What it is like to be a Woman

"If you want to know what it is like to be a woman, ask one."

This notion is almost amusing to me. Many assume that women are what gender roles describe them to be. This is to say that, typically, women are emotional, irrational, motherly and sexually reserved. This "outline" of women is a social construct; not every women fits those terms. Some women may fit none of those terms. In today's society it means many different things to be a woman. Even though the fight for women's equality is not done it is certainly at a different place than before. Now, women do not have to fit those certain roles or behaviors. Now, women do not have to be sexually reserved or motherly. Some women choose to have no motherly responses and others choose to expound upon their sexuality.

To know what it is like to be a woman cannot be determined by society, it is determined by women themselves. So I agree that if you want to know what it is like to be a woman, you should ask one, instead of assume the truth of a gender role that is far too dated.

Emotions and Gender

 Is one gender inherently more irrational and or emotional than another?

 When discussing the sexes it often comes up that one gender is more irrational than the other, and that irrationality usually comes from one gender portraying emotions more openly than the other. Typically this more irrational gender is women. However, is it fair to say that women are inherently more irrational than men or any other gender? It is known that women are more likely to cry when they are upset or if they are angry. This emotional reaction may be due to brain chemistry or how the emotion is handled. However, the fact that crying or showing emotions is something women are known to do, or that it is known as a feminine trait, is something constructed by societal gender roles. In this society, it is okay if women cry; however, if men show emotions or cry openly they are not seen as emotional - they are seen as effeminate. Whether the emotional reaction has to do with their brain chemistry or not is often left out or not regarded. This theory is skewed because it is very obvious that emotions and gender are not linked in the sense that one controls the other.

So is one gender more irrational or emotional than the other? Perhaps the reasons behind the emotions are due to the different combinations of  brain chemistry. However, much of the belief  regarding irrationality and emotions is constructed by society as a way to demand compliance with gender roles. I do not believe that one gender is more irrational or emotional than the other - I believe that is a societal perception of the genders.