What is the hardest thing about being a woman?

[Coriolis]

I was trying to word it in a way that won't come off as horribly annoyed, because I think being a woman is super easy overall.

I would say men have it harder overall. Because woman, will always be "protected". That is like, the most basic instinct within humanity that has persisted in our evolution for an untold amount of time. Men pioneered the very idea of "society", it was their aspirations that created civilization. It was men's obsessions and stubbornness that created various types of knowledge. So ofc, men will have more latitude in the early stages of societal evolution. They created the space that you can even think about it all to begin with. It was never about "opportunity" that made men successful, it was risk taking and perseverance. It was stubbornness and strong ideas that they pushed against all odds. Men would bank everything on something, and either die trying, or succeed in glorious fashion. Sure, there was smart woman out there. But they can't blame "society" for not being able to do the same things that men do. If they thought all men became successful through sheer opportunity, they are dead wrong. Many men, face absolute opposition, and they still managed to overcome that.

If we want to look at natural instincts, it is for women, specifically mothers, to protect young. These are the fiercest fighters in the wild. Another natural instinct is for males to compete for females, i.e. the opportunity to reproduce. In a way, many of our social conventions try to subvert at least the first of these. Men's Pobsessions and stubbornness" may have created some knowledge, but I suspect women's immediate need, perhaps to care and provide for the next generation, created other knowledge. The development of agriculture, for instance, has come to be associated with women remaining close to home with children, while men ventured away to hunt. It is a logical extension of gathering behavior. Again, I think society has been quicker to label knowledge developed by men as innovation, and to ignore or even misattribute knowledge developed by women. If a society systematically excludes women from some opportunities to be successful, they certainly can blame it, as they have, and demand correction. This is why educational and professional opportunities have opened up to women over the past century.

Woman literally do not realize the privilege they have, just by existing. Nor do many woman truly listen to men to understand their way of thinking. Men and woman think very differently about a lot of things. Yet only men are seen as "weak and pathetic" or "incels" if they complain about the behaviors of woman. Despite woman doing the same thing are considered "strong and independent". Woman can do no wrong, in the eyes of society... because of instinct. The only people that blur this line, are those of the modern era, because modern society with all its quirky labels and personalities is quite literally breaking down what used to be the "natural order" of human civilization and the concept of family. I personally think a lot of the "progress" society strives for in terms of equality, is highly detrimental for the species overall, as opposed to the individual. No one considered the psychological implications of both parents working all the time, and their kid being raised by strangers. It just produces families of strangers, who go their own ways, never interacting. Then when they get older/get divorced, all end up dying alone or after several broken relationships, finally find someone to die with. The very concept of family, is dying. I can only think of a handful of people, out of most of the people I know, who has a decent and loving relationship with their family.

This paragraph contains many misconceptions. Men and women think more similarly on more topics than many people credit. We are all human beings first, and will also take on perspectives based on culture and other factors. Both men and women complain about each other, as well as about their own group. The reactions you mention are far from universal. I just as often see men commiserate with each other when one of them starts complaining about women. The "concept of family" never depended on a power imbalance between male/female (mother/father), even during times when sex-based divisions of labor made more sense. And anyone who thinks "both parents working all the time" is a modern phenomenon is unfamiliar with both historical reality, and even modern circumstance. Mother staying home to devote her time to children is the oddity, resulting from the introduction of modern timesaving devices in a time when traditional roles were still enforced. Before that, mother was home but busy with housework and other chores. Or, both parents worked on a farm or in a trade of business, with little free time for children. This is why grandparents and other extended family were so critical for so much of human history. Both parents WERE working, all day, every day. That persists in many parts of the world. In some places, women spend hours every day just collecting water for household tasks, leaving children in the care of other relatives. Hillary was right that it takes a village, but the idea hardly started with her.

