So, I recently got an account on tumblr.com because a lot of my friends use tumblr. I think of it as the illegitimate love-child of blogs and facebook (If any of you want to follow me there, the URL is modernhelen.tumblr.com). Anyways, I found an intriguing personality test that seemed pretty legit. There were A LOT of questions.
The results said that I was an "Encouraging Idealist" which sounds a bit odd but basically means that I have a high standard, like routine, value things for function rather than aesthetic appeal and have a high ability to understand and motivate people. This kinda makes some sense a little. But then, I found these two things labelled: Masculinity and Femininity. These were supposedly suppose to measure traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine traits. Here were my scores:
Masculinity: 92
Femininity: 8
AM I A MAN???!!!
What is going on here? I am definitely female. I am not even one of those females who looks like if she tried really hard she could pretend to be a male. I am really short, I have very large...lips...a high degree of contrast between the color of my eyes and lips and my skin color and an awesome waist to hip ratio. I also have a REALLY high pitched voice, especially when I am excited. These are all traditional hallmarks of high estrogen levels, ergo, high degree of femininity.
SO, the answer is that even though I am very feminine externally, I am apparently a man on the inside. I was intrigued. What are these traits that men supposedly have a lock on that I possess?
I googled "Traditional Masculine Traits" and here are some answers:
1) Men have egos that allow them to be competitive and re-evaluate themselves following some kind of loss or failure
2) Men are doers as opposed to listeners; they value efficiency
3) Men assume leadership roles and sacrifice to achieve higher positions
4) Men are self-sufficient and work to overcome adversity
5)Men have sudden expression of emotions followed by calm
6) Men are stoic and keep emotions under control
7) Men are risk-takers
8) Men nurture through listening and then taking action
With the exception of risk-taking, these all do seem to describe me. However, I am skeptical about these being more exclusively masculine traits (with the exception of risk taking: When factoring in relative size and strength, it makes sense for men to be risk-takers as opposed to women). In my experience, women are more likely to be in clubs and initiate action (Student Government, BBB, Student Abolitionists, Greek Life, Literary Journals). Women and men seem to be equally likely to act, listen, do, and be self-sufficient. While I have seen more pettiness and gossip among women, that may be because I spend more time around women. Additionally, the top three most emotionally unstable people that I know are all male. I also think that men and women are about even in ego, but that it tends to express itself in different ways.
In conclusion, stereotypical masculine and feminine traits are a load of crap. Maybe there was relevance earlier on when men and women were forced into specific roles dictated by society. Maybe there is still relevance in parts of the world where women have a different sphere of influence from men. But this is America and a woman should be able to be strong-willed, intelligent, efficient, a doer, a promoter of her own advancement, and self-sufficient without being labelled 'masculine'.
Maybe if we didn't spend so much of our lives pregnant, giving birth, or running after obnoxious children*, this would be more true.
ModernHeleln
* Do not be offended. Unless you have never had children or somehow ended up with creepily perfect children you are well aware that children are obnoxious. Weren't you one once? And you have to admit that the number of women how have had their potential and their lives derailed by children is far higher and to a greater degree than the number of men who have had them same problems. Look at the statistics: even in an egalitarian relationship where husband and wife work and both look after the kid, the wife will spend more time. Its evolution.
See:
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/working-women-spend-more-time-on-chores-and-childcare-than-men/115992/
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