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Your posts in response to others posts should be 125-175 words long

1. On a day-to-day basis, I carry myself, dress, behave, talk, and do most other things as a male. I usually wear sweatpants, a t-shirt and a pair of vans. This way of dressing I would not consider being specific for any certain gender. I think most people would expect me to identify as a man based on the way I behave and act. For the most part, I think people interpret me as what I identify as but I would like them to think that I am not a mean or angry person based on how I look. This is due to my big statue which can be a little intimidating to some people. I feel the sense of obligation to act like my gender for the most part of my life. The biggest aspect that I find I have a lot of pressure from is that when my father puts the pressure on me to not cry no matter what happens. I think this obligation can get stressful at times since my father considers it weak for a man to cry. Although I dont tend to cry often, in some situations crying can help one feel so much better and it does not mean that one is weak because of it.  I would also argue that the pressure to act like a man comes from society/ cultural stereotypes to act in a tough way. This can often be seen in simple comments by others such as how a real man should look, dress or act, add stress on how I should behave to be seen as a man by others.

2. I grew up being taught to dress and act more girly in front of other people. It was expected of me to act respectful and friendly in front of strangers and other friends and families. However, I was always the type of person who would choose comfort over fashion any day. I am also outspoken, competitive, and talkative. Through sports, I developed my competitive nature. I had other parents tell me that I was too aggressive and too scary simply because I tried my hardest during a game. I believe people expect me to behave the way society wants a “typical” woman to behave. Anything deviations from the norm result in words “emotional, or annoying. I recall a moment during my senior year of high school when my male partner in a badminton game pushed me off the court because he was stronger than me. Being the person that I am, I confronted him during the game. My coach however sided with him, as I had to listen to him because he was physically stronger” since he was a male. I think that people view people who identify with being a woman, as weak and are surprised when we defend ourselves. Every individual is so different, so generalizing them and creating a norm for a specific gender does more harm than good. I feel as though people shouldnt feel obligated to act like their gender because of the number of stereotypes associated with a specific gender. I want to be seen as a strong, confident, and independent individual, who happens to be a woman. Being confined to what is expected of you prevents growth, and if I listened to these norms, I wouldnt be where I am today.