Would you change your sex?

“The demographic most likely to be assaulted is in fact young men”

Maybe, Babcock, but maybe that is a data gap (as described in “invisible women”)

Maybe for an hour or two. It would be nice to pee standing up and be a bit taller.

No. I've spent a long time making peace with who I am as a person (in general, not my sex), and I wouldn't change that now. I am a woman, I'm happy with that.

I wouldn’t - I am happy being female.

And I know this will sound exceedingly lazy, but I got to be the stay-at-home parent, and have never gone back to work - and I like my lifestyle - a bit of domesticity, reading, doing crafts - and if I was a man, I might have to go back to work.

Yes I would switch. The main reason being that I love my job and I'd love to have a set up where I could have kids without sacrificing my career. I know loads of men with amazing jobs who get the benefit of kids without the pregnancy, breastfeeding and general expectation that they'll be the default parent. Stay at home dads are very rare and, even if you find a man who's up for that, as a woman you still have to do the pregnancy/labour bit. It really pisses me off hearing all my male friends talk about how amazing it is to have kids when their wives are at home doing all the hard work for them.

Yes

Maybe for a week or so, just to see what it was like.

I've never really not done anything I wanted to because of my sex, though, whether it was walk to the movies at night in a bad part of town, join the army, study a male dominated university subject. Being a woman was something that impacted me in various ways in some of these things, but I've never thought - gee, I can't do that.

No, I had a period as a child where I was convinced I was a boy. Other than that, I've never wanted to change my sex and I don't think my life would be better if I did. Different in some ways, but not better.

I don't think I'd want to change if I were a man, either, but that's a guess of course.

A temporary change would be interesting, to see what it was like. Though I think it would be very strange.

The vast majority of women, trained or not will freeze when attacked. The absolute best form of defence, if you are able, is RLF. And make all the noise you can.

Nope. Absolutely not.

I am proud of my shared biology, history and endeavours. I don't shave, wax, primp, preen or wear make up. I lift weights, run, hike and explore forests and mountains alone. I am strong and capable and a lot of that is determined by my biology. I fight to be a strong woman, not a strong person. I have never felt more sure that I AM a woman and you can't co-opt that role. It has implications and I am enjoying exploring the limits of them. I have no wish to transform them into an entirely different challenge.

As for carrying a weapon, check the laws in your area for what you're allowed to carry, and get some training in how to use whatever you choose. I can definitely recommend unarmed self defence training as well, and learning how to handle a walking stick or small (legal) blade or sharp spike object like an awl or even a pen. The big risk with those is an attacker taking them off you and then using them on you, so learn to use them properly and check your local laws, and learn how to disable the guy with minimal force - yes, if a creep attacks a woman he deserves everything he gets but you have to keep yourself safe and keep the right side of the law. Most martial arts and defence systems will teach minimal force (eg stabbing his upper arm when he swings a punch at you, so his arm is injured and he can't keep attacking as easily, but you haven't damaged any organs and won't be risking a manslaughter charge). Keep yourself safe first and foremost and don't get into fights if you can help it - if that means just brandishing the weapon and then running away when he steps back, yes, it looks a bit silly but it keeps you safe! Done it a few times myself, looked embarrassing but I didn't care.

Just for a day, not permanently. Just to see what it was like.
I’d like to have strong muscles. I’m trying to build mine up, but there’s only so much I can do.

I used to sometimes think that, but really, if I were on a desert island or somewhere without any men around, I probably wouldn't care. It's the cultural things imposed on the female sex that I have a problem with, not being female itself. And growing up with those cultural things, gender expectations, it makes it hard to disentangle them from your sex. I'm trying to reframe it now in my mind, and enjoying things like lifting weights and getting stronger and celebrating what my body can do - good lower body strength and low centre of gravity makes women good at wrestling and grappling (whenever I've had to defend myself against men, I've been able to trip or throw them, kick them or push their arm back when they've tried to punch me - they're better at punching but we can kick like a mule and topple their top-heavy bodies over while we keep our balance with our wide sturdy legs), and we're very good at long slow endurance trials like climbing mountains or swimming the Channel, that sort of thing. We aren't as good at high impact sudden exercise as men, but we have much stronger constitutions and can do more low impact for longer. That in itself is something to be proud of and cultivate, I think.

I think I’d probably like to change back and forth as necessary.

I like hereto men so I’d be out of luck if it was full time I also like my clitoris quite a lot. I like that even though it was hard I’m the one that grew and birthed my daughter. I like women, they’re great. I like that I’m part of that.

But yeah, the safety thing would be nice.

Not any more I wouldn't.

As a child/teenager, hell yes. Up until I hit menopause and my periods stopped my body was an absolute PITA. But I did come into my own as a mother, and even more so as an old woman .

I'm looking forwarding to outliving the men my age, and becoming a grumpy, opinionated, don't-give-a-shit old woman.

I suspect my kids would say I'm already there.

*heels

If you really mean "would you change sex", and you're not talking about gender, then hell yes!

Going to the toilet without getting half naked
No boobs bobbing up and down when you run
No periods
No high heals (not that I wear them)
Comfy underwear
No silly strappy dresses for going out
No ££ spend on makeup
Being able to lose 1 stone overnight just by declaring yourself on a diet

And that's without all the advantages of the patriarchy in the job field, household chores field, etc

Some of those “jails” are self inflicted, OP. I never wear make up, I’ve never waxed anything, I often walk on local hills or in forests alone, I don’t choose shit partners (my late DH was an absolute darling and the love of my life).
The demographic most likely to be assaulted is in fact young men. Possibly because they are out on the street in higher numbers, and alcohol may well be involved, or gang violence, but they are still more likely to be punched or beaten up than a woman.
Why not do some martial arts training such as krav maga, so you feel confident you can floor any attacker and get yourself safely away? Enjoy life as an empowered feminist woman, rather than wishing you were a bloke. Who wants a body that can’t experience multiple orgasm, will never carry a child, can’t breastfeed and will die earlier on average than a female one?!

Yes.