ArOnIL

What actually constitutes being masculine and being feminine?

Masculinity (taken from www.dictionaary.com)
The quality or condition of being masculine.

From what we have been brought up to know masculinity is anything but weak and girly. It has to be seen as strong, macho, full of testosterone, hard in character...or and moving further...the deep voice, with the buff bod must be the one wearing the pants, will always have it his way, stubborn, and somehow right in the end during some odd situations.

Feminity
Womanliness

What feminity? We have been made to understand, as the feminine, refined, loveable, delicate, tender, soft-spoken, sweet, gentle, caring and understanding....or... the thing in the skirt, which is always whinning away bout something being messy or dirty, and always have to be right....I'm strecthing it. But this is how masculinity and feminity has been viewed in society.

Back in maybe the late 1800s and early 1900s, when a women doesn't have her rights, she will fight for it and will then be considered macho or rough. For a guy it is perfectly normal and even more so that he should do it. These days, females are allowed to voice out their opinion and what matters to them. However, males have always been and always will be scrutinized for being lack of a man if they ever let anyone else put them down, even more so if it happens to be a woman.

Take for example, a girlfriend and boyfriend. The boy is being bugged or bullied by friends and girl stands up for him. Or say if the boy is teased by others and the girl steps in to stop it. For some it does seem heroic that the girl comes in. But for others, that might view the boy as a weakling, the one who is not dominant in the relationship. This in the ends results in further teasing by others. Oh the horror!

Or take a married couple for example. Husband goes out with friends or even office mates. Wife suddenly calls and tells him to bring home something immediately. Husband loyally and obediantly obeys and leaves company he is with to do wife's bidding. If a husband is always dominated by the wife, other men will not take him seriously. I think it is a known fact that male figures when they are overthrowned by the female figure, there seems to be an imbalance if not maybe just a funny feeling that somethins is just off.

Would one say, a male that doesn't show his masculine side, to be more feminine or to be lack of masculine?

To guys what is your view on this? Take the first example of the boyfriend and girlfriend. Would you mind if say your girlfriend did stand up for you? Or it is ok with some rules set down? Or you would not have it at all, as it will make you look as if you are less of a man?

Basically, question to all.. does it just seem a little bit "weird" if a guy is not in control? I know we are in the 21st century and yada yada, but to me, it just doesn't fit in the natural law if guys are not the one in control of..a situation, a relationship..whatever...Girls it is ok, we stil have our independence. Besides as they say, the head may be the man, but there is always one woman who is the backbone. ^_^