History Main / MarsandVenusGenderContrast

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

'''Joey:''' Tonuge?\\

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: While the actual comic allows men (like ComicBook/SteveTrevor) to be compassionate and kind and women to be cruel and violent (like [[ComicBook/{{Cheetah}} Priscilla Rich]]) these traits are explicitly coded as feminine and masculine and with war-loving shortsighted [[ComicBook/{{Ares|DC}} Mars]] and peaceful loving Aphrodite acting as avatars of the two sides, as pictured above.

-->'''Haruko:''' Women are from Mars and Men are from Venus. I don't know about you, but '''[[MakesSenseInContext I GOT A GIANT PENIS]]!'''

* Haruko intentionally switches around the roles in ''Anime/FLCLAlternative'' as she readies her guitar to attack a giant rampaging mecha.
-->'''Haruko:''' Women are from Mars and Men are from Venus. I don't know about you, but '''[[MakesSenseInContext I GOT A GIANT PENIS!]]'''

%% * A major plot-driving force in ''Series/{{Friends}}'' .
%% * Even more so in ''Series/{{Coupling}}''.

* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] in Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun, as Sally struggles to understand human social dynamics (and her own biology, when living as a human). When she realizes then men and women are opposite sexes, it's something of an epiphany for her, making much of the inability of the the two to understand each other much more logical.

Likewise, in works emphasizing the female perspective, there will also usually be at least one straight man who believes that RealMenWearPink. Although this will usually be countered by the character "making up for" this with an excess of machismo in other areas,[[note]]for instance, by also being a CulturedBadass who can readily "prove his manhood" in a brawl, or a {{Pornomancer}} whose actual character depth doubles as a way to seduce women[[/note]] he will often serve as an example of how even a character RatedMForManly does not have to mean a character who is unrefined or childish.

* The TropeNamer was a continually discredited but continually popular self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage used the same language]], but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets I]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicalits, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk any. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelingd [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles, emotional needs, and values clashed, [[LoveRuinsTheRealm they developed problems in their relationships with each other]] that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians[[note]]Apparently, [[QueerAsTropes LGBT people]] don't exist[[/note]], and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, as posited by the book, is that men and women need to [[AppealToNature return]] to [[AppealToTradition traditional roles and relationships]].

* The TropeNamer was a continually discredited but continually popular self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage used the same language]], but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets I]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicalits, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk any. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelingd [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles, emotional needs, and values clashed, [[LoveRuinsTheRealm they developed problems in their relationships with each other]] that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians [[note]] Apparently, [[QueerAsTropes LGBT people]] don't exist. [[/note]], and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, as posited by the book, is that men and women need to [[AppealToNature return]] to [[AppealToTradition traditional roles and relationships]].

** Most of those arguments are between someone (usually Garion) and [[AlmightyMom Polgara]]. Since Polgara is the most eminent woman in the world (and after her father, most eminent person, full stop), as well as being an ancient sorceress, scholar, and an extremely skilled and experienced manipulator -- it was pretty much her job for the best part of 3000 years - very few people can out-argue her ''at all''. The fact that she's legendarily stubborn (which, ironically, is a trait she gets from her father) doesn't hurt. In fact, aside from gods, only three people can out-argue her - her parents and Beldin (who is both a genius and her ParentalSubstitute for a while).

* Creator/OrsonScottCard's "Literature/TheOriginist": Leyel's inner monologue often provides a contrast between how he believes women (like his wife Deet) and men view the world. When they discuss the idea of two branches of primates that both evolved at the same time, Deet points out that he's described the contrast of Men versus Women.
-->''You have just described the relationship between males and females. Two completely different species, completely unintelligible to each other, living side by side and thinking they're really the same.''

--> Men have a certain body part that women do not have, and men always think that jokes about it are a stone riot, whereas if you tell such a joke to a woman, she will look at you as if you were a baggie full of mouse remains.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' plays with this - it doesn't help that the protagonist and usual viewpoint character has NoSocialSkills to the point where, combined with certain magic and body size enforced mannerisms (not meeting someone's gaze due to fear of a soulgaze, softening his voice and hunching over to de-emphasise his height), tend to lead to assumptions that he's autistic. In fact, it's more likely that it's just due to his low self-esteem and horribly damaged capacity to trust/open up to ''anyone'', even those he cares for, due to his DarkAndTroubledPast. It just so happens to especially apply to women, since he spent a very long time believing that Elaine, his FirstLove, betrayed him and that he'd [[AccidentalMurder accidentally killed her]] while fighting his EvilMentor (in fact, she was BrainwashedAndCrazy, but subtly enough that it was next to impossible to tell, and fled the fight). Certainly, it's relatively unusual in the setting - more socially savvy characters, like Thomas, decry his inability to understand women.

-->'''Murphy:''' Let me get this straight. You want him to talk to you, but you won't actually tell him or ask him any questions. You sit around with the silence and tension and no one says anything.\\

'''Murphy''': *disbelieving stare*\\

** In ''Literature/ColdDays'', Harry goes on for several paragraphs about how women supposedly communicate on five separate levels at once, according to a magazine article he read, so it's no wonder that men - who communicate (apparently) on about two [[HeroicSelfDeprecation (and he thinks that that's a stretch)]] - can't understand them.

** Most of those arguments are between someone (usually Garion) and [[AlmightyMom Polgara]]. Since Polgara is the most eminent woman in the world (and after her father, most eminent person, full stop), as well as being an ancient sorceress, scholar, and an extremely skilled and experienced manipulator - it was pretty much her job for the best part of 3000 years - very few people can out-argue her ''at all''. The fact that she's legendarily stubborn (which, ironically, is a trait she gets from her father) doesn't hurt. In fact, aside from gods, only three people can out-argue her - her parents and Beldin (who is both a genius and her ParentalSubstitute for a while).

