desire to understand

Hi this is Erin. One of the reasons I read Fascinating Womanhood was for its advice about understanding men. Relationships are difficult! As we have been making this documentary I have been keen to understand what are the real differences between men and women and what makes a relationship work well? I think there's a spectrum - on one end men and women are the same, and on the other end of the spectrum they are very different.  Here's what Fascinating Womanhood says:


Six Characteristics of Men:
1. His need to be accepted at face value.
2. His need for admiration.
3. His sensitive masculine pride.
4. His need for sympathetic understanding. 
5. His need to be No. 1.
6. His need to serve as the guide, protector and provider to feel needed in this role, and to excel women in doing so.


My personal belief is men and women have many similar needs.  I believe people need to be valued and respected. If a woman is giving this kind of attention to her man, then she is most likely to receive it in return.