I think this