Why Can’t a Woman be More Like a Man?

Why can’t a woman be more like a man? … is a famous lyric from the 1964 production of My Fair Lady by the musical team of Lerner and Loewe.  Alan Jay Lerner captured the vexing question men have probably been posing since the dawn of time in his lyrics.

The words are sung by Professor Henry Higgins who has made a wager that he can turn a common Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, from the streets of London into a lady of society by teaching her proper elocution and manners.

He begins his lament with …

Why can’t a woman be more like a man?
Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historically fair.
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.
Why can’t a woman be like that?

Why does every one do what the others do?
Can’t a woman learn to use her head?
Why do they do everything their mothers do?
Why don’t they grow up, well, like their father instead?

Why can’t a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please.
Whenever you’re with them, you’re always at ease.

Would you be slighted if I didn’t speak for hours?

Well, if Henry Higgins were to be transported into the future he might be singing a different tune. 

Neuroscience is revealing that while men and women do share many commonalities it’s sometimes the little things that make for distinctive brain gender differences. Renato M.E. Sabbainini, PhD, associate editor and chairman of the editorial board of Brain & Mind cites brain gender differences in being able to —

• Estimate time
• Judge the speed of things
• Carry out mathematical calculations
• Orient in space
• Visualize three-dimensional objects
• Verbalize language

To answer Professor Higgins … “Can’t a woman learn to use her head?” 

She does use her head Professor just not always like a man.

If you like, you can read the complete lyrics to Why Can’t a Woman be More Like a Man? at  http://tinyurl.com/asoo2

By Joyce Hansen