If you enjoyed our post about womanhood last week, we’re here this week to tell you why being a man has its perks, too.
Let’s start out with the basic physical benefits to being male. Men have on average twice as much arm strength as woman according to a study at McMaster University in 1993. The difference seems to come from an innate variance in the type of muscle fibers that men have—sorry women, genetics gave you the short end of the stick when it comes to physical strength. Researchers in the Netherlands as well as at Yale University have also recognized men as less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety disorders. Furthermore, men are blessed with missing out on the female experiences of menstruation, childbirth, and menopause (but they never have a foolproof excuse for going to the restroom). Speaking of restrooms, men have the physical capability to urinate while standing, which gives them much more freedom when they just can’t wait any longer.
Those are not the only reasons it is great to be a man. In today’s society, men have historically gained more respect and reverence, and they still reap the benefits presently. Men are paid $0.33 more per dollar than woman with the same job, and while we’re not saying that this is fair, it definitely makes a difference overtime. Furthermore, this same increased respect is seen in politics, where men hold 83% of Congress and House of Representative seats. Men also are more likely to be hired in a CEO position, so not only do men have access to higher wages in general but also to positions that pay the highest rates, as well.
The physical and socioeconomic benefits of manhood join together when it comes to athletics. Male athletes make up a majority of most highly-publicized sports. They receive a higher salary than their female counterparts as well as more publicity and screen time. Because men are naturally more physically capable than women, sports games can be more engaging and competitive for spectators to watch.
Men have a freedom of expression far different to that of women. There is no need to spend time on makeup because it is more socially acceptable for men to in their natural state; they are more likely to be accepted for themselves as men have less pressure and standards to conform to a certain body type or size than woman do. This leads men to often have a high self-image of themselves. Men also save time by not having the pressure of constantly shaving; a man with leg hair, armpit hair, or facial hair is never given a second look by his peers. Additionally, the general fashion options for men are less so than women, which again allows men to focus their time on less appearance-oriented tasks. Plus, high heels are never needed in any situation which is just an added bonus. In fact, men saves years of their lives by not partaking in these tasks!
Overall, today’s society provides the greatest opportunities to men because of their history of being successful. Being a man brings out the best openings to get ahead without the excess frills and beauty expectations that come along with the societal expectations of womanhood. Men have more freedom to spend time on the things that are really important in life, which is quite a great gift to have.