26
2012Role Modeling
At least in terms of my physical sex, I know I am not female. No one has to tell me that. I am clearly – and will forever be – male. (There are those who will argue that no matter the hormones or surgery, a person cannot change their sex – but that is a discussion for another day, and an issue of concern more for transsexuals than people like me.)
Gender is different than sex. Sex refers to biological differences. i.e., chromosomes, hormonal profiles, internal and external sex organs. Gender describes the characteristics that a society or culture delineates as masculine or feminine. (This description comes from Monash University in Australia, but the concept is the same on a hundred other sites.)
My gender is often feminine. I am happy to be treated as a woman, and behave in line with society’s expectations on women, and I am a person fortunate enough to have the natural gifts to enable me to do so.
Is my spirit female? I don’t know. Is there even such a thing? Ditto.
Am I pretending or acting? Not really – I mean to the extent I am not used to being feminine and during the time it takes me to learn, some things are put on. But what is not put on or fake are my feelings and the desire to be feminine and to be treated as female.
I am, in no way, impersonating a woman.
I am, however, emulating women I look up to as I would a male role model in my male life, guiding my appearance and behavior into ones that align with my self-image, or perhaps that align with the way that makes me feel the best about myself and will position me socially in society where I wish to be.
It just so happens that what I want to be is generally aligned with the female gender rather than the male.
Shannon Townes
Janie, you line up oh so well too. If you were a car, you’d be in perfect alignment….no adjustments necessary.
I’d say you are, indeed, a role model for quite a few of us.
Thanks!
Janie
Aw, Shannon, you say the sweetest things 🙂
Shannon Townes
Only if it’s true. 🙂
Klyde
Emulating women I like that . You emulate them wel.
Ashley
Emulating a woman, here, is a tad incorrect. Janie IS emulating a female woman. She is now a male woman. But a woman nontheless.
Janie
I’m afraid you’ve lost me Ashley. How does your distinction make my saying I am emulating women incorrect? And, even more curious, where does this distinction, if there is one, take us?
Ashley
You can’t emulate what you ARE. You’e a woman now. (At least more woman than man). True you are still male, but you are not really a MAN anymore. Which is neither good not bad, by the way.
There is a separation between physical sex (male, female), Gender (Man, Woman) and personality characteristics (masculine, feminine) . So in this sense you are a male feminine woman. You prefer to present as a woman, you act feminine and you are male sexed.
So you’r enot emulating a woman. You’re emulating a female woman.
Janie
Ah, now I understand, and am able to respond.
My feeling is that, a woman can indeed emulate another woman. Style, grace, poise, graciousness, how she handles herself in many situations… I am sure I have much to learn from observing women living their lives. And just as I used to emulate my favorite hockey players and learn their skills when I was a young man, so too can I emulate women who show me skills I would like to acquire.
Vanlevy
Though I can not physically and mentally emulate a woman, it is magnificently interesting and alive world. I can visit it mentally. I enjoy the grace, the gentleness, the creative art of it. I know of it downsides, the emotional demands, physical demands, the unkind cuts, and the misleading goal of perfection. But despite that it is a world I relish and envy.