Stereotypically Masculine Special Interests

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I used to work in high-energy nuclear physics :-p. Male domination was one of the contributors to me changing fields . I wanted to be in a field with less as*holes and more people I could relate to.

I do a degree in astronomy because it's one of my interests; the class is about 75% male

I'm studying mechanical engineering right now...

its about 90% guys in my class (one class has 120 students and 5 girls including me XD)

But it doesn't bother me at all *shrug* noone gives me s**t about it, and I never notice... its sorta natural (but interesting, so I tend to count classes to see what the percentage is... industrial engineering had a lot of girls (in comparison), civil a good portion, but mechanical doesn't have quite so many)

I'm also very competitive -- a lot of guys don't expect it... but regardless if they're competing or not, I secretly have to compete with just about everyone. I have to walk faster than everyone else, I have to get better grades, do the homework faster, and get happy whenever I complete it (and irritated when I "lose")

But I also like a lot of shows, books, comics that guys tend to prefer, and prefer hanging out with guys more because I can relate with them more. (I also REALLY enjoy driving, and am determined to get my pilots license, which is also a stereotypically male profession... particularly in that I'm highly interested in the stunt flying the most... it'd be SO MUCH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUN can't wait!! !! !! !! !! !! ! *rubs hands with glee* one day... one day and I'll have my own plane... or build my own plane even! *grins*)

The vast majority if my interests are more popular among men than with women.

Funny you should mention "insistently chivalrous men" because this has generally been more of a "problem" than disrespectful sexism.

I don't have a problem with men who want to be chivalrous unless they expect more than civility and respect in return.

I do have a problem with men who expect me to refrain from intellectual hardball.

Another problem I have encountered is that when it's known that I am a woman, the accuracy of the knowledge I share tends to be received with far more skepticism and there tends to be far more of a tendency for men to comment and nitpick it, while other, far less accurate comments made by those known to be men, were generally ignored.

This was on a subject I had actually had extensive formal training on and had been at the top of my class in, and those commenting were simply hobbyists.

I do not intend to sound like I am blaming men alone for such mentalities, as this is not a male specific issue. Rather, I believe it is a tendency in our society for both men and women to doubt the intellect of women more, and I believe this is usually done subconsciously, though I think this problem is slowly fading from society, as I have always been well received by classsmates and professors in a very male dominated field.

I hate to admit it, but sometimes women make me hate my own gender.

Anybody ever read The Handmaid's Tale? It made me hissing, spitting mad and sparked a lifelong loathing for the author, Margaret Atwood (well, her writing anyway). I was offended that she saw women as so weak that they would allow themselves to be completely subjugated by men. Disgusting!

I've read it. I thought it was very good, but I do see your point about how passive the women seemed to be. If I think back, I was probably quite irritated at the Handmaid's tale too when I first read it ("why didn't she just run away? Why wasn't there a greater protest??).

The thing is, I can see how it could happen; legally take away one's ability to own money or land, and you are pretty much reduced to being reliant on other people.

When Virginia Woolf wrote 'A Room of One's Own', she wrote in "order for a woman to write fiction she must have two things, certainly: a room of her own (with key and lock) and enough money to support herself". She was referring to herself and her writing, but it's equally true for any other profession. At the time, there were places women couldn't enter, and even if legally they had some rights, without money or a place to live of their own, they would always be dependant on men.

I think Margaret Attwood was approaching the idea from the other way; what happens to women (or for that matter, any group) when you take these things away? She may not have got it completely right, but personally I felt it quite realistic.

I don't know if there's a moral intended for the story, but to me, she seems to be saying; 'don't let your guard down'. Women may have equal rights now, or near to equal, but we shouldn't get complacent and ignore political shifts that suggest things are going backwards. I think something like that happened in Iran a couple of decades ago; it was a fairly moderate Muslim country and women were educated and were not forced to wear head coverings etc., up until a new political party took over and it became very conservative. I don't know if it still is today.

As I said though, I do see how her main characters can be irritating. I've read most of her books, and I can't remember a single one that has a traditionally happy ending, or a character that you didn't feel like shaking (her men are equally wimpish)

I like hiking, fishing, archery, and mountain biking. My phy ed. class does activities like those and it's mostly male. I'm one of the only 6 girls in my class.

I had a pretty intense interest in motorcycles there for a while. I actually have a dual-sport bike + a motorcycle license, but I've only ridden it off road. I loove American muscle cars, but I don't call it a special interest because I just don't know enough about them. I'm getting interested in Physics, but I don't know a lot about that either just yet.

I love martial arts. When I was a kid I loved loved loved robots. And I used to really be into archery and architecture/drafting as a teenager. And later I was into computer networking. I enjoyed working in the company of men. I didn't have to think about whether or not so and so got a birthday card or how I was going to get out of some stupid baby shower. I work with women now and my goodness, it's very different. I've actually considered getting myself back in a male dominated environment just for the more relaxed social experience.

Physics
Kung fu,
Tonka trucks,
Physics,
Vampires,
Werewolves,
Physics.


Mics.

Traditionally raised male here. The only ways I know of to deal with gender stereotypes from men in regards to your chosen activities are either: Being good/knowledgeable/better at said activity than them, or to ignore them and sincerely participate. I played the flute for 7 years, a traditionally 'chick instrument' as I was told, and the ridicule never subsided.
Men are stubborn creatures, good luck ladies!

I've always liked science.
Currently I like osteology, physiology, forensic pathology/anthropology, disorders (birth defects, diseases, mental illnesses), and gore (I have a pretty massive collection of photos of dead people on my computer lol).

So yeah, I've been called a man in a woman's body many times :\

Let's see: Cars, Dinosaurs, Volcanoes, Computers, Technology, Video Games, and Anime. Do they count?

I was a drummer, a band director and eventually a systems programmer, all guy things. I also love to fix things around the house. BTW, I used to live in Cary and Raleigh. My experience is that the better you are at what you do, the harder it is to deal with males. It is particularly difficult when you are an aspie and do not read others very well. Hard to tell you to let it roll off your back, but I did find that if they did not think that the way they treated me had any effect on me, they would finally stop.

Good luck in the deep south!

When I was in high school, the magazines like Seventeen and whatever else was out there in the mid-80's made me want to vomit; thanks to my Dad, I got more into science fiction (Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein) and "Star Wars" / "Star Trek" than the girly-girl stuff (much to both my parents' regret!).

I have a deep interest in hockey, motorcycles, archery and hot-air ballooning - I wish I could afford to actually be involved in the above! Being poor and broke sucks!! !!

Anyway, if given an option to see a movie I would pick something like "Iron Man" "Batman", the upcoming "Jonah Hex" over a movie like "The Blind Side" or "Killers" or something else considered to be a "chick flick".

"Dick flick" - damn, wish I'd thought of that!! !