** At any rate, the sequel series plays it down - though there are some things about each gender the opposite is just unable to comprehend (women being baffled by the male fascination with fishing, for instance, which becomes a RunningGag - though Garion doesn't seem to get it either). The narrative, being through trope-aware, sometimes lampshades this and plays it for HypocriticalHumour. For instance, Polgara and Belgarath's prequels, written from their respective points of view, confirm what the two series imply - that they're much more alike than they want to admit.

* ''Literature/TheGodsThemselves'' has a world where there are ''three'' sexes - and they still have a version of this: Rationals, Emotionals and Parentals often baffle each other. Justified in this case, as the three sexes are only able to think and act in line with their gender stereotypes: Rationals are only interested in learning, Parentals are only interested in mating and raising children, and Emotionals are ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. On the other hand, this trope is absent when humans deal with each other, though that's mostly because there's only one major female character in the book.

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' - full of Female Character X explaining to Male Character Y that "girls all..." and vice versa (though these seem like they're meant to be rules of thumb rather than statements of literal fact), and occasional examples of the 'men and women don't speak the same language' subtrope that usually lead to severe confusion, painful misunderstandings, or both in combination. It gets off pretty lightly compared to most of these examples, though, since none of the characters are defined utterly by their gender and the stereotypes thereof (although Steve sometimes comes close to being a stereotypical man, especially when drunk), nor is it {{Anvilicious}}ly heteronormative.

* Present in this article [[http://www.takeninhand.com/woman.whisperer here.]][[http://wikibin.org/articles/taken-in-hand.html Not a parody]]. For a DistaffCounterpart, see also [[http://wikibin.org/articles/loving-female-authority-3.html]]. Note: these are examples of this trope because they both present the dynamic as being true to the fundamental nature of the genders, and of individual people as members of them - which is rather different than just saying some people like sub/dom dynamics on an individual level, or without the gender-based essentialism.

[[folder: Radio]]

-->He wrote that all men are stupid, all women are mad,
-->That's why mixed-sex relationships will always go bad.
-->The best advice to give any young girl or lad,
-->Is that all men are stupid, and all women are mad.

[[folder: Theater]]

-->'''Betty:''' ''(in a soothing voice)'' Oh, whats the matter with beautiful baby girl? ''(turns to Didi)'' Girls seem to cry more at this age. ''(turns to Lil without bow in a buffer voice)'' Oh, my big baby man. Guess they're ok Deed, now where were we?
-->'''Didi:''' We were talking about the difference between men and women.
-->''(Phil and Lil soon switch the bow while the Mom's backs are turned)''
-->'''Phil and Lil:''' See?

* ''Literature/HarryPotter''
** Harry at one point complains that it's as if girls speak an entirely different language. Justified because the characters are fourteen at the time - among adults and older teens in the ''Harry Potter'' universe this isn't nearly as much of a problem. [[TruthInTelevision Fourteen-year-olds are incredibly susceptible to this trope]]; people that age generally suck at communicating within a romantic relationship due to lack of experience and/or lack of maturity, and the ones in heterosexual relationships can blame it on their love interest being an incomprehensible girl/boy.

Likewise, in works emphasizing the female perspective, there will also usually be at least one straight man who believes that RealMenWearPink. Although this will usually be countered by the character "making up for" this with an excess of machismo in other areas[[note]]for instance by also being a CulturedBadass who can readily "prove his manhood" in a brawl, or a {{Pornomancer}} whose actual character depth doubles as a way to seduce women[[/note]], he will often serve as an example of how even a character RatedMForManly does not have to mean a character who is unrefined or childish.

** For extra bonus points, have the protagonist ask their opposite-sex best friend, who is secretly pining for them, to help them understand (and win) Alice/Bob.
** For the grand prize, have the protagonist ask their same-sex friend, who claims to be an expert on the opposite sex and [[KnowNothingKnowItAll has no idea what s/he's talking about]].
* '''The goals of women and men by their very nature diverge and may even conflict outright''': even if a relationship between opposite-sex partners manages to get off the ground (not always the case), the ride will continue to be bumpy.

Although often "officially" a DiscreditedTrope, this is often also claimed as TruthInTelevision, sometimes with an edge of brave speaking out against PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad, or with a DebateAndSwitch or JustJokingJustification approach.

* Manga/OnePiece: Nami proves to be an archetypal character for this trope. As the series unfolds, it's clear Nami simply doesn't get men's way of thinking, be it their values, attitudes, behaviors, codes, intentions, decisions, or actions. Specifically, she doesn't understand the tacit communication between Luffy and Zoro (as seen in Buggy arc), is the only character who hates to be in a Wanted poster (in contrast with general cheerfulness male characters react with to publications and updates of those posters) and her opinions and advice are usually disregarded in topics like adventures, honor or discipline, and respect, which are important for men (like her permission for Luffy and Zoro to fight Bellamy in Jaya arc, her attempt to ruin Luffy's adventure in Skypiea and her refusal to have a campfire in Upper Yard, the whole Usopp affair in Water 7, or the "Monster Trio" accepting or supporting the "Davy Back Fight" challenge against the Fox Pirates). Even after the {{Time Skip}}, that situation doesn't change at all, as seen in [[spoiler: Punk Hazard arc]] or the [[spoiler: Whole Cake Island arc, wherein Nami decides to cut bonds with Sanji, only to see how Luffy, unlike her, stays totally loyal with him, overriding Nami's decision in the process]].

* Anime/{{Vandread}}: Men and women are ''literally'' from two different but neighboring planets and have vastly different cultures. Then three men get stuck on a female pirate ship sent nearly a year from their homes. They must journey back together. Hilarity ensues.