Man up!

[Jamie001]

I believe that women are far superior to men. Take for example violent crime. 95 percent of all violent crimes are committed by men. I believe that men commit more crimes because they are taught that it is masculine to express themselves through violence. In other words, society's expectations foster and condone violence in men. I have been called a sissy and a pussy and don't consider either term to be derogatory because it is who I am.

[Angela Campbell]

I have been hearing these type of comments all my life. I grew up in a time and place where women were thought of as less than a man in many ways.....why then, have I always wanted to be one?

[BLUE ORCHID]

My wife just walked in out of the cold and said she was "freezing her balls off". True story, and great timing!

Hi Marleena, My wife came in and said the same thing to me , (( I laughed I had TWO )) .

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Marla, You just have to wonder how many of those big mouth a$$ holes have a pair of slingbacks in their closets

[sometimes_miss]

<snip> Now, I did not, of course, grow up as a female, and I don't know first hand the pressures that girls place upon each other to "be female" as they go through their adolescence. (I think that any such pressures largely go away as women mature.)

Come on now, sure you know. Girls constantly criticize each other's choices in attire, hairstyles, make up, shoes, (not to mention who's engagement ring is better, who's boyfriend/fiance/husband is a better 'catch') etc.. Then add in the way they one up each other about having kids, how they raise their kids, how they dress their kids, how well their kids have done as far as school, profession and relationship, not to mention how many grandchildren those kids have 'given her'. Females put each other down just as much males, just with different qualifiers as to what makes each individual a better representitive of his or her sex. The number one 'failure' as a woman in the eyes of other women? Being unable to attract a suitable mate, and not getting married. Women define themselves by their relationships, and not being able to get married is the biggest loss there is.

Men generally don't dress to please women becuase it's generally not that big a deal to most women. I'd be willing to bet a year's pay, that should a "ton of attractive women" come out next month all over the internet, in magazines, in movies and on TV, and proclaim they love to see men, in heels, pantyhose and skirts, you would see the shelves empty of such items and that you would see most single guys wearing such stuff.

Probably not. Despite women proclaiming the desire for 'sensitive men' back in the middle of last century, they didn't actually follow up on it, they still went for the traditionally macho variety; soldiers, sports heroes, cops, firemen, and of course the corporate raiders who made tons of cash by trampling on other people's lives. Women didn't really want sensitive men; they wanted a guy who was nice to her (but was a real prick to the rest of the world) so that she could live the good life, and she didn't give a rat's ass about all the misery experienced by those disenfranchised souls who 'her hubby' put out of work on his way to the top.
So while the fashion and theatrical world (and all the celebrities who embody it) might say one thing, in general, guys are going to continue to do whatever it is that gets them laid. Nice guys, and fem guys, still finish last the vast majority of the time.

[Marleena]

Hi Marleena, My wife came in and said the same thing to me , (( I laughed I had TWO )) .

Lol.. It's hilarious when the women do that! Good comeback, too.

[Nikki Rich]

I try to not let that kind of stuff bother me , I'm prone to say it to one of my buddies from time to time.Just because I like to wear women's clothes doesn't change the fact that I am still male and this is just something that's inside everyone , Hell my wife tells me all the time to grow a pair or pull my big girl panties up. I only take offense to it when it's used in a derogatory manner , which most of the time it's just guys being guys.Just my 2 cents , don't let the little things drag you down.

[Rachel Morley]

I believe that women are far superior to men. Take for example violent crime. 95 percent of all violent crimes are committed by men. I believe that men commit more crimes because they are taught that it is masculine to express themselves through violence. In other words, society's expectations foster and condone violence in men.

I agree with this comment.

[Frédérique]

Ah, it’s a snowy day here in central Kansas, but warm and cozy in my little closeted enclave, the perfect environment to craft a response to a MEANINGFUL post…

In pro football, for instance, as the rules changed to protect the quarterbacks, one announcer proclaimed, "Quarterbacks should wear skirts!" as if to suggest that they might as well be women.

Once upon a time, I wrote a thread OP about that utterance. At least you know who, or what, you’re dealing with. It takes a lot of energy trying to be philosophical about this…

The really insulting thing is that this also suggests that women are somehow lesser beings than men, as though manhood is something that is strived for and attained, lest a person otherwise settle for mere womanhood. There are, of course, benefits to being either gender, but the one thing that irritates me about being male the most, other than not being able to dress and appear as I wish I could, is the social pressures that our society places upon men to "be men".

