Gender

What makes gender?
How do we define 'male' or 'female?
Is it conditioned?
Is it biologically predetermined?
Are we influenced by how we're dressed as children, or how our parents dress themselves?

I found out the other day that pink was a colour associated with little boys in the Western World prior to World War II (I think it was). After that, apparently the influence of the soldiers dressing in blue changed the 'boy colour' from pink to blue. It's amazing how even being told that by a person highly educated in history I struggle to believe it. I don't want to. If I had a boyfriend who wore a pink shirt, he'd be dropped faster than a hot potato.

I believe, like Judith Butler has written, that gender is performative. We constantly perform everything we do, including our gender, by what we wear, how we act etc. Even 500 or so years ago, Shakespeare said,

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players...

I think he was referring to what I'm talking about, not necessarily just gender, but how we are as human beings in general.

I was also talking to a friend the other day about how feminism just can't work anymore. Feminism asserts that women are a group with common characteristics and interests (Butler). This in my opinion, is wrong - very wrong. What exactly is the female ideal that these women are trying to portray? I sure as hell don't want to be exceptionally girly, but ultimately I'd love to bear children and make my future husband happy. If that means taking 'traditional gender roles', then so be it. I have no problem with it, and isn't it my choice? Isn't that what feminism wants? For me to have a choice, and to have equal rights with men?
I'd hate to tell those of you who identify as feminists, but feminism is no longer valid. We have equal rights. What can men do that we can't?
If anything, it's men have a hard rap. There are female gyms, female clubs, 'ladies nights', and most importantly, much more support for female physical and sexual abuse victims. We don't need female gyms, clubs and things like that. You have a vagina. We get it. So what? So do I. You are not special. Half the world is like you in that respect and they can deal with it, so why can't you? Sure, we all cope in different ways, but give me a break here. It's not that important. Ladies nights... no idea where to start with those. I'm not sure if they're instigated by males, females or males pressured by females but I sure as shit hope it's not the last one. Either way, it's inflating some women's egos and unnecessarily putting us on a pedestal. Anyway, unimportant.
The main thing I was talking to my friend about is the lack of support for male abuse victims and dare I say it, abuse of the support by females. I spoke to one of my friends who used to be a cop who said that roughly 70% of female sexual abuse cases brought to the police were false, but that doesn't take into account those who never come forward. I have another friend who is male. He was repeatedly abused by his previous girlfriend. He never went to the cops. Why? Because he was probably scared they either wouldn't believe him, would ask him what he did to provoke the abuse, or would poke fun of him for being beaten up by a girl. How though, could he defend himself when she used weapons against him? How could he defend himself when she tried to kill him in his sleep? How could he defend himself where if he had, he would have probably been charged with abuse, while she would have gotten off with a pat on the back and a, "if you need anything, just let me know" from the rest of society?
It seems as though a chauvinist uprising is in order.