"Just" One of the Girls - With extra bloggy goodness.

I've had lots of female friends in my life. That's something that I'm extremely thankful for. Without it I might not be the kind, thoughtful, understanding, well-dressed man that I am today. ;) Okay, I'd like to think I'd still be all those things but I'm still thankful for those friendships and the multitude of things that I have learned from them.

Without making it seem like I have a problem with the whole endeavour, I do find one circumstance somewhat challenging. That's when I become "'Just' One of the Girls". I have to admit, I hate the term, just like I hate "'Just' friends". The "just" implies that it's somehow not as good as it could be. Sloppy-seconds. I do not like that implication because it is patently not true. Friends may be one of the most important things in our lives... how can you be "just" friends? Girls are clearly one of the most important things in the world. ;) The "just" shouldn't apply.

That being said, in the case of being "Just One of the Girls", I have had occasions where I feel like I'm perceived as so non-threatening that I become asexual. Being "One of the Girls" means (to me) that I can share in most any conversation without awkwardness. It seems though that by doing that I am no longer a man. I find that sad as I think everyone has a little of everything in them. Call it what you will: male/female, yin/yang, light side/dark side, peanut butter/jam, etc. I guess there are still some gender role expectations by which we live and you can't always bridge the gaps. Maybe it's not about bridging the gaps. Maybe the gaps are only in the minds of those who see them as gaps. In my life I may bridge them by being "one of the girls" to some and McDreamy to others. The trick for me may be to remember that and not get lost in trying to convince those who see me as "one of the girls" to change their thinking.

Following up on this line of thinking, I managed to come out of my day with my fingernails painted. I guess even if I'm thinking about these things, I manage to not take myself seriously enough to worry too much about it.