By saying woman are more manly and the positive things people are saying about being manly... Wouldn't that mean you are sort shooting yourself in the feminist foot by saying being "more manly" is good. So therefore being a man is awesome. Which it is by the way

I've noticed that the only people who use the word "feminism" anymore are women over the age of 50 and men. Women under 50 were raised in a culture where it's considered normal to be who you want and follow your own path in life without needing to define it... Why do we need a word for that? Or if we do shouldn't it just be "equality" or something similar?

I avoid this problem by checking for an adam's apple.

I may not be the world's most passionate guy, but I know what I am and I know I'm a man, and so is Lola.

Women are definitely more independent, which I think can be viewed as masculine. For example, several years ago when I bought a condo my father was shocked (in a proud way) that I was able to do that all by myself. That would have been very unusual when he was my age that a single woman would have a decent job, provide for herself, buy property, etc...

For sure this.

I know that I might not get married, so I chose a job that I can support myself on. I have no dreams of a man coming to swoop me up to his mansion and love me forever. If that happens, great, but if not, I will be able to buy my house and support myself, and who knows, maybe even have my own child?

It's not that women are more "manly" it's that we're more self-supporting, which is thought to be a masculine trait.

I concur in general, though I do see women who have taken on less laudable traditionally-masculine traits. Britain, especially in certain areas, has a strong 'lad-ette' culture of excessive drinking, violence and antisocial behaviour. At the other end of the spectrum, we have women like the Duchess of Cambridge, who are ultra-feminine in a more traditional mode and enjoy great public approbation for that choice. In the middle, the majority of women are more self-sufficient and less dependent on male support than in previous generations. I don't necessarily think that makes us more 'manly', it's just that independence, especially financial independence, is traditionally thought of as being a male preserve. Perhaps we need to change that paradigm, rather than describing women as more manly.

In the specific, I guess that changes in clothing and personal presentation probably have something to do with this shift of dependency. Rather than dressing to get and keep a man in one prescribed conformist style, women are primarily dressing for themselves, and allowing more of their personal preferences and ideals to show through. For some, that means eschewing makeup and all traditionally-feminine styles, for others, femininity rules, and for many more, clothes are chosen for our lifestyle and activities, and cover a spectrum. The same could be said of behaviour.

For myself, it's less a question of wanting to take on 'masculine' roles, but more about knowing that, should I need to, I am without a doubt capable of changing a tyre, wiring a plug, or taking care of my own financial needs. As far as I'm concerned, having the ability to do so, and believing in my own capability doesn't make me more masculine, it just makes me more competent - a better-rounded person, just like my male friends who cook up a storm, are primary parents to their children, or wear bright colours.