Gender privilege

There's been an idea rumbling around in my noggin about privilege...specifically female privilege. I know, I am totally at one with those who talk about male privilege and how it eases their way in the world. How they never even question what it's like for females because they have been handed everything on a platter.

However for some time I've been exploring gender, and having two sons, I've come up against what I would like to call female privilege.

By that I mean the permission to be emotional, and submissive. The permission to be decorative, to wear soft, pretty and colourful things.
I know there is a tendency for boys to like risky rough play, to be tough and to take charge, and that is to be applauded. But these days girls can do these things too. But ask boys to wear a dress, admire a flower, or even wear pink, and they start to shuffle on the spot. It makes them uncomfortable because they've been told to stay on their side of the gender fence. 

Women were encouraged to scale the wall and make an assault on male territory because it was seen as something to be desired. However males who start out enjoying their mum's soft and sparkly fabric, or playing with nail polish will soon have that bullied out of them, because women and women's territory is seen as lesser.

I think it's time to stand up to this. Be proud to be a woman, and be proud to allow males the privilege of walking on our soil. Support their softer side and allow them the privilege we have of being vulnerable, and decorative. Give them the amazing opportunity of walking on both sides of the fence, and allow them to expand into well rounded people. (Not necessarily literally :-)