Gender Tendencies

Let me be honest with you, I grew up a huge tomboy. My elementary school recesses were always spent with the boys playing kickball, running races, and all around just being rough. In middle school I wore basketball shorts to school many days. I loved sports and played as many as I could as often as possible. I never wore (and still hardly ever wear) makeup. I wore dresses occasionally when needed at school and to go to church. (Although, I finally got used to dresses while serving a mission for my church, wearing one almost every day for 18 months.) I finally flipped a switch during my high school years, tapping ever so slightly into my feminine side and making the smallest changes where I felt the desire, typically with my wardrobe.

Why exactly I grew up like this I’m not all too sure. It was always just what felt right and comfortable to me. Although, that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t hard at times. There were moments when I was made fun of, and times when I was excluded because I wasn’t “girly” enough. I remember multiple occasions when I was asked to try something new, to straighten my hair, to put on some makeup, to wear some earrings, etc. These instances saddened me as I questioned why it wasn’t enough for me to just be… me. Why was there such a high standard of “girliness,” and why did I have to reach it?

If you’re wondering how this story ends, let me just tell you that it has yet to be published. I still experience some of the criticisms that I received before, but I continue to be myself through it all and know/love my role as a daughter of God. I learned to find balance, and for now that’s good enough for me!

Now, you’re probably questioning where this is going or why I chose to tell you all that. Well, it’s because this week in class we focused entirely on conversations about gender. We dove into both the biological and cultural aspects of gender and some of the research that has been done about it, as well as some of the tendencies that are *generally* seen in females and males. Here are some of the tendencies that we discussed as a class:

Female:

1. Facial Focus- Females tend to focus a lot on eye contact and facial features, being noticed even among newborns as they look at the faces of those who are holding them.

2. Relationship Awareness- This can be explained through an example of when women are asked for directions. Generally, the woman gives them by explaining the desired location based on its relationship with other places and/or things. For example, “Oh, Walmart? It’s across the street from the Maverick that’s on the opposite corner from the library.” (This is not to say that this is the case with all women, and it’s just a quick example. But we noticed that it was a common tendency.)

3. Expression and Emotion

4. Nurturing

Male:

1. Competitive- Many things are action oriented and there is a strong desire to always win.

2. Stronger startle response- This was noted even in infants, when they were poked in the stomach, they generally had a quick reaction.

3. Spatial awareness- It appears as if men are generally in tune with their cardinal directions and can direct and lead themselves and others to where they need to go even if at times, they don’t know much about their destination to begin with.

4. Provide, Preside, and Protect

Now, these were just some of the tendencies that we thought of as a class. This does not mean that these are all the tendencies that exist, nor does it mean that it will apply to every male and female. (Take it from my experience growing up! I may not have fit into the normal tendencies of many women, but that doesn’t change that fact that I am one and know/love my role and purpose in this life and God’s plan.) I just found this very interesting. I strongly believe that these tendencies correlate to our divine role as sons and daughters of God and the plan and purpose that he has set for us.

What other tendencies have you noticed of men and women? Do you possibly fall outside of the “norm” as well? As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to drop a comment! Stay safe this week and…

Stay Golden!