960: On awareness of masculinity/femininity

[maarvarq]

Why does the inclusion in the Kama Sutra of positions involving keeping one's legs crossed pique Jamie's curiosity?

[ExPostNinja]

What doesn't pique Jamie's curiosity?

[Merle]

Few things.

Side note: I don't know about Ellen, but I think we can definitely say that Max's hypothesis holds water, because damn, that shirt is a good look for Jamie.

[DestinyDK]

Few things.

Side note: I don't know about Ellen, but I think we can definitely say that Max's hypothesis holds water, because damn, that shirt is a good look for Jamie.

I agree, my boyfriend has a similar frame to Jamie and it's one of life's great tragities that he won't wear any form fitting clothes. But we still haven't seen Ellen weigh in on how Jamie looks in Max's shirt.

[ThAlEdison]

On crossing legs:
No one should really be made to cross their legs against their will. However, there's a lot of behavior that's gelled into manners that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And some of it is gendered.
There's actual anatomical differences in how easy it is for men and women to cross their legs. One thing that you can do at a gathering of friends of mixed genders is to have people try to cross their legs in a particular manner. Cross leg A over leg B, and tuck the foot of leg A behind leg B. I forget the exact proportion, but it's extremely difficult/impossible for most men, and it's relatively easy for most women. It's also harder for men to cross their legs at the ankles. It's partly why the masculine leg cross is ankle over knee at kind of right angles.

[Cerby]

Regarding perception of one's own state of being, I'd wager it has less to do with general societal gender/racial/other expectations, and is more about how your own parents drilled them into your head. I have little difficulty imagining a man from a traditionalist "men-do-this-women-do-that-there-is-no-in-between" household being a lot more aware of his own masculinity than one with a more laissez-faire education.

[Killjoy]

Regarding perception of one's own state of being, I'd wager it has less to do with general societal gender/racial/other expectations, and is more about how your own parents drilled them into your head. I have little difficulty imagining a man from a traditionalist "men-do-this-women-do-that-there-is-no-in-between" household being a lot more aware of his own masculinity than one with a more laissez-faire education.

Look at any "machismo" culture and the constant worrying, anger, and even violence over anything that might "questions one's manhood".

[lemma]

Regarding perception of one's own state of being, I'd wager it has less to do with general societal gender/racial/other expectations, and is more about how your own parents drilled them into your head. I have little difficulty imagining a man from a traditionalist "men-do-this-women-do-that-there-is-no-in-between" household being a lot more aware of his own masculinity than one with a more laissez-faire education.

Look at any "machismo" culture and the constant worrying, anger, and even violence over anything that might "questions one's manhood".

Agreed. I think there probably are differences in how gender roles are perceived but I doubt they're primarily differences of degree.

[Tailsteak]

Well, as we know, Jamie came from a household where traditionally nonmanly activities like cooking weren't stigmatized. Presumably, he would be much more aware of his own masculinity if he'd been told that men don't cry, two for flinching, etc.

[CaptainCerberus]

When I was in kindergarten, "criss-cross applesauce" was a thing taught to every kid, mostly enforced when we had to sit in a circle. (Though in that situation, cross-legged meant sitting on the floor with both knees pointed away from each other, a la meditation.) It seems pretty obviously a hyper kid thing, not a girl thing. Not anything to be freaked out by, imo.