In Support of Strong Puppy

[MJontheMend]

Maybe it's "easier" for me because I am 5'2" and have long hair

To be honest, I think that this is true in some sort of very generalized averaged sense. If you are also what we usually mean when we say "pretty" and if you also have something close to a .7 waist to bust/hip ratio it is even more true. Men will naturally treat you more like a female than, for instance, Janet Reno, for these reasons. Of course, it's just reflexive and therefore not very meaningful. Also, I know people don't always write in way that reflects their real life personality but your manner seems fairly feminine to me. You come across more like librarian than engineer - lol. OTOH, I'm sure you've met a women who have very little that is conventionally feminine about their appearance superficially yet seem to project femininity anyways and I would definitely say that it isn't done by projecting "helplessness" I think the women who attract clueless men by acting helpless are generally quite conventionally attractive.

I will freely admit, given similar behavior, I will vibe more feminine in relation to Jimmy Smits than PeeWee Herman.

But this is my question what gender differences are you talking about? Do I have to be stereotypically helpless in order for a man to feel like a man around me? Do I have to pretend I'm not an engineer because that's too equal to a man? Do I have to pretend that I don't love sports and don't hate shopping because that makes me too equal???

As far as helplessness goes, I think almost the opposite is true. If I "let" a man open a door for me that means I am not helpless. If I were truly helpless he would have to open the door for me and I wouldn't be able to "let" him do it. I think the fact that you are an engineer would make you more attractive because it shows that you are intelligent and therefore it would mean more if you admired a man. See where I'm going with this? Nothing about you that vibes conventionally masculine will make a man feel less masculine unless you use it to make him seem less like a man because he can't match you in that regard. In fact, many of these attributes will make him feel more like a man because such a prize as you has chosen him.