When it comes to societal acceptance, relationships, personal obstacles, and level of individual responsibility... it greatly differs between the sexes. I don't even think it is a competition. Woman will be accepted, regardless of their personality as long as they look pretty. This is even more prevalent in today's society with things like live streaming and youtube. Men however, have to compete with both personality/charisma, looks, and financial wealth. Women get to have the concept of standards and pick and choose (even when there is no one to choose from), while most men have to take what they can get, if their "presentation" isn't good enough (not being over 6 feet tall for example). This is just sexual selective evolution that is prevalent in a lot mammal societies. This selective evolution is why people consider men more "funny" for example, because to secure a "mate" when you were not too attractive, you had to have something to keep a woman of interest engaged over tall, physically attractive "Chad". A lot of male traits are the result of this type of sexual selective evolution.

Again, more misconceptions, but at least you have some of the societal double standards down right. Women have not been held to the same level of personal responsibility in many cases, and this is to everyone's detriment. Similarly, men and women are held to superficial standards, though not the same ones.

There are some men with emotional intensity as I describe, but it is far more in common with females. But I am speaking of "baseline" or "natural disposition". Because upbringing, culture, and personal willpower can overcome many natural dispositions and instinct. I personally think that everyone is in a battle against their instincts, using what their upbringings taught them (positively or negatively). It is nature vs nurture etc. Some aspects of our nature can be both complimented, and contested depending on how we grew up. That is why there are patterns, regardless of upbringing. Showcasing what ideals some people aspire to.

Interesting. I think we are seeing the effects of upbringing here, with men still raised to be far less emotionally expressive than women. We should not confuse expression with experience, though. If anything, the emotions of most women I encounter seem constant but superficial, meaning they never turn off and are always at the surface, but generally seem to lack depth. Perhaps they don't know me well enough to share their deeper emotions. I do find, though, that when a man shares, there is more depth or intensity to it, even if the expression is relatively restrained. Again, I would attribute that more to upbringing rather than to any innate sex-based difference.

 

[RadicalDoubt]

This is what I was going to say. This and the ability to give birth. I think the biological stuff about being born female is disgusting, but that might just be dysphoria talking. I'll gladly give up the possibility of living longer and having a stronger immune system, that's useless to me.

This is also a huge one for me (in addition to the period stuff as @fatgurl mentioned). I'm not particularly dysphoric probably, I think most AFAB people find periods to be a pain in the neck (and other areas oc lol). The fact that I can carry a child bothers me, if removing this capability alongside my period was healthy and legal, I'd probably go for it without much thought.

 

[Morpeko]

There are some men with emotional intensity as I describe, but it is far more in common with females. But I am speaking of "baseline" or "natural disposition". Because upbringing, culture, and personal willpower can overcome many natural dispositions and instinct. I personally think that everyone is in a battle against their instincts, using what their upbringings taught them (positively or negatively). It is nature vs nurture etc. Some aspects of our nature can be both complimented, and contested depending on how we grew up. That is why there are patterns, regardless of upbringing. Showcasing what ideals some people aspire to.

Every negative trait I've seen in a female, I've seen in at least one male as well. I always keep that in mind. So personally, I don't particularly find it relevant to "gender" most emotional traits or personality dispositions. Though I do agree that some behaviors are more common in a certain gender than the other. I agree that other factors vastly contribute, like upbringing and the uncontrollable influence of society themselves.

 

[Morpeko]

This is also a huge one for me (in addition to the period stuff as @fatgurl mentioned). I'm not particularly dysphoric probably, I think most AFAB people find periods to be a pain in the neck (and other areas oc lol). The fact that I can carry a child bothers me, if removing this capability alongside my period was healthy and legal, I'd probably go for it without much thought.

It's hard for me to tell the difference between dysphoria and finding it to be a nuisance (which periods undeniably are) but still identifying as a woman. I do agree that most AFAB people do not like their periods (though some do seem to identify with them and consider it an important part of whatever "womanhood" means to them, which is an outlook I can never understand). And I can relate to that. For me it makes me fall into self-hatred about being born into the wrong body, so that's kind of why I identify it as dysphoria.

