope, I'm glad I am a woman!

I dunno, I think if I were a man, I'd feel I was missing out knowing that I'd never get to experience pregnancy and childbirth.

I may well change my mind, if/when I've actually gone through it myself! :pac:

But, there's just something really special about the idea of a tiny little bunch of cells developing and growing right inside your own body, to the point where the cells eventually become a real person, who you then bring into the world.

Ambersky wrote: »

I think newmugs post was a parody...... am I right or did I read that wrong.

I very much hope it was! :pac:

Malari

The pregnancy thing is one of my cons of being a woman! I have a deep-seated fear of having been fertilised and go through a couple of hours of irrational anxiety followed by a moment of relief every month when I'm not pregnant! I could really do without that.

Eve_Dublin

The Corinthian wrote: »

Fair enough. I can only speak from personal experience.

Thinly veiled blah de blah...

newmug

Candie wrote: »

I didn't know being male made you bulletproof!

You sound as though you think being male is a prerequisite for driving competently and prioritising rationally.

I manage to do both while still being the proud owner of ladyparts.:)

Ah no no no, I didnt mean it like that. And no, my post was NOT a parody!?!?!?!?!? (Poe's law eat your heart out!)

I think this video sums up quite well what it feels like to be a walking testosterone machine. (Just came across it on reddit last night!) You'll see what I mean by being "bulletproof". Its the feeling of being invincible, the co-ordination with whatever vehicle you're controlling, the confidence and conviction to be able to make a decision and execute it, regardless of the risk. And I dont just mean with driving, with any decision making that has to be done. Thats why we hate shopping, just pick what you need and get it!

And I know you can do all these things if you have ladyparts, its just that it seems to be a more finely tuned skill with men. For the first bit, sound up to the MAX!

@Sam34, ejectulation kinda feels like that vid aswell, the exhileration, the power, the euphoria, the speed, all in a few seconds at the same time! Obviously multiplied a couple of hundred times.

daenerysstormborn3

@newmug - I'm a lady and I drive a bike everyday. I actually have more bikes than my boyfriend, who has been on bikes a lot longer than I have. I drive my bike everyday, in all weather (including snow and ice) and I can count on my hands the amount of "hard" men I know who drive in this weather and who drive their bike everyday. I am always complimented on the way I handle my machines.

I love being a lady. I'm very fortunate that I am not a slave to my ladybits, no pmt or symptoms, no cramps etc., so I feel very lucky in that regard. Like other posters I love feminity. I love pretty things. I love make up and clothes. I love that we have the ability to do something so amazing as create and nourish a life in our bodies, and this is coming from someone who isn't really maternal.

I wouldn't necessarily be seen as feminine. I arrive to work in bike gear and then change into work clothes (formal office wear) and most people find it difficult to reconcile the image of me in my bike gear with the me who wears dresses and skirts everyday in work. I always have a little giggle to myself at the surprise on a person's face when I can converse about bikes while wearing a dress.