#gender-norms

#gender-norms

I really feel like the cultural norm around proposals is fundamentally silly and outdated. I wish more people would consider that women can propose too! It doesn't have to come from the male partner in heterosexual relationships. I asked my now-husband to marry me, and it was the best choice I've ever made. I think it's really interesting that this wasn't even mentioned in your advice-which goes to show how embedded this heteronormative idea about who gets to propose really is.

In the world of Bay Area ballet, Michael Smuin's Christmas Ballet is one of the most sought-after events (and tickets) around. Soloist Myles Thatcher challenges rigid ballet gender norms with an unparalleled exuberance, and the fluidity of this seasonal regional gem changes every season with new works by Julia Adam (Dance Director), and Amy Seiwert (Artistic Director) leading the way.

"So if you use them in January," LaMantia recalls being told, "you better hope there's nothing to exclaim for the rest of the year." The rule stuck. LaMantia still thinks about that rigid quota today. "I use exclamation points all the time in texts and emails. If you don't, the message sounds more stern," he says. "But I can't remember the last time I used one in a business article."

Recently, my husband lost his job, and the timing was terrible. We had just purchased a new home in need of major renovations, and of course, we were running on a tight budget. We were paying a mortgage in addition to the monthly rent on our previous home and the renovation expenses. While not life-threatening, his unemployment was stressful for both of us. I've worked with clients facing similar stressors from being laid off or chronically unemployed.

Technology's impact on adolescents and young boys has been the subject of discussion and concern for decades. This new wave of AI tools has tightened the loop between technology and culture, with technology influencing mindsets and behavior and vice versa. An October 2025 report by Common Sense Media coined the term "digital masculinity" to describe the ways in which masculinity is defined, conveyed, and negotiated online specifically.

Set to a Kanye song remixed with a track by Nemzzz, a "cool aunt" video (sometimes called "Plan B") typically opens with a list that reads something like: "Plan A: married by 25, homeowner by 27, kids by 30." But when the beat drops, so do a slew of clips of all the amazing things the creator has done with her life instead of hitting those conventional benchmarks.

Early household dynamics can profoundly influence workplace culture. Factors such as birth order and parenting styles shape traits like collaboration, control, and risk-taking in adults.

Reeves’s display of distress may prove to have an unexpectedly positive legacy, normalising women’s tears in the workplace, which have mostly been mired in shame.

"Why are women expected to wear barely-there suits - I'm talking full-on thongs at the children's water park - while men get mocked for wearing form-fitting ones?"

Men may channel emotions into anger, as it is often more socially accepted than other emotions, masking deeper feelings like fear.

"There are both similarities and differences in the societal evaluation of male and female sexuality. However, contrary to common assumptions, moderate levels of sexual activity are most valued for both genders."

The term 'too muscular' often questions a woman's identity, implying she doesn't fit societal norms of femininity, beauty, and can even lead to accusations of cheating.