Me being able to carry a child bothers me for those similar reasons (i.e. born into an unfortunate body that I don't identify with). That's the biggest problem for me, personally, but regardless of that, it's honestly just unfair to me that I'm the one who faces this risk if I'm sexually active and ultimately make the choice what to do with said child, and I'm the one who would have to experience the pains related to pregnancy and childbirth. That reminds me of another thing. I hate birth control and the effects it has on my body (though I use it to alter my period at times which is indeed beneficial). Yes, condoms exist, but they also affect me by changing the sensation.

I also want to say that I don't want to sound constantly like I'm complaining about being a woman, because I recognize many issues that men assigned at birth have to experience and empathize with the men in my life who deal with such things. I could write long posts about that as well. But I'm keeping my posts to what's relevant to the thread topic.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Women are actually in a lot of ways the biologically superior sex. We live longer, have stronger immune systems, commit suicide less, and are way less likely to have heart attacks. Many genetic conditions are also X linked, which means that things like hemophilia and color blindness are also way less likely in women. Female babies are also more likely to survive difficult births and do better in the NICU. So from birth until out on average later deaths than you, there are a lot of advantages.

We are also on average more empathetic, more verbal, and more likely to graduate college.

so. Yeah. *shrugs*

being male has a its advantages and so does being female. And its a very limited perspective to say something like you did. But- lol- bad joke- what can you expect from a male

Women surely gather together with all-women-panels where they say that according to woman-logic, they are good

And when there's an all-male panel somewhere they all go boo-hoo

 

[Abcdenfp]

Being ambitious and having men say you want too much. Its not my problem that you are complacent. It is also not too much if i want the whole fucking world its my business you don't want to have dreams and goals to fight for? That's on you. I am not complacent and I wont just sit down and shut up.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Spending the first 21 years not knowing I was autistic because it's perceived as more of a masculine condition and girls tend to be hella good at masking(being more empathetic and tend to have more "normal" special interests, like being a horse girl, though I wonder where my cultural interests rate). Always knew something was off, though.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

How is being a horse girl a normal interest?

It seems common enough.

 

[Luminous]

Shame about our bodies meaning that some things are still not talked about, so women go uninformed, even though millions of women have experienced them.

 

[Lady_X]

The main thing that bothers me consistantly is just getting periods. It's enough already. You get them as a teenager and then just every month for freaking ever. I don't want to bleed. I don't want to wake up from blissful sleep because I just realizzed I am about to start bleeding all over myself.

 

[Totenkindly]

Is it any more common that for example miniature wargaming or collecting model trains?

Among girls, yes.

But sure, those hobbies you mention seem equally typical of boys.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

The societal norm of women having to look like a naked mole rat

 

[Lexicon]

The societal norm of women having to look like a naked mole rat

This comic immediately came to mind when I saw your post:





Personally, I remove everything from the neck-down out of personal comfort. I have stupidly coarse body hair that itches even when it’s well past being stubble. It’s also like, this physical barrier in more intimate places where more direct contact is preferable/enhances the experience, for me.

That said, society’s expectations of female hair can go suck a lemon. As long as you’re clean, who the hell cares?
My best friend has full pit hair, full everything. I see nothing wrong with that. She is comfortable & happy. Men she’s dated didn’t care. The worthwhile ones, at least.

Even head hair for women has absurd associations. I rocked a pixie cut for years & lost count of how many older men at the time assumed I was a man-hating radical feminist (I am not, & anyone who actually knows me would find that hilarious), &/or that I was sexually attracted to women, which I am not. I just like having short hair. I like how it looks & feels. And since growing it only a few measly inches into a bob (less maintenance overall), I’ve gotten more unwelcome catcalls from dumbdumbs in cars if I’m out anywhere. Like, that was the only change, a few inches of hair on my stupid head. Anyone with even remotely longer hair, people just indiscriminately throw their dicks at. Actually a couple male friends with long hair have been mistakenly catcalled by dudes this way, too.

We’re mammals, I don’t see the big deal.

