I’d like to take a moment to discuss this reading, as I found it to be quite interesting. “Blogging and the Body” outlines some of the differences between the styles of male and female writers (specifically individuals dealing with cancer and their different approaches).
The author noticed a certain trend in the different ways that men and women tell their stories. She found that the male bloggers (and readers) tended to take a more detached approach, preferring facts and whatnot. The woman, on the other hand, got more personal with their writing – as did the readers that commented on their posts.
It’s a fair generalization about the differences of the sexes – though I hate to admit it. I’m a firm believer that personality plays a stronger role (than gender) in a writer’s storytelling. Even I have to admit that there are some distinct differences in the way men and women act – though I suspect these variances are based on public actions, rather than the individual’s true self.
I find that the gender lines blur as you get to personally know more members of the opposite sex. My closest male friends (including my boyfriend) can all be just as “emotional” as me. In public, they’re more on board with stoic, detached societal expectations.
I don’t mean to use this post to open a can of gender-discussion worms, so I’m going to conclude soon. The differences between the genders is a fascinating subject – especially as the gap continues to narrow.