Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Dadsnet

Speak to new fathers on our Dads forum.

Original poster

Men - tell me the downsides to being a man...

82 replies

MascaraOHara · 26/02/2007 12:19

..quite often I think it must be much easier to be a man than a woman.. except for the having to iniaite dating (generally). so tell me why I don't want to be a man?

OP posts:
DrDaddy · 26/02/2007 12:23

Are there any downsides? I hadn't noticed...

Original poster
MascaraOHara · 26/02/2007 12:24

see, my point! I want to be a man.

OP posts:
mymama · 26/02/2007 12:28
  1. Would hate not to be able to do two things at once.
  2. Would hate having to think about sex every 8 mins.
  3. "Man flu" is really really bad.
  4. Would hate having to think about sex every 8 mins.
  5. Eyesight for finding things is really really poor.
  6. Spending 20mins to poo every day would be a bore.
  7. Would hate having to think about sex every 8 mins.
DrDaddy · 26/02/2007 12:37

"Would hate having to think about sex every 8 mins.. "

  • So would I. I think you'll find it's nearer 3 mins!

"Spending 20mins to poo every day would be a bore."

  • Not when you're reading the paper.

"Would hate not to be able to do two things at once."

  • Ha! I'm typing this and drinking a cup of coffee
HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 13:37

There are NO bad points to being a man.

None.

Nada.

Zip.
Oh, actually zips are quite dangerous.

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 13:38

Think about sex every 8 mins? More like 10 seconds. And why would you hate it? It certainly helps my days pass happier.

UnquietDad · 26/02/2007 13:43

Does anyone want serious responses?

Being defined primarily by your earning capacity - that's one. Which can make it more difficult for men who are dads to work in creative/ non-macho industries.

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 13:46

Actually UQD, you've hit on something there. How about the notion that a bloke takes two years off work to look after his child and then wants to get back into work. The agencies were amazed!

Skribble · 26/02/2007 13:49

I am not a man but I think one downside is if you show any interest in working with kids either paid or as a volunteer then you are suspected of being a peodophile .

UnquietDad · 26/02/2007 13:49

Definitely still causes raised eyebrows. As every man who has ever wheeled a pushchair into a Mums' and toddlers' group will know. Think of that scene in "Cold Feet"!

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 13:52

I used to be the only dad on the nursery run, I seem to have started a trend.

DrDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:01

I guess a LOT more is expected of us as fathers than was of our own fathers' generation, i.e. work very long hours AND be a fun, attentive, dynamic, loving, caring super dad....

But I'd still rather be a man.
(Not suggesting that anyone else actually wants to become a women btw )

DrDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:01

womAn

UnquietDad · 26/02/2007 14:02

There is that bit somewhere in "High Fidelity" where the narrator compares his life to that of his dad, and talks about the pressures of being a "new man" - it seems to come down to scrubbing toilets in return for great blow-jobs. I simplify, but I'm sure people can look it up or even know it.

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:06

Well, even thought I took two years out, I still got back into the same male dominated industry. A female friend who did the same cannot get herself taken seriously at all.

And I get paid more.

Blatantly unfair. Why did the pay gap come about? Is it purely a hangover from when women entered the office?

DonnyLass · 26/02/2007 14:12

HD ... that ver issue was on front of sunday times y2d .... summat about returning muns being the most discriminated group in the uk workforce ...

DrDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:17

HD - good q. Just had to look that up. See here

nailpolish · 26/02/2007 14:19

do men really think about sex that often?

what do you think about?

is it always the same thought?

or is it about a nice arse in the queue at tesco?

please elaborate

doyouwantfrieswiththat · 26/02/2007 14:24

interesting stuff. I sometimes look at my son & wonder if his life will be easier than a daughters would be. Then I think about men being the bods traditionally called to fight for their country & I wonder.

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:31

Course it's not the same thing, that WOULD be boring.

It's that woman who just walked past, how my missus looked this morning, who's that on the telly? oh i wonder what she's like. it's not even coherent thoughts always, just a quick snapshot of a bit of action real or imagined. It's great, usually makes me smile. sweetheart.

nailpolish · 26/02/2007 14:33

women do that too

maybe not as often tho

AntEater · 26/02/2007 14:43

Having to shave is dull
Sexual thoughts are never dull!
20 mins to poo! No self employed man or women takes this long.
Being a man on MN is harder than being a women!

HappyDaddy · 26/02/2007 14:57

Being a man on MN is great fun, we just have to remember there are ladies present.

np, I'm sure but you definately don't do it as much as me!

nailpolish · 26/02/2007 15:05

i agree a mans life is better

no periods for a kick-off

if you are a man you get to call your friends and taxi drivers daft things like "chief" or affectionately "wanker" and make childish nicknames (lol)

and you dotn say hello to each other when greeting and meeting, you salute or point (hilarious)

i love that

chacha3 · 26/02/2007 15:11

i think men have a great women should make life harder for them personally!