To add to your post about expectations on women, Saturn (& not grouping your commentary in here when I say this, to clarify) — people commenting on how you choose to keep your body as a woman in general is an annoyance. It’s one thing if a loved one is concerned for your health, but the cosmetic stuff? Give it a rest already. I’ve found women equally obnoxious when it comes to projecting these standards on one another. Negging eachother over imperfect eyebrows, the wrong makeup, no makeup. “Unflattering” clothes. Not dying your gray hairs when they do come in. The wrong kind of hair dye. Being told to cook your skin for fashion, otherwise you look “sick.” The wrong color shoe after Labor Day (seriously? It’s a shoe ffs). Too tall? Take off those heels. Too short? Better buy platforms. Modest clothing? You’re setting back sexual liberation if you cover up. Sundress? Short skirt? Hint of cleavage? Whore.

The constantly changing & ever-limiting definitions of what a “real woman” is or must be. Real women are Twiggy. Real women have washboard abs. Real women have soft curves— scrawny A-cuppers are 12-year old boys & men who want them are obviously pedophiles. Men who like voluptuous women are pigs with a fetish. We objectify ourselves. Make sure your body fat is in all the Right Places. Make sure your values are, too. Want to be a housewife/stay at home mom? Some of the feminists will hate you, & accuse you of setting women back. Don’t want kids? Don’t like kids? Holy shit, you’re a sociopath, you’re selfish, you have no purpose in life, and you obviously hate women who do have children! Introvert? You’re an aloof snob. You’re damaged. You’re prude. Extrovert? Obnoxious attention-whore.

And the pendulum for beauty inside and out swings so hard either way that we’re left dizzy and turning on one another to no end.

We give ourselves impossible standards to live up to at every turn. Much of it stems from centuries of insecurities passed down by powerless women, imposed upon them by others. But we certainly perpetuate it.

We don’t have to live in that world anymore. We’re free to create new definitions, truly own ourselves, & stop tearing one another down like crabs in a bucket the second any of us dares to exist authentically.


...who put this soapbox here?
*jumps down*

 

[Coriolis]

To add to your post about expectations on women, Saturn (& not grouping your commentary in here when I say this, to clarify) — commenting on how you choose to keep your body as a woman in general is an annoyance. It’s one thing if a loved one is concerned for your health, but the cosmetic stuff? Give it a rest already. I’ve found women equally obnoxious when it comes to projecting these standards on one another. Negging eachother over imperfect eyebrows, the wrong makeup, no makeup. “Unflattering” clothes. Not dying your gray hairs when they do come in. The wrong kind of hair dye. Being told to cook your skin for fashion, otherwise you look “sick.” The wrong color shoe after Labor Day (seriously? It’s a shoe ffs). Too tall? Take off those heels. Too short? Better buy platforms. Modest clothing? You’re setting back sexual liberation if you cover up. Sundress? Short skirt? Hint of cleavage? Whore.

The constantly changing & ever-limiting definitions of what “real woman” is or must be. Real women are Twiggy. Real women have washboard abs. Real women have soft curves— scrawny A-cuppers are 12-year old boys & men who want them are obviously pedophiles. Men who like voluptuous women are pigs with a fetish. We objectify ourselves. Make sure your body fat is in all the Right Places. Make sure your values are, too. Want to be a housewife/stay at home mom? Some of the feminists will hate you, & accuse you of setting women back. Don’t want kids? Don’t like kids? Holy shit, you’re a sociopath, you’re selfish, you have no purpose in life, and you obviously hate women who do have children! Introvert? You’re an aloof snob. You’re damaged. You’re prude. Extrovert? Obnoxious attention-whore.

And the pendulum for beauty inside and out swings so hard either way that we’re left dizzy and turning on one another to no end.

We give ourselves impossible standards to live up to at every turn. Much of it stems from centuries of insecurities passed down by powerless women, imposed upon them by others. But we certainly perpetuate it.

We don’t have to live in that world anymore. We’re free to create new definitions, truly own ourselves, & stop tearing one another down like crabs in a bucket the second any of us dares to exist authentically.


