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Right, sass, thanks.  I never meant to imply that men don't also feel societal pressure or discomfort to conform, in fact I think I acknowledged they do.  I just think that for women, it has an intense, personal element that's somehow tied in with our sexuality and how it's viewed in the culture as a whole.  

I don't believe most men really grow up with that, although I do know some of my gay friends have felt versions of it.  But even in that case, 'female' is the reviled 'other' -- women are often attacked for BEING sexual, whereas men are often attacked for "teh gay" -- the root of said attacks usually being that 'gay' is too female/girly and less male/manly.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Jan 31st, 2010 at 01:21:06 PM EST
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Look at how women are demonized in the media for their sexuality, in court cases where there has been rape etc.  

Look at the Kercher trial and how Amanda Knox's sexuality and 'deviancy' formed the core of all media discussion.  Was the sexuality of the men involved in this case under such intense scrutiny?

It seems that there is no escape from the scrutiny of female sexuality and it turns into horrific discussion at times.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Jan 31st, 2010 at 01:29:50 PM EST
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thankyou, ladies, for the insights and explanations. any guide at all, especially of such quality, to the psychology of how we mutually experience the gender divide is of immense value.

you guys said some really cool things too!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sun Jan 31st, 2010 at 04:40:43 PM EST
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