" I for many decades held the feminist perspective that most gender roles were entirely socially constructed."
I think we more or less agree here. I don't think of gender roles as *entirely* socially constructed. As you say, we see differences in male and female behaviour across pretty much all animal species. But again, we’re talking in …
" I for many decades held the feminist perspective that most gender roles were entirely socially constructed."
I think we more or less agree here. I don't think of gender roles as *entirely* socially constructed. As you say, we see differences in male and female behaviour across pretty much all animal species. But again, we’re talking in aggregates. Individuals are different.
Pick any masculine trait you like, and there’s a female out there who exhibits it to a greater degree than you. In fact, there’s an individual female who exhibits *all* of the traditionally masculine traits to a greater degree than you (and me too obviously, I’m not questioning your manhood😁). Strength, aggression, height, agreeableness (or a lack thereof), you name it.
So while it’s true that gendered behaviour is, in part, biological, and that observing these differences isn't necessarily discriminatory, the important point (which you make as well) is that individuals should still be left free to choose their own destiny. Because there is enormous variation in how individuals behave that defies the bell curves.
I'm leery of the idea of male and female brains, not because I don’t understand that males and females are different, but because population level differences are terrible predictors of individual tendencies. And I think a focus at the population level naturally tempts us to overlook this.
Your male brain works differently to my male brain. And each of our brains probably work very similarly to some women's brains. So the sweet spot for me is just to treat everybody as if they're the same unless there are clear physical reasons not to.
" I for many decades held the feminist perspective that most gender roles were entirely socially constructed."
I think we more or less agree here. I don't think of gender roles as *entirely* socially constructed. As you say, we see differences in male and female behaviour across pretty much all animal species. But again, we’re talking in aggregates. Individuals are different.
Pick any masculine trait you like, and there’s a female out there who exhibits it to a greater degree than you. In fact, there’s an individual female who exhibits *all* of the traditionally masculine traits to a greater degree than you (and me too obviously, I’m not questioning your manhood😁). Strength, aggression, height, agreeableness (or a lack thereof), you name it.
So while it’s true that gendered behaviour is, in part, biological, and that observing these differences isn't necessarily discriminatory, the important point (which you make as well) is that individuals should still be left free to choose their own destiny. Because there is enormous variation in how individuals behave that defies the bell curves.
I'm leery of the idea of male and female brains, not because I don’t understand that males and females are different, but because population level differences are terrible predictors of individual tendencies. And I think a focus at the population level naturally tempts us to overlook this.
Your male brain works differently to my male brain. And each of our brains probably work very similarly to some women's brains. So the sweet spot for me is just to treat everybody as if they're the same unless there are clear physical reasons not to.