Male Bashing

Sitting at the breakfast table with my teen daughters & a group of their friends after a recent sleepover (I didn't participate, I just regulated noise throughout the wee hours of the night so my husband didn't make good on his baseball bat threat!), I asked the reason for the loud bursts of laughter that I heard late the previous night (as if a group of teen girls needs a reason!) One of them answered, 'that must have been during our male bashing'.
(Now, for a complete transcript of my response to them, you'll have to post a comment & request it in all its theological?/sarcastic?/corrective? splendor...)
But I realized their sentiments (and sarcasm) doesn't fall far from the 'cultural tree', even a tree planted in evangelical dirt.
You know, the old....
"Women speak twice as many words as men in a 24 hour period, probably because women have to say everything twice in order for men to get it and respond..."

or the countless other 'humorous' descriptions of the differences in our male counterparts.

(And in all fairness, much cross gender 'ribbing' goes on the other way, too.

You know...
"The reason the Garden of Eden was so perfect was because Adam didn't have to wait for Eve to pick out the perfect outfit before every outing...")

We laugh because there is often truth behind the humor.

But, is male bashing harmless?
(I'm not referring to recognizing and noting differences, they are obvious.)
But attacking differences and casting ridicule at them? Is this okay?

From God's perspective (which He gives us in the first chapters of Genesis) there is deliberate design and provision in the distinct differences of the genders. The contrast of male and female is purposeful. Generally, it demonstrates the incompleteness of one without the other. Specifically, it shows God's provision of mysterious completeness in the one with the other. In this divine math equation, one (incomplete) + one (incomplete) = one (complete) and this is 'very good'.

Do we understand the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of each gender as God's design, and therefore, good?
Do we recognize the complementary strengths and weaknesses of male and female as God's genius in granting together all that is needed to competently live for his glory?
Do we protect our hearts and minds from Satan's subtle attacks at God's goodness in this design? Satan would love to plant seeds of suspicion in our hearts and minds, suggesting we'd be 'better off' without the other, that we're more 'in tune', 'with it', or '?whatever?' than our male counterparts?! Do we 'buy' into this?

Which of us, biting in a PB & J sandwich, would criticize the crunchy, nutty flavor of the peanut butter, accusing it of being different than the sweet, fruity flavor of the jelly & therefore condemning it as inferior?

Which of us, after listening to Handel's "Messiah", would whine about the loud, bold overtures with their majestic sound, calling instead for all quiet, reflective, light musical nuances? More of the same...is better?

No, in both of these, it is the difference of the two individual parts that blend to make the whole better than the two could ever be separately.

God's design in male & female is no different. (No matter how the 'peanut butter' might feel about the contrast of the 'jelly''s fruitiness...)

When we find ourselves bristling at the differences of our gender counterpart ('too deliberate, too laid back, too cerebral, too logical,' etc.), heart investigation is called for. Dare we suggest to God his design & provision might not be the wisest? the best?

Or could it be that in the very irritations of the ways we'd desire life (& him) different, that God is able to work on our (still needing sanctification) hearts?! After all, God is certainly able to 'fix' the irritating tendency of that other gender if He wanted.
Hmmm...but He's chosen not to. Could there be a reason...?!

I'm not saying one cannot ever laugh at the Mars/Venus, Crockpot/Microwave, etc., contrasts.

But if it is the goodness of God's designs...don't ever bash it!