Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Why do so many things have masculine or feminine connotations?

16 Answers
Last Updated: 06/11/2019 at 10:20am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United Kingdom
Moderated by

Tanyia Hughes, Adv Dip Psy

Psychotherapist

I have been through a lot in life too, which helps me to be able to empathize with situations, thoughts and feelings that we have. Sometimes, it's not easy just being human.

Top Rated Answers
Surrender
February 22nd, 2015 12:59pm
Because we live in a very sexist world, unfortunately. People try to target specific things for men or for women, although I dont see why that would help them sell more. I guess its easier for some customers if things are categorised?
Anonymous
March 19th, 2015 11:13am
I personally think that masculine and feminine connotations exist because of society and they way they perceive a guy or a girl. Not only that, we have been told to or practiced such ways from an early stage. So much so that, even when we do not support such restricted opinions on how a guy or girl 'should' be, we still say phrases like "Man up!" when a person cannot handle something. Or "Stop being a princess about it". More often than not, it's also the pressure from the society that makes us want to dress a certain or act a certain in order to please them. And from those arises stereotypes. Stereotypes are there for a reason. When the majority of the people act in a certain way, that becomes a stereotype. The minority who are different then get outcast because they are not more like the majority. Everyone is entitled to act or dress the way they want. And while a lot of us do try and rebel from such pressurizing stereotypes, we do get backfired by being called an 'abomination' or something of the like. We can never please the society. Although the society is made of different individuals and some of them maybe supportive of us but because of not wanting to bring up a contradiction to majority, they keep their mouths closed.
Gi
April 1st, 2015 4:54pm
I believe it made things simple in the past. Nowadays i think its a stupid way to labbel things. I see everything as unisex!
Anna53
April 3rd, 2015 2:10am
I think some people have to label everything in life to feel comfortable and they would see something weak as feminine and something tough as masculine.
Anonymous
April 11th, 2015 4:59pm
Most of society is fixated on gender binaries, and labelling - especially buisinesses. They feel uncomfortable being unable to place a label on something, so they just forcibly label something that shouldn't be labelled.
Anonymous
July 6th, 2015 3:01pm
The strict difference between male and female things is something embedded in society. That is why so many things that have absolutely nothing to do with gender have masculine or feminine connotations. In real life though, there is not really a line between male and female. Everybody has traits that could be considered typically feminine or masculine, I'd say just do what you feel like and don't think to much what others might think of it :)
Anonymous
March 21st, 2016 5:51am
Society tends to want to put everything and everyone in a box. Things like makeup, dresses, and musicals are all supposed to be feminine, for girls. Video games, short hair, and cars are all supposed to be masculine, for boys. I think it's time we break all binary connotations and let people be people who like things.
B3TA
September 8th, 2015 6:31pm
Because sadly it's the way the world was made to believe that men and women should have different connotations. To be honest when I see any of this gender connotations I just ignore them. I identify as genderfluid and I like to cross-dress and I was born as a boy. So ignore those gender roles if you want to dress up as a guy/girl go ahead.
Anonymous
September 29th, 2015 10:15am
As various languages evolved certain objects have been assigned certain connotations. So many things carry masculine and feminine connotations now because they are the basis of our language and have became such a widely accepted cultural norm.
Jennakt99
May 3rd, 2016 5:14pm
Unfortunately that's just they way are society is. Anything can be for anyone who wants to use it! :) It doesn't matter if it's blue or pink. If you feel comfortable being more masculine or feminine you can do it! (Despite gender, sex, or orientation) Gender is a social construct. Just be you and the rest will fall into place :)
IreneDreamer
May 23rd, 2016 10:24am
It's sad how stereotypes get planted so deep in our heads that so many times we have a feminine or masculine conotation to sth. It isn't really the nature of the thing that our opinion is based upon but maybe some misconceptions of gender roles (e.g. strength, vulnerability, beauty...) It is just another way of society showing how badly we need to put everything in little boxes. It just makes it easier for us to perceive ideas that seem vague othewise. A big part of it also has to do with gender roles through history and the role they played. It is the weakness of many people to adjust to their time and realise that everything changes. But is a great comfort to many to be able to name sth as a 'she' or a 'he' just because they believe that if they are able to characterise sth then they will be able to understand it. A false belief that not only brings unhappiness to those who seek it but also to those that are the subjects of this brutal and unfair categorisation. We must accept that we are human and we are all different and we will never be able to put ourselves or other in boxes no matter how hard we try. Because at the end of the day our personality, our dreams, hopes, thoughts and feelings are bigger than just a box.
Anonymous
October 3rd, 2016 2:35am
It's all about we see world, things and people around us, and it is the way how our society works!!
Anonymous
May 22nd, 2017 8:20am
It's just how we were made as a society. I believe that it makes some things easier but it also can hurt people deeply. Maybe in the future masculine and feminine will be close to nonexistent.
atarri
March 27th, 2018 8:15pm
honestly, screw gender. do whatever you want man, nothing is for one gender, it doesn't matter as long as you're happy.
SundancerPipeholder
May 14th, 2018 1:30am
It doesn't matter what social opinion is we are human, part of the animal kingdom and in the natural order of nature there is only masculine and feminine
Aayla
- Expert in LGBTQ+ Issues
June 11th, 2019 10:20am
It's a matter of cultural association. Unfortunately, our society has associated gender connotations to things that wouldn't have any reason to be masculine or feminine. But luckily, we don't have to follow these rules - we can just live the way we want without paying attention to the stereotypes and connotations associated with the things we like. Stereotypes are there to be broken!