Women - what do we have in common with each other?

I think “woman” is a biological term and describes your sex. That biology drives your experience of all areas of your life, just as other things do. Nobody chooses their biology.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MtF/comments/136x4hb/at_30_out_as_trans_im_finally_doing_all_the/

No, no, OP. It's the clothes that maketh the woman. Long nails, fishnets, mini skirts, etc.

I think we're all supposed to "feel like a woman" or something. As I'm not sure what this sensation is, I wonder if head tilting might help?

Even this, though I am not saying it is not common, is not universal. I have been lucky never to have much of any of those three things though I have friends who have.

My only sterotypical experience is, I think, the mother in law issue! No-one good enough for her son, etc. I have wondered if gay men also have this or if they assume any coolness is homophobia.

One thing that I think gets forgotten or glossed over is that although men and women may have some common experiences these things don't happen in the same environment for men as for women. Take for example, dying your hair. Both men and women can and do dye their hair but the environment in which a man chooses not to dye his hair is not the same environment in which a woman chooses not to dye her hair due to societal pressures and expectations placed on men and women differently.

In terms of biology within this discussion it is often noted that not all women menstruate (for instance) and therefore since menstruation is not a universal experience of being a woman then a man can also be a woman. But this ignores the fact that men and women's experiences of not menstruating are not the same. A woman who isn't menstruating may have reached menopause, may be using hormonal contraceptives, may be breastfeeding or pregnant, have a hormonal imbalance, be underweight, stressed, exercising excessively, etc, etc. None of these reasons apply to men. A man does not menstruate purely and simply because he is male. This reason cannot apply to a woman who is not menstruating.

I would say that these things, menstruation, pregnancy, birth, lactation, these are universal female experiences even if we don't go through them ourselves because we relate to them from a woman's perspective.

Other than being biologically woman I can't think of anything.

I'm sure some of our opposing view posters will be along at some point to answer the question with the answer we've all missed.🤔😁

Biology is the key one.

How the rest of the world treats us as a result of having that biology is a more variable one (particularly between different cultures and time periods) but with extremely large areas of commonality. Varying more in degree than in underlying principles and attitudes. But that still - fundamentally - rests on the shared biology.

How can you identify as a member of another group* when that group's ONLY defining characteristic is something you can never share*?

Nicely put. You are right, of course.

you are right and not wrong - I think that there are experiences which are so close to universal that they are likely to resonate with other women but nothing that is a defining characteristic that every woman would share or feel the same way about.

ime high on the list of close to universal experiences
1)mansplaining
2)a man making the fact that he's attracted to you your problem to manage rather than his
3)having it taken for granted that you will be happy to serve as an emotional support human