On Pain in Women and Men
Something I have wondered about but not shared often, as I was afraid to offend my women readers, was on pain and the differences between the sexes.
A common argument I hear from women or girls trying to make themselves feel better in men vs. women arguments: "Well, men may be faster and stronger, but women can take more pain." I've always wondered where this statement came from. It seems to be linked with this one: "Well, you don't know what pain is, because you cannot give birth. You don't deal with cramps every month."
Similarly, a discussion arises somewhat frequently on certain RPG boards over whether male and female characters should have different statistical modifiers. Again, the pain thing always comes up: "Female characters should have higher physical vitalities to balance the male characters' higher strength and speed modifiers, because women can take more pain than men."
I've never been convinced at this. It is weak logically. Also, I've always been able to take more pain than women I've known in terms of shared experiences. Of course, I may be an exception. Or maybe they were. Or maybe women are just more likely to be honest about their pain. I could believe this, as men tend to internalize their feelings. But I doubt that my experiences were such an exception.
And regarding cramps and childbirth -- such things may show that women experience more pain than most men (which is sad), but it does not mean that they can better deal with it. They kind of have to in both of those cases.
Also, it seems like women sometimes feel a need to ensure that they are somehow physically balanced with men. If they must admit that men, on average, are significantly stronger and faster, it seems like they don't want to believe that men also might have higher pain thresholds. Why do men and women need to be physically-balanced anyhow? Isn't there more to life than the physical? Even if you don't believe in spiritual things, you must still believe in mental and emotional things. mallon04008 once described women as being "more emotionally sophisticated" than men. It is rather barbaric of us men to get in physical fights over things. When ever is nature balanced anyhow? That doesn't mean that men and women cannot be equal as humans and with rights. Big fat deal that I may be stronger, faster, and more pain-tolerable than most women I meet! So I would make a better fighter. So what?
Anyhow, it turns out that I was right.
Read article.
In the study it was determined that:
Also, levels of testosterone and estrogen seem to affect the amount of pain felt.
Anyhow, once again, all the "old" theories of men and women being different only due to culture and such are slowly being broken down. The nurture vs. nature debate continues....
(In other news, my entire LJ is now tagged by entry type. More topical entries will arise as I summarize entries at my 500th postiversary.)
A common argument I hear from women or girls trying to make themselves feel better in men vs. women arguments: "Well, men may be faster and stronger, but women can take more pain." I've always wondered where this statement came from. It seems to be linked with this one: "Well, you don't know what pain is, because you cannot give birth. You don't deal with cramps every month."
Similarly, a discussion arises somewhat frequently on certain RPG boards over whether male and female characters should have different statistical modifiers. Again, the pain thing always comes up: "Female characters should have higher physical vitalities to balance the male characters' higher strength and speed modifiers, because women can take more pain than men."
I've never been convinced at this. It is weak logically. Also, I've always been able to take more pain than women I've known in terms of shared experiences. Of course, I may be an exception. Or maybe they were. Or maybe women are just more likely to be honest about their pain. I could believe this, as men tend to internalize their feelings. But I doubt that my experiences were such an exception.
And regarding cramps and childbirth -- such things may show that women experience more pain than most men (which is sad), but it does not mean that they can better deal with it. They kind of have to in both of those cases.
Also, it seems like women sometimes feel a need to ensure that they are somehow physically balanced with men. If they must admit that men, on average, are significantly stronger and faster, it seems like they don't want to believe that men also might have higher pain thresholds. Why do men and women need to be physically-balanced anyhow? Isn't there more to life than the physical? Even if you don't believe in spiritual things, you must still believe in mental and emotional things. mallon04008 once described women as being "more emotionally sophisticated" than men. It is rather barbaric of us men to get in physical fights over things. When ever is nature balanced anyhow? That doesn't mean that men and women cannot be equal as humans and with rights. Big fat deal that I may be stronger, faster, and more pain-tolerable than most women I meet! So I would make a better fighter. So what?
Anyhow, it turns out that I was right.
Read article.
In the study it was determined that:
- Women report more pain during their lifetimes. (I think they probably do have more pain, but I would guess that they also are more honest with their feelings than the men.)
- Women can feel pain in more areas of their bodies.
- The same pain takes longer to fade in women than men.
- Men have higher pain thresholds.
- Men have higher pain tolerances.
Also, levels of testosterone and estrogen seem to affect the amount of pain felt.
Anyhow, once again, all the "old" theories of men and women being different only due to culture and such are slowly being broken down. The nurture vs. nature debate continues....
(In other news, my entire LJ is now tagged by entry type. More topical entries will arise as I summarize entries at my 500th postiversary.)