...who put this soapbox here?
*jumps down*

These are comments that need to be made, over and over again unfortunately, until people - both men and women - take notice. Men are held to standards, too, which in some ways are just as confining, but at least there doesn't seem to be the same pendulum-swinging and outright two-facedness about them. There has been more consistency, which also has its problems. Women definitely have the short end of the stick here, though. The amount of courage it can take, just to wear your hair the way you want, or a style that isn't in fashion because you just like it, is ridiculous. I don't know why people put so much more emphasis on what's on the outside vs. what is inside.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

This comic immediately came to mind when I saw your post:


View attachment 27117


Personally, I remove everything from the neck-down out of personal comfort. I have stupidly coarse body hair that itches even when it’s well past being stubble. It’s also like, this physical barrier in more intimate places where more direct contact is preferable/enhances the experience, for me.

That said, society’s expectations of female hair can go suck a lemon. As long as you’re clean, who the hell cares?
My best friend has full pit hair, full everything. I see nothing wrong with that. She is comfortable & happy. Men she’s dated didn’t care. The worthwhile ones, at least.

Even head hair for women has absurd associations. I rocked a pixie cut for years & lost count of how many older men at the time assumed I was a man-hating radical feminist (I am not, & anyone who actually knows me would find that hilarious), &/or that I was sexually attracted to women, which I am not. I just like having short hair. I like how it looks & feels. And since growing it only a few measly inches into a bob (less maintenance overall), I’ve gotten more unwelcome catcalls from dumbdumbs in cars if I’m out anywhere. Like, that was the only change, a few inches of hair on my stupid head. Anyone with even remotely longer hair, people just indiscriminately throw their dicks at. Actually a couple male friends with long hair have been mistakenly catcalled by dudes this way, too.

We’re mammals, I don’t see the big deal.

To add to your post about expectations on women, Saturn (& not grouping your commentary in here when I say this, to clarify) — commenting on how you choose to keep your body as a woman in general is an annoyance. It’s one thing if a loved one is concerned for your health, but the cosmetic stuff? Give it a rest already. I’ve found women equally obnoxious when it comes to projecting these standards on one another. Negging eachother over imperfect eyebrows, the wrong makeup, no makeup. “Unflattering” clothes. Not dying your gray hairs when they do come in. The wrong kind of hair dye. Being told to cook your skin for fashion, otherwise you look “sick.” The wrong color shoe after Labor Day (seriously? It’s a shoe ffs). Too tall? Take off those heels. Too short? Better buy platforms. Modest clothing? You’re setting back sexual liberation if you cover up. Sundress? Short skirt? Hint of cleavage? Whore.

The constantly changing & ever-limiting definitions of what “real woman” is or must be. Real women are Twiggy. Real women have washboard abs. Real women have soft curves— scrawny A-cuppers are 12-year old boys & men who want them are obviously pedophiles. Men who like voluptuous women are pigs with a fetish. We objectify ourselves. Make sure your body fat is in all the Right Places. Make sure your values are, too. Want to be a housewife/stay at home mom? Some of the feminists will hate you, & accuse you of setting women back. Don’t want kids? Don’t like kids? Holy shit, you’re a sociopath, you’re selfish, you have no purpose in life, and you obviously hate women who do have children! Introvert? You’re an aloof snob. You’re damaged. You’re prude. Extrovert? Obnoxious attention-whore.

And the pendulum for beauty inside and out swings so hard either way that we’re left dizzy and turning on one another to no end.

We give ourselves impossible standards to live up to at every turn. Much of it stems from centuries of insecurities passed down by powerless women, imposed upon them by others. But we certainly perpetuate it.

We don’t have to live in that world anymore. We’re free to create new definitions, truly own ourselves, & stop tearing one another down like crabs in a bucket the second any of us dares to exist authentically.


...who put this soapbox here?
*jumps down*

Thank you! Yeah, I shave my legs cause that's what makes me feel better about myself, but in the winter months, I don't upkeep nearly as much. No one can see them anyway. Tbh, my legs feel better fuzzy, but they don't look better. Still, I've never been repulsed by another woman's body hair, it looks natural on some of them even(that's because it is-). It's sad that we promote so much body positivity, yet body hair is still one of those things that sets us years back. I see posts that are basically memes about pointing out one's pit hair, and that pisses me off, cause those same people likely wouldn't do it to a larger woman. It's funny, my stepmom is very keen on her looks, she's unwavering in her thoughts about skin, makeup, and what clothes match or not. I used to argue with her wondering why woman shaved their legs anyway, saying that it used to be attractive in the older days and only became a norm in the last 100 years. Same with "manly men". One of my coworkers was commenting on a girl saying, "She had more hair than me!". Who cares?? It has the same function as men's body hair, so why not treat it the same? But yeah, stay clean friends.

