by Tracy Lewis

Created on: March 08, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

Perhaps it is hard for a man to understand a woman moreso because of the 'role' in society that males are expected to portray - rather than a male's 'different physiology,' 'tendencies,' and 'brain-wiring.'

If men are 'work-oriented,' 'masculine,' 'tough,' 'more logical,' and are following other typically 'male' characteristics - it is only NATURAL that they differ and misunderstand 'female' tendencies and characteristics ('home-oriented,'feminine,' 'soft,' 'emotional'). Their perspective is bound to be much different, as they live in separate realms governed by what they think 'being a man' entails. But are women and men really so different?

Only when they follow or there is a demand (and, there IS a demand for this in North America) that they follow the prescriptives expected from the societies they live in.

Those prescriptives virtually command that men and woman STAY DIFFERENT, misunderstand each other and understand the world through a different perspective.

For example, a man reared in a typically North American society - where the prescriptives are "do not cry," "act (masculine) like a man," "take charge," "be a leader," "be the head of the household," and other such things - can only take on certain perspectives or else a whole TON of concepts, behaviors and perceptions are 'out of order.' It is easier to follow orders and conform to societal standards than to change all of the elements involved in the prescriptive to fit the individual. If things are out of order for the male, he then receives labels that are embarrassing ('emotional,' 'feminine,''woose,''faggot,''wimp,'etc) until it is more COMFORTABLE for him to conform back to society's standard.

Typically, anything much out of the ordinary for a male is labelled as a "woman's" trait - one of the WORST classifications for a North American male to endure.

A similar effect occurs for women if they ease out of their 'typically female' classifications to exhibit traits that society considers 'masculine,' although society, since the year 2000, has been slightly more forgiving of women who enter male roles than of males who take on female roles or tasks. Women can enter into the work force quite easily and without too much negative feedback - in roles that, 20 or 30 years ago were considered 'male-only.'

The 'separate' labels and 'conditions' applied to male tasks, male roles, male responsibilities, manly careers, and male tendencies versus female tasks, roles, responsibilities, careers and tendencies, all serve

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