There is nothing wrong with liking things that are usually considered masculine. Plenty of women love sports, going camping, going hunting, drinking beer, smoking cigars, and fixing up cars, along with loads of other “male” activities. Acting like you're “just one of the guys,” though … is it really necessary? And if you're just trying to fit in, will it really work?
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1. It Implies That There's Something Wrong with Being “one of the Girls”
For the record, there's nothing wrong with being just one of the girls. It's pretty fantastic, actually. There's nothing wrong with it. It doesn't make you somehow less than. It doesn't make you uncool. It doesn't make you inferior. If the group of guys you want to hang out with makes you feel like you're inferior because you're just one of the girls, maybe they're not the coolest group.
2. It Can Force You into an “us” versus “them” Mentality
This doesn't always happen, but all too often women who identify as just one of the guys seem to draw a line in the sand separating them from other women. There's this idea that they're cooler, more with it, and less feminine than other women. It pits women against each other, and that's never cool.
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3. It Suggests That Certain Things Are Inherently Masculine or Feminine when They're Not
Watching football, playing basketball, and drinking beer are not masculine activities. Women do all of those things and legitimately enjoy them. If you're hanging out with guys doing “guy things,” then guess what? They're not “guy things” anymore – a woman is enjoying them. They're just things.
4. If You're Faking It, Are You Really Having Any Fun?
Some – not all, not by any means, but some – women pretend to like traditionally masculine things in a quest to be seen as “just one of the guys.” It's a particularly popular trope on TV and in the movies. The thing is, though, if you have to fake an interest in something to fit in with a group, you're not being authentic. You're not being true to yourself. Are you even having fun?
5. It's Not so Complimentary when You Say a Guy is “just One of the Girls”
This is problematic in and of itself, and the double standard is also a problem. Some men will deride other guys if they like things that are seen as traditionally feminine. Guys get ragged if they like getting manicures or drinking certain cocktails. When you look at the flip side of the coin, the “just one of the guys” side doesn't seem quite so shiny.
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6. You Might Face Backlash if You Show Your Emotions
Besides, when you're “just one of the guys,” you might be limiting yourself. Since showing emotions is typically seen as a feminine thing, then getting upset, crying, or exhibiting anger can make things turn on you. Suddenly, you're not one of the guys at all.
7. And You're Only Cool until You “go Crazy”
At that point, some – again, not all, just some – men will write you off as just another crazy female. Your tenure as one of the guys will be over, just because you revealed your emotions. Not cool, right?
I must repeat, this is not to say that you can't like the things you like, whether society at large has decided they're masculine or feminine. What I'm saying is, think about just owning it. You're not one of the guys. You're you, a woman who happens to really love things that are generally marked as masculine, or you're a woman who exhibits typically masculine traits. You're just you. Pretty awesome, yeah?
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