 

[Lexicon]

These are comments that need to be made, over and over again unfortunately, until people - both men and women - take notice. Men are held to standards, too, which in some ways are just as confining, but at least there doesn't seem to be the same pendulum-swinging and outright two-facedness about them. There has been more consistency, which also has its problems. Women definitely have the short end of the stick here, though. The amount of courage it can take, just to wear your hair the way you want, or a style that isn't in fashion because you just like it, is ridiculous. I don't know why people put so much more emphasis on what's on the outside vs. what is inside.

Thank you! Yeah, I shave my legs cause that's what makes me feel better about myself, but in the winter months, I don't upkeep nearly as much. No one can see them anyway. Tbh, my legs feel better fuzzy, but they don't look better. Still, I've never been repulsed by another woman's body hair, it looks natural on some of them even(that's because it is-). It's sad that we promote so much body positivity, yet body hair is still one of those things that sets us years back. I see posts that are basically memes about pointing out one's pit hair, and that pisses me off, cause those same people likely wouldn't do it to a larger woman. It's funny, my stepmom is very keen on her looks, she's unwavering in her thoughts about skin, makeup, and what clothes match or not. I used to argue with her wondering why woman shaved their legs anyway, saying that it used to be attractive in the older days and only became a norm in the last 100 years. Same with "manly men". One of my coworkers was commenting on a girl saying, "She had more hair than me!". Who cares?? It has the same function as men's body hair, so why not treat it the same? But yeah, stay clean friends.

With both of these posts, I also feel like the rise of social media & crazy photo filters have been huge contributors to these problems for masculine & feminine people alike. Airbrushed extremes right at our fingertips (I mean, I’m not opposed removing the transient zit from a photo here & there), but adding pecs/6 packs on men, cellulite & hair removal from women— god forbid we have pores at all... or lines that map out our life experiences. Our joy, pain. Laugh lines. Scars. Stretch marks. Growth. Life.

I think of the body hair preferences also come from the worship of youth & neoteny in popular culture & limitations of common beauty standards. And there’s nothing wrong with looking young. But there’s nothing wrong with looking older. Or like a damn mammal.

We are so constantly bombarded by this inhuman visual stimuli everywhere. Junk mail on your counter has some model grinning with Clorox-white veneers. You can’t remember what they’re selling, but those teeth staynwith you. Pop on the Morning News as your coffee brews. The anchors, male & female, are coated in such thick layers of fleshy foundation that only morticians should probably have access to (and even then... should they really?).

You walk by your neighbor fussing in her car mirror. Her false lashes aren’t sticking today. You drive by a half dozen billboards for waxing, buttlifts, chemical peels, cool sculpting. You get to work and someone complains about the slut in the corner cubicle with the push-up bra. Someone else compares her to Pam Anderson with near-reverence. Everyone checking, preening when they think no one else is watching as they pause in front of some reflective surface. They’re everywhere, & the impulse is a contagion. Someone gives you a Hunks & Hounds wall calendar with perfectly chiseled men snuggling adoptable dogs each month. Perfection is virtuous. That cute guy down the hall with the ‘dad bod’ (how stupid is that term?) sees this on your desk before you even decide what to do with it, & doesn’t bother trying to ask you out, mistakenly assuming he’s not your ‘type.’



You get home & even the elderly chef pictured on your box of pasta somehow looks far younger now than when you were little. Crisp, empty. Uncanny valley.

You scroll through friends’ & family’s social media & hardly recognize anyone.

Exaggerated features, & subjective “ideal” appearances were meant for artists, not for everyday life. The realtor painted on the bus stop bench doesn’t need to look like a Disney Princess to sell condos.


