Why Do We Hate Gender Norms but Love to Uphold Them? 

Why do we hate gender norms but love to uphold them?The whole obsession with men drinking matcha and going to Pilates got me thinking...why do we let interests define whether someone is “masculine” or “feminine”?If a woman loves building cars from scratch, does that make her any less of a woman? Most people would say no, and I’d agree. Our interests don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re shaped by our experiences, where we’ve lived, what made us feel alive, and sometimes even the people we've loved.So if someone actually took the time to understand why a person is drawn to something, would they still judge them so quickly?Sometimes I think gender norms are just lazy work. When we say we “hate gender norms,” it’s because, honestly, who wants to be boxed in by what society decided we should be? No one. But still, we turn around and put those same boxes on others.And here’s the twist: every time you put a limit on someone else, you’re also putting one on yourself.What’s funny is, there aren’t even that many men out here sipping matcha or signing up for Pilates. But the idea of them doing it sparks something. Why? Are you mad at them? Do you hate them? Or are you just uncomfortable that they’re in your space?Why gatekeep joy? Shouldn’t we all just enjoy what we enjoy?