Ok so I did one of those lame FB 'what would you look like as a member of the opposite sex' things. It was actually scarily accurate as a younger version of my dad stared back at me.
I looked a bit too deeply into 'male me's eyes and started thinking about how my life would have been very different had I been born male.
1.) I looked more attractive as a male but would that have made me act like a twat? Supposing that I was straight, Would I have acted honourably if a woman said she wasn't interested? Would I use the term 'friend zone' to describe a woman who I didn't value for her intellect and personality alone? Would I have settled down at 18 like I did or think that was too early? Is this attitude promoted more if you're male?
2.) I definitely feel that being raised by a single mum would have affected me more as a boy. She was extremely naive about men and I don't know if she would have been good with wet dreams! Would I have found it easier or harder when my stepdad came along? Would he have felt threatened?
3.) I'm half Chilean. As a woman I feel no negative reaction to this. Male me with a beard would be viewed with suspicion. I doubt I would get through airport security as easily. Would people view me as a threat? My dad is always getting asked if he is from the Middle East and gets called 'paki' over here. How would a lifetime of that impact on me? Hard if you don't have any link to your culture to rant to, all my family over here are white British.
4.) How would I have coped with being a dad? Different experience to motherhood. I think I'd struggle with all the responsibilities, working all day and then getting told that I don't contribute enough. Also no dads at toddler groups.
5.) Would I have been more successful. I'm a receptionist. Would I have done more after uni to get into my chosen field rather than going into the first job that came along so I could move into my own flat with my boyfriend.
How do you think your life would have been different if you'd been born a man/woman?