Boys to Girls

Propaganda Anonymous

I'm cool with the chillin out of energy from both sexes that may be expressed in destructive ways.Both sexes have ways that they hinder the growth and expression of the other.

I see a difference between Mature use of energy and Immature use.There are tons of little boys out there disguising themselves as full grown men. There are lots of them. I see that shit as destructive.

There are also lots of little girls out there throwing hissy fits left and right and messing with others.

Then there are those how have earned the title of being some grown-ups, in the coolest sense of the word.

People who take responsibility for their actions and treat others respect.

And when they make mistakes they own up to it.Some real partnership people down to build something cool.

  I think we all struggle on the daily to fully integrate the immature energies and express them in mature ways. But I think that's where nobility comes from. The striving to live more like a Man and Woman.  

My thoughts, anyway.

Propaganda Anonymous

Sounds cool to me Amy, for the most part.

What I'm saying is that there isn't really that muchintegrated male 'energy' out there.

I am alluding to a very interesting book titled,'King, Warrior, Magician, Lover' written from a Jungian perspective, which makes the argument that are many grown adults, who identify with the gender role of a male, that are still acting from a boy state.

They have not yet integrated certain energies within theirpsyche, and in so doing act out a false representation of manhood. The Lover within the this psychological model is very sensitive and has little ego defense as well as being receptive.

Personally, I don't define the state of being emotionally numb as particularly 'male' I think that it isn't gender specific. I see it as a result of a trauma.Which can be inflicted from a number of sources.

My personal thoughts are that there has been a great rift between the genders, and each have sought revenge uponone another in different ways. Some but not all men have been able to coerce some but not allwomen, throughout history, with the threat of physical force.Some but not all women have then sought to achieve goalsthrough passive aggressive means. Emotional manipulation.

All the men and women in the above scenerio, according to the authors of the stated book have not fully become MEN and WOMEN.And until that happens many messed up things will more than likely occur.

Propaganda Anonymous

I've never really heard of gender identification as pathological. Do you mean identifying with a gender is a pathology, or too much gender identification is pathological?

I dig the musical simile, I'm with it. Breaking it down to the riddim science.

The studying of gender roles seems like pretty fascinating stuff.Recently, I have been thinking about this stuff within the culture of Hip-Hop.

Someone recommended this movie 'Beyond Beats and Rhymes' which is a very cool documentary assessing the idea of 'Manhood' within most of Hip-Hop culture.

Such a great idea. And it was very well donel. It can be seen for free on Google Video.

Propaganda Anonymous

Right On Amy. Diggin the clarification.I couldn't agree more.

Hypermasculinity gets old real fast. When one's gender role gets in the way of fully expressing oneself as an individual then I think that is very sad.And that happens a lot with guys.

And that goes across the board no matter what ethnicity or class.Though I see different representations of thiswithin specific class structures and ethnic clusters.

I've been heavily involved within A (I won't say 'THE' because there are so many nodes within this culture, like other great cultures)Hip-Hop scene for many years, and it is something I have seenrepeated lots over and over, Hypermasculinity I mean.I find it boring and annoying.

I mention the documentary "Beyond Beats and Rhymes" againbecause this is the first movie I have seen challenging the hyper-masculine pathology, as you call it, within Hip-Hop.

And it also branches out to a great critique of this stuff going on in our culture as well.

There are also Senators with the same view point. One does not need to be on Jerry Springer to fall for that trap.

But straight up Masculinity I think is fun. Just being a dude.A man who is cool with the feminine and constantly working on deepening one's relationship with her. That I Love. And I see that represented within some pockets of Hip-Hop. And I go there every Monday night.

I have also noticed amongst some guys, a rejection of Masculinity. A complete throw the baby out with the bath water type thing.I consider this a bit unnerving, at times. Straight guys downing themselves for being male. I don't see that as the answer.I do not have bunches of experience with many of these guys, just because the scenes I usually hang out in doesn't represent many in droves. But my criticism doesn't run too deep at men who may carry themselves this way. 

As long as cats have looked upon themselves and questioned why they behave the way they have been programmed is way cooler than living the unexamined life. 

On the real, I see so many different types of male the more I look at it. I got friends who are 'dudes' who are into busting chops and smacking each other in the face every so often, just to be jack asses. And usually it's just fun light hearted stuff.

I have friends who will have nothing to do with any type of sparring and that's understood.

Homophobes are annoying as well as the homosexual who knows you are not gay but will still try to flirt. 

Guys who say gross sexist shit in a bar while there is a woman around angers me. The next question would be, "What about if she is not there?"

And I admit, at times I let many things slide when it comes to sexist comments. Because I am working through many things myself.I won't pretend to be Mr. Enlightened upon all things discussed on these boards.But I'll be straight up about it all.

That being said, I have come to the defense of women on more than one occasion when they were being verbally and physically assaulted in public places. That was something instilled in me somewhere along the line, and I consider that part of being a man.

 And I have also found myself within very uncomfortable situations with a long term girlfriend I had, whom I loved very deeply. And we went to some places that I hope never to go to with another lover ever again.  

  In the immortal words of Pat Benatar, "Love is a Battlefield" and I'm all for continually striving for more peace.  

 I've been thinking a lot lately about gender role stereotypes and how everyday hardly even discusses this stuff.I'm glad that we areCheers

Propaganda Anonymous

Haha. That's good.

I like the notion of being a clown in the face of hyper-masculine.I couldn't agree more. That seems like the great gift of levity. When in a very tough position put there by unfair circumstances that some hypermasculine "authority" figures tend to thrive on, nothing gains power back more than making a joke and laughing in the face of that.

I've got another recommendation, based on our conversation here Amy,the new Saul Williams album, "Niggy Tardust"Trent Reznor made the beats, and Saul Williams has always been great, IMO. I consider him a true artist, and 'Niggy Tardust' is truly ILL!

NAMASTE Amy