A question of gender: Would you rather be male or female?

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I've recently been involved in a discussion/debate with a female friend of mine on whether it is easier/harder/better/worse to be male or female. We have differing views on the matter which are somewhat contentious, so I'd like to expand this discussion to include the community at large here, towards widening perspective on the matter.

I'm particularly interested in the following angles:

What are the pluses or minuses associated with being female/male? Please differentiate between your experiences with your own gender, and perceived experiences of your opposite gender.

If you would rather be of the opposite gender or genderless, please explain why. Likewise, if you would rather stay the gender you are, please explain why.

This question is not about sexual preference/orientation; i.e. wishing to be of the opposite gender does not imply homosexuality; please consider the topic from a straight/gay/bi agnostic viewpoint.

After staring at the various forum buckets for a while, I've decided to toss this poll in the Women's Discussion forum, as I am most interested in hearing female perspectives on this question. Particularly, are there any women who like being women?

I’ll toss my own views (from my own perspective as a male) out presently, but I am disinclined to front-load the discussion with them.

Good fortune,

- Icarus swims with the sharks...

We've had this topic several (?) times before, but it does generate some interesting answers.

~Ahem~
I'm male, and really can't imagine being female. When I was a lad in school I was bullied, and on an almost daily basis threatened with being thrashed. Since I didn't weigh 90 lb. with lead weights in me pockets, I never showed up for the thrashings. Thus I was a sis. Difficult to live with at the time, but there you go. Had I been a girly, I'd probably just been thought odd, as most girlies don't thrash one another over silly comments. Although I can't imagine growing up being a girly who was too plain to attract attention.

(When my daughter and son-in-law were going through baby names for their son, they told me a girly could have any cute name, but a boy didn't need a name that'd get him beat.)

^^"A girly." Hee. I can almost hear your accent in your post, it's so lyrical.

The "do you hate men because you think they're sexist" topic in this forum has been hijacked and turned into this argument as well- might want to take a look at that.


I'll switch it up and state the positives, in my personal experience, of being female real quick:

-I happen to know I would have been beat up in junior high school if I had been male.

-I like the fact that my close friends, mostly straight males, often feel comfortable enough to confide in me about things they would otherwise never consider giving voice to. Although they (often computer science types) joke that they relate to me because I think just like a guy, I'm still associated with the caretaker role because I am female. I liked being able to do this for them: to be the "Wendy" in my group of lost boys. And it's not completely altruistic either, because it can give me a temporary insight/connection with NT human emotions I don't get to experience as an aspie. I think this has given me an opportunity to understand them that many male aspies might not get.

Though I sometimes relate better to women, I am happy to be a male. Since I'm different than other males, I've often thought I was not a male human but a male something else.

Icarus, I'm disappointed in you. This smacks of nothing but trying to prove me wrong; and it clearly indicated that you miss the point of my arguments entirely. I'm actually quite upset. This is a personal subject for me and I'm still struggling to find the words to explain it. This little stunt doesn't help; it will just serve to confuse me.

You could at least have consulted me beforehand.

I'm posting this in the forum because I'm pissed off and sick of being nice today.

I'm a female, but I'd rather be male. :O)

I think I'd rather be genderless. It seems like with either sex there are certain drawbacks.

This may come as a shock to ya'all-but if I honestly would rather be Female.

Much easier to get laid if you're female. I suppose I could be content to be either, but not genderless. Either way, my preference is to be with a woman.