Hmm, squirting out babies, having a monthly menstrual cycle, that kills it for me right there. Even the pretty ones have to deal with it.

Glad I am not female.

There is a saying:"no pain, no gain". Guys also need to keep trim else no longer attractive when they let themselves go flabby. Feeling good about oneself is essential for everyone and is not a gender issue. Make up a commercial issue as perfection is seen as essential [to be got from costly cosmetics] BUT IT IS NOT. Being oneself and self acceptance is the key to being acccepted by others.
The joy of motherhood, that no guy could have, far outweighs the discomfort of pregnancy and birth. There are ways to ease painful deliveries. Prenatal exercises can help.

Giving birth: Imagine if you can, Richard, trying to s*** a basketball. All the prenatal exercises in the world can't prepare you for that.

Having said that, I have always been comfortable with my femininity. I don't have to do anything to please men, save for the requirements of common civility and social integration. I'm polite and respectful to them and I treat them as my equal. Why shouldn't I..?

I have my strengths and weaknesses, but I don't think of them as gender oriented.... It just so happens that there are some things I'm good at and some things I'm not so good at. I never fall back on tears to get what I want, although I can be as emotional as any other woman. No man could ever make me cry by hitting me, it would merely make me defiant and fill me with contempt for him because if his only resort is to violence then he is weak. But the news of little baby P's death reduced me to tears. I wept for that sweet little boy who never harmed anybody.

My femininity is precious to me but it doesn't define everything I say or do. My whole is greater than the sum of my parts. I respect men and treat them as equals but I don't court their physical attraction.

But I'd still like to see Richard handle menarche..... or a monthly menstrual cycle.... or pregnancy..... or childbirth..... or the menopause.......

We don't call it "The Curse" for nothing, my friend. LOL

Regards

.

A great post, thanks. We need empathy to understand what another person is going through. Some cancers causr enormous pain. So also neuropathies like MS and MD. I, touch wood, never have experienced any of these. Their outcomes are not as posetive as pregnancy that brings new life. Proceadures and medicines can reduce pain. As ffor heavy periods it is possible to get some relief with low dose pills. So I've been told.
I'm glad for you that you have joy in your femenity. Self acceptance is the best gift of life.
We need to go beyond comparrisions, accept our blessings and help each other through difficult times. As with the lyric "We get by with a little help from our friends" Lol.