Paula

In order to prove something applies to a group of people universally, it would have to hold true without exception through all cultures and throughout history. “The exception that proves the rule” only works for things like grammar. When anyone says “all ____ are this and all ____ are that”, the existence of exceptions, even if in the minority, disprove the rule.

I’ve observed that online, when identities are unknown, people cannot tell men from women. I’ve been surprised to learn that some individual was a man after all, or a woman after all. Likewise, I’ve been in debates where my opponent was sure I was a man and was quite surprised (sometimes even enraged!) that I turned out to be a woman.

So even from that observation I can say that there is no “manly” way of thinking or any “womanly” way of thinking. There are averages, and stereotypes, but no hard and fast rules. And if anyone wants to prove me wrong, they have to show that certain traits follow a gender through all cultures and times.

Same for spirituality. There are very tender-hearted, emotional, spiritual men, and very stern, logical, and unspiritual women. It’s a personality issue, not a genetic issue. Tendencies and averages are fine for marketing research, but not for making up rules for people.