Why is it so important to make sure certain things are labeled masculine, and others feminine?

[Anonymous]

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

There really shouldn't be anything masculine or feminine. It's a silly outdated concept that we can't move past as a society.

[CheeseMonster]

Tradition and/or insecurity. 🤷‍♂️

[Asker]

Mostly insecure men in my opinion.

[CheeseMonster]

Always has been.

[Asker]

Then again there's lots of tradition. But I'm not thinking about what primitive people's think. It's OK to have traditions and shit. I don't care. I'm more thinking about people who have kind of advanced beyond that stuff in a way. Obviously tradition applies to most people's But we can logically see that for example, masculinity and femininity are not fundamental aspects of the universe.

Or are they?

[Asker]

Yea you're right it always has been lol. Though lately I know of women who are coping with living in a "man's world." And as such they try to put femininity above masculinity in terms of spirituality and they try to say women are better than men.

Which is fine, doesn't bother me. I know they're coping. But it's kind of similar to men's insecurity. Though I would say men's insecurity is ultimately based in sex and whether the man in question has access to sex or not. I'm curious if you would agree with me on that or if I'm crazy lol.

[CheeseMonster]

What I mean is, tradition is usually just the way they dealt with insecurity in the past. It's not really a different reason.

If you boil down masculinity and femininity into man-like and woman-like then they're fundamental to humanity, but they don't have any real meaning. Every man is man-like because he's a man who is like himself (same with women). It's redundant—but it can make people feel better about themselves. The bad part is is can also make people feel worse.

[Asker]

Yea that makes sense. It's the importance that people put on it that is undue and not necessary. But it's hard to convey to people why it's silly to do so.

[CheeseMonster]

I'd even take it a step further and say the whole idea of a man "having access to sex" comes from insecurity. Sex is an interpersonal activity, not a resource you can take or earn independently.

[mandyfire98]

Depends on what is being labelled

[Asker]

What is something you think should be labeled?

[mandyfire98]

Well for instance, should being successful in a career be considered masculine only? I don't believe so.

Should women who are successful and have a career be considered masculine? I think that's ridiculous.

Should men having emotions beyond anger be considered feminine? Of course not.

Can women be athletic and feminine as well? Of course.