Relationships: Do They Have to Be So Gendered?

I've been having this ridiculous argument with my friend on his myspace blog about how relationships are gendered. He claims that men generally don't verbally communicate and aren't emotionally available and that women should just accept that this is the way that men; all that we can do is provide positive reinforcement when they take baby steps toward being a full partner in a healthy relationship. I've been claiming that the goal should be an equal partnership, which is only possible with healthy, open, and honest communication.

And then yesterday, my therapist starts talking about how relationships are gendered, and that if I don't want to put up with men being insensitive and not communicating, then I just shouldn't be in a relationship for awhile. She also referred me to the book "If Men Could Talk" (http://www.ifmencouldtalk.com).

Is this really it? If I want a heterosexual, romantic relationship, then I have to be treated badly with the hopes that I can eventually "train" the guy?

Here's my question to you, all of my fabulous blog readers out there: Are you (or have you ever been) in a relationship that didn't follow this? Give a girl a better model!

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