traditional gender stereotypes

now that i am perceived male just about 100% of the time i'd say that i have to deal with traditional gender stereotypes more and more now. i am expected to act a certain way because i am male, i am expected to say certain things because i am male, i am expected to look a certain way because i am male...the list is endless! and while i thoroughly enjoy being perceived as male finally, i do not enjoy being once again shoved into another box.

why can't men just be who we are? if we like to talk about our feelings, or dress nicely, or don't prove our amazing strength we're called wussies, gays, or metrosexuals. why can't a guy who CAN talk about his feelings simply be A GUY? what is our society telling us? why are so many men perceived this way? why do so many men have to hide their sensitive and emotional sides and act "rough and tough"? think about what a lifetime of hiding your feelings would do to you...

personally i say fuck the traditional gender stereotypes. i say be who you are and be proud of it. sure, you'll get shit for it - but i'd rather get shit for being myself than being a fake my whole life. stand up to those people who give you shit and challenge their ideas of gender stereotypes. i've been challenging the people i work with all year and while i can't say that i've definitely gotten through to them, i can say i've made them stop in their path once or twice and think.

and really WHO is to say that you need to possess certain characteristics, or certain actions or roles? WHO? WHO are you allowing to dictate your words, your actions...? think real hard about this one. i hope in time more people will be able to realize that who we are is a matter of our person, our character, and not our sex or gender. so take a step outside the box for a minute, take a long look around, and take some time to think about yourself, your actions, the roles you prescribe to, what you say before you attribute them to something like your sex.

peace.