I cannot begin to count how many people, in the first stages of friendship, have told me, "Oh, you remind me so much of my friend, [insert male name here]." For a while, I received this as a compliment, because I took it as recognition that I am socially understood to be assertive, determined, and intelligent...Lately, though, the frequent comparison of my personality to those of men has become somewhat of a philosophical/personal concern of mine.
Specifically, it has led me to ponder what my role is in a field [Political Science] dominated by men. Am I supposed to be extremely feminine [i.e. only wear dresses, giggle at stupid jokes, bat my eyelashes]? Or, am I supposed to masculinize myself [i.e. be super-aggressive in conversation and consciously defy anything that is socially read as feminine] to fit into the world of academia? While I thought the answer would be entirely up to me and my preferences, I began to realize that I may have less say in a matter than I think I do...
