Being a man I can only directly perceive female advantages in terms of male disadvantages to which they are not subject.
My biggest frustration about being a man is that society places many old-fashioned expectations on males. Females are exempt from these specific conventions, although I know they have their own to deal with.
Men are expected to be aggressive and dominant, even violent. When somebody insults you, those around you expect you to strike back, rather than let it go... because "only a p*ssy would take ♥♥♥♥♥ from people"
Alpha male behavior is rewarded with admiration from peers and, unfortunately, attention from many females.
We're expected to hide our sensitivity and emotions.
We're expected to be able to deal with everything ourselves without seeking help.
We're expected (particularly among young males) to refer to women offhandedly as bitches and sluts, and to speak about sex overtly and boastfully. There is an odd convention of speaking about women with a vague disdain, as if they have (or should have) zero power over a man.
Young men are expected to have sexual relationships with as many women as possible, to 'get laid' regularly, and if they don't do this, they are expected to lie about it as opposed to being dismissed as a beta male.
It is, of course up to each of us to transcend these archaic pressures, but at this point in time, our culture is still aligned with these ideals. When a man rejects these conventions, his manhood is often explicitly questioned by his peers.
In other words, men are still rewarded socially for behaving like cavemen. It is a real struggle to reject all of this when we are still subject to incredibly strong caveman instincts and the social structure that results from them.
|