For me, the answer is simple: absolutely not.
This is why:
1. It would be so weird to have something dangling between my legs. No thank you. I don't even understand how that thing logistically fits sometimes. Also, it must be annoying to have it randomly pop up at inopportune moments. No, I think I like my physical structure much better.
2. While I may consider switching genders just so that I could potentially be a baritone or a bass (or actually have good audition monologues or engaging roles to play in theatre productions), I figure that I need to push that dream aside. Besides, I imagine that it wouldn't sound nearly as beautiful in my head as it would listening to it from afar. Therefore, I may be better off just finding a flock of baritones to speak to me.
3. What is the point of being a part of the "privileged" gender in our beloved patriarchy? It takes away all of the challenge and the fun of being more intelligent than a man. Alright, I'm joking on this one (at least mostly). I don't want to get all aggressive-feminist on you (I love feminism so long as it fights for equality, just to make this clear). No, my point in this is that while men may currently have certain privileges over women, I have hope that this will change in my lifetime. At any rate, I have a chance to continue to work towards this, and maybe I wouldn't be as interested in the issue if I were not directly affected by it. The undeniable truth is that there still is sexism in our society, and while I'm lucky enough to live in a country that is quite kind to women in comparison to others, I can still see how things could improve. Not being wolf-whistled at just for walking on the sidewalk would be nice, for example. My point is that I enjoy being a woman because I get to prove that sexist people are wrong about me.
4. I enjoy being "feminine". I enjoy feeling like a badass too, of course, but I like to think that I can be both badass and a woman. However, my point is that I like things like dresses and high heels and earrings. I love nice-smelling soaps and flowers. I like that I can wear high heels and floral patterns one day and a bomber jacket and combat boots the next. I get a lot of variety in my life, friends. I also enjoy the parts of me that are often (unfortunately) considered to be girly traits. It's unfortunate that some traits are compartmentalized that way, but there you are. For example, I'm a very emotional person. That can be irritating, sometimes, but other times I feel very blessed. If that is, in fact, something that comes with being a woman, then I am okay with that. As for you emotional men, God bless you. I am so happy that you exist, and I would love to meet more of you.
5. I like the way I think. There are lots of studies that like to go on about the differences between the male and female brain. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I like the way my own mind works.
6. I like that I have the ability to have children. Men get to be fathers, but being a mother is something else. You get to have your child growing inside of you for nine months. Sure, you may have aches and pains and need to vomit and finally have to painfully shove out a baby from a hole that is really too small to take such abuse, but it sounds like it's worth it, to me. I am so excited for when I will hopefully one day get to be a mother. I can't wait to feel my child moving inside of me, or get to talk and sing to "myself" for a valid reason.
7. Women generally live longer. This reason may seem ironic considering that I struggle with depression, but, assuming that I am not miserable my whole life, I wouldn't mind a few extra years.
There you are: seven reasons! Of course, I'm biased because I am a woman. I'm sure it's wonderful to be a man as well, but, having not experienced it, I am perfectly content with being born in the gender I am.
-Laura
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