I think it’s hard to look inward consistently, value what’s in there, with all this constant external noise.

(I’ll stop rambling, now)

 

[Totenkindly]

Personally, I remove everything from the neck-down out of personal comfort. I have stupidly coarse body hair that itches even when it’s well past being stubble. It’s also like, this physical barrier in more intimate places where more direct contact is preferable/enhances the experience, for me.

That said, society’s expectations of female hair can go suck a lemon. As long as you’re clean, who the hell cares?
My best friend has full pit hair, full everything. I see nothing wrong with that. She is comfortable & happy. Men she’s dated didn’t care. The worthwhile ones, at least.

Totally agree. I am the same way about my body hair and in fact removing said hair was one of the ways I dealt with my body-related emotional trauma before I could transition. It always personally made me feel dirty/gross; having it thin out once on HRT was a huge relief to me.

But everyone is different and everyone can decide for themselves what they are happy with. Nowadays (since it's thinned way out) I don't notice the hair much normally when it's there, and when I do, sometimes I'm too tired to deal with it or I need to buy new razors. Like, whatever. It has become a non-issue nowadays in general.

I've also started going with shorter hair. I doubt I'll ever have short-short hair because I just like the feel of it around my neck, but if I was able to do it, I'd probably be playing around with partial undercuts to experiment. It's funny how culture has tried to parse someone's morality/ethics from how they look. I remember when growing up how you were viewed as a reprobate if you had tattoos or piercings and I'm glad to see a huge shift away from that nowadays.

Anyway, the more that people can make those decisions for themselves how they can express themselves in appearance (body, clothing, and whatever else), the better. it all seems really dumb in the Long View of things, considering all the larger stuff an individual might need to deal with in the course of living. All the "illusions" that are projected on people through media are just crazy, to the degree people don't know what is a reasonable appearance or how bodies naturally function. People can of course do what they want to look how they want, but it sucks when it's expected or people are treated as deficient in some way for not conforming.

 

[Luminous]

Having to question whether I have covid, food poisoning, or my period.

Also "crime scene" periods.

 

[Totenkindly]

Yeah, but both of these pretty much fall under "almost nobody does this". I feel like being a horse girl would pretty much be in similar level of privilege as model trains if not higher.

I don't really understand what you're saying.

A lot of girls when I was growing up gushed over horses. It doesn't mean they owned them. They would still talk about them, sometimes they were really into fantasy stories due to the use of horses in such things and how often the horses were magical. Once I came in first in a contest and I wanted to pick the framed picture of horses as my prize, but I knew another girl wanted it badly and I let her pick first so i ended up not getting the horse picture.

I remember my daughter also being into horses when she was growing up. We of course did not own horses nor a farm.

I don't recall boys my age at the time really having this same intensity of interest.

I didn't really hear much about model trains from boys, although when there was an outlet, it would come up. (My grandfather was an avid model train collector, and I had a neighbor -- an older retired man -- who would build elaborate train sets and countrysides.) When I ran across modeling, it typically was boys who were really into building plastic models of ships and boats and other mechanical-related models.

Whatever.

 

[The Cat]

I don't really understand what you're saying.

A lot of girls when I was growing up gushed over horses. It doesn't mean they owned them. They would still talk about them, sometimes they were really into fantasy stories due to the use of horses in such things and how often the horses were magical. Once I came in first in a contest and I wanted to pick the framed picture of horses as my prize, but I knew another girl wanted it badly and I let her pick first so i ended up not getting the horse picture.

I remember my daughter also being into horses when she was growing up. We of course did not own horses nor a farm.

I don't recall boys my age at the time really having this same intensity of interest.

I didn't really hear much about model trains from boys, although when there was an outlet, it would come up. (My grandfather was an avid model train collector, and I had a neighbor -- an older retired man -- who would build elaborate train sets and countrysides.) When I ran across modeling, it typically was boys who were really into building plastic models of ships and boats and other mechanical-related models.

Whatever.

Like Tina I too loved horses, I thought it was fairly common also


"Oh no my porcelain horse, horselain" is one of the funniest lines to me and idky.