Cis dude here - I don't get it either. I've never read a definition of maleness or masculinity that wasn't total bullshit and that I don't reject outright. Not only do I think there is no such thing as "male/female qualities", I think efforts to define them are retrograde.
However, whether the feeling of being male is definable or not, it sounds like the ineffable feeling of a particular gender is strong enough in some people to cause immense distress. While I've accepted that I'll probably never understand what that feels like I fully support anyone who is working to resolve that distress.
I feel like this is the right answer. Honestly I spent half my life trying to be masculine in some way, and all the extra work was me trying to be accepted by my dad and other male figures. Now I'm at the point of having zero respect for their version of masculinity, and it's so liberating to just be me.
Dunno if there's some male figures that are denying you acceptance, but give it a thought. I feel like it's very common.
Cis dude here - I don't get it either. I've never read a definition of maleness or masculinity that wasn't total bullshit and that I don't reject outright. Not only do I think there is no such thing as "male/female qualities", I think efforts to define them are retrograde.
However, whether the feeling of being male is definable or not, it sounds like the ineffable feeling of a particular gender is strong enough in some people to cause immense distress. While I've accepted that I'll probably never understand what that feels like I fully support anyone who is working to resolve that distress.
I feel like this is the right answer. Honestly I spent half my life trying to be masculine in some way, and all the extra work was me trying to be accepted by my dad and other male figures. Now I'm at the point of having zero respect for their version of masculinity, and it's so liberating to just be me.
Dunno if there's some male figures that are denying you acceptance, but give it a thought. I feel like it's very common.