# Smapti is Pitted **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907 "2014-05-21T08:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 76
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1501 "2015-01-05T18:48:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Well, I’ve asked a few times, and nobody has been able to describe a concrete difference between males and females other than “males are people who believe they’re male and females are people who believe they’re female”. Great. Then roll with that and treat people accordingly. Pretend there’s a law that you should not be a shit to other people. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1502 "2015-01-05T18:49:56Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Whoosh! Actually I was pretty sincere in that assessment. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1503 "2015-01-05T18:53:47Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Well, I’ve asked a few times, and nobody has been able to describe a concrete difference between males and females other than “males are people who believe they’re male and females are people who believe they’re female”. > > So yes. Ok, so do you think that the only reason men and women act differently, and are treated differently by society, is due to the shape of their sex organs? And do you continue to believe that despite the fact that men and women have identifiably different brains, and that the evidence from the behaviour of transgender people is that the brain’s gender is more important to how they feel and behave than the sex of their body? Seriously, gender is something that exists physiologically, psychologically, and socially, and is not solely determined by genitalia or chromosomes. In some cases, not at all by them. Is it simply that gender is a complex construct, not reducible to a few words or a simple definition that is the problem? Unfortunately, most parts of human psychology are like that, made of many parts, fuzzy at the edges, and sometimes contradictory. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1504 "2015-01-05T18:56:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Well, I’ve asked a few times, and nobody has been able to describe a concrete difference between males and females other than “males are people who believe they’re male and females are people who believe they’re female”. > > So yes. As far as how you treat people on a day to day basis – in terms of gender, there may not be much more to it than that, practically speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1505 "2015-01-05T18:56:10Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually I was pretty sincere in that assessment. Oh. My bad. Sorry to interject. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1506 "2015-01-05T19:06:01Z")
To be fair, I could have objected in drier terms but calling him a whiny bitch just felt right. Still does. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1507 "2015-01-05T19:06:33Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Ok, so do you think that the only reason men and women act differently, and are treated differently by society, is due to the shape of their sex organs? Fundamentally, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1508 "2015-01-05T19:10:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Fundamentally, yes. Are you downplaying the effect of neurochemistry or just ignoring it? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1509 "2015-01-05T19:11:41Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Fundamentally, yes. Do you really see that many people’s genitals? I’ve seen way, way fewer people’s genitals than I have ever treated as male or female. I guess I should start checking. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1510 "2015-01-05T19:17:10Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Are you downplaying the effect of neurochemistry or just ignoring it? Most women would act differently and be treated differently by society if they were men, and vice versa, regardless of any difference in neurochemistry. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1511 "2015-01-05T19:28:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Most women would act differently and be treated differently by society if they were men, and vice versa, regardless of any difference in neurochemistry. But that has \*nothing \*to do with their genitals. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1512 "2015-01-05T19:43:27Z")
I suppose how men and women are treated is a product of the OBSERVER’S neurochemistry, ie pattern-seeking and stereotyping; categorize a person as male or female (typically not requiring a genital check) and act accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1513 "2015-01-05T20:48:18Z")
In order that we all properly categorize one another, we all need to add an avatar… ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1514 "2015-01-05T21:19:47Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Do you really see that many people’s genitals? I’ve seen way, way fewer people’s genitals than I have ever treated as male or female. I guess I should start checking. Genitals won’t do the job; you need a chromosome check. And even those fail now and then. We’ll have to use the Achilles test: hide a spear and shield among women’s clothes and jewelry. If the kid picks up the spear…he’s a guy! Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1515 "2015-01-05T21:35:55Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > In order that we all properly categorize one another, we all need to add an avatar… Or, if you have male genitalia, you could add this to your sig: UU==D ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1516 "2015-01-06T07:10:51Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Ok, so do you think that the only reason men and women act differently, and are treated differently by society, is due to the shape of their sex organs? Well, cut him some slack, his own experience supports him: He claims to have a dick, and he certainly is one. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1517 "2015-01-11T22:38:36Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > No those lives are in danger now because other delusional cowards like you decided it was better to risk millions of lives worldwide in order to snuff out one guy they were afraid was a threat to them. . This. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1518 "2015-03-16T23:47:41Z")
You guys are still falling for this guy’s shtik. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1519 "2015-03-17T02:47:25Z")
Awww, it’s just too much fun lobbing fireballs at him and watching him regenerate… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/1520 "2015-03-17T22:55:29Z")
What did he do THIS time? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=75) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=77)