Of course, it’s OK for a girl to be a tomboy, isn’t it? She’s “strong-willed.” Does that make the MtF crossdresser WEAK willed? I’ll tell you, so-called real men should try crossdressing to see and appreciate how difficult it is. I think it takes a special kind of courage that is common to both genders, but marginalized by those who create societal pressure…

But I can report from my own experiences that boys place enormous pressures upon each other to prove their worthiness to "be men". And of course, that leads many boys to do some really dangerous, stupid things that can endanger their health and well-being. They play football, drink heavily, drive too fast, cliff-climb, and engage in "extreme" sporting activities, all while the girls watch them and shake their pretty little heads, wondering what kind of fools we all are. Sure, some of the girls may ooh and awww at their male counterparts' exploits, but most of them sigh and thank their stars they get to be girls instead.

I must say that there are many women who do dangerous, stupid, and life-threatening things, just like their male counterparts. However, when men do stupid (and noisy) things, they are either asserting themselves within a group, trying to fit in as best they can, or just hoping to not stick out too much (and thus become a target). It’s programmed dulling of the senses, lest these precious senses call the shots and turn everyone’s world upside down. At the end of the day, a male has to get along with other males, so he goes along with their stupid ideas for the sake of expediency. I should know – I’ve done plenty of stupid male things in my time, but, at the end of the day, I never fit in. I wound up shaking MY pretty little head! Oh, what a fool I’m NOT…

And if any of the boys show any common sense and choose to NOT engage in any such behaviors, out come the epithets: Come on! Don't be a puss! Man up! Show some sack......etc.

Whenever this happened to me, I would cry, and the blustery male exhorting me would often drop his façade of manliness and show compassion – it’s a beautiful thing, to be sure…

I'm never going to be a woman. I cannot justify something as severe as transition just so that I can run around in high heels. But as a man, I sure could do without this idiotic social meme that elevates men over women in such derogatory ways. That's the one thing about being a man that I like least.

I can’t watch TV for five minutes without being reminded that I have certain “obligations” to my birth gender, time is slipping away, and I'm letting the side down in some way. I think it’s a sexual game being played over and over, and the original meaning of this “event” has lost its significance – if men stop being men, according to the dictates of society, the whole house of cards may collapse. Is there anyone here who feels that this man, and this woman, should not be joined together? NO? Well, let’s actually join them together, for all time, and create heaven on Earth. Sounds good to me…

[Badtranny]

I’ll tell you, so-called real men should try crossdressing to see and appreciate how difficult it is. I think it takes a special kind of courage that is common to both genders, but marginalized by those who create societal pressure…]

NO

It takes courage to assert yourself as an individual. To Let your freak flag fly, as it were.

Anything less is just secret playtime.

[Melora]

Awesome Post Marla!
When I read this thread about Man Up.. I want to bring attention to the Other side of things...
I was watching Satellite TV a few days ago.. The channel was the Military Channel.. The show/Subject was TANKS! On the show was a cute little dark haired lady & Officer, who was showing the Show a MEREKAVA Battle tank, I think it was. She knew everything about it & I am sure that she is one hell of a warrior too! In Israel, Everybody goes to Military & everybody learns how to Fight.. Because they have to, with Palastine on their boarders. Maybe America should do the same.. Maybe there would not be such a huge difference amongst the sexes as well, = I dont know? Not likely as America has this huge Crush against personal weapons and guns and such.. Maybe we are becoming a bunch of pussies! As Obama and the Government want us to be.. = Harmless against Tyranny!
Anyways..
Girls should be encouraged to MAN-UP! and take on more masculine roles! We would not have won the 2nd Great War without our Women... Period!. They Proudly served and helped us from Mechanics to Medical.
I am proud to be a Man! I also have the Feminine side of me to prove it too. I have a couple of cracked ribs from a mosh pit about a week ago to show that I still do stupid manly things as well as dress up like a girl.
The best of both lives for Sure! I do not want to be a woman.. I like being a guy and the parts that come with it! But I Love to look and act like a woman sometimes!
Katie