Interesting...

"And while I don't think I'd be any good at being a boy, given the fact that I am constantly afraid, constantly crying, and characteristically weak, I envy the fact that boyhood's rules are consistent. Being male is not a mess of contradictions, the way being female is. It is not trying to resolve how to be both desirable and smart, soft and sturdy, emotional and capable."
- "Smashed"
Koren Zailckas

I read that passage from the book last night, and it truly resonated with me...which is funny, because I should be voted "least likely to be a feminist." Generally, I overlook things that talk about how hard it is to be female...I don't really buy into that mindset.
But that one paragraph is so true - being female really is a constant contradiction that places emphasis on opposing ideals. As a woman, you are expected to fit all of these different molds, all of which are in direct opposition with one another.
I'm sure that guys could argue they deal with a similar fate, trying to fit different roles that perhaps they don't fit. But at this moment, I really relate with that statement, and feel grateful that someone else felt the confusion that I never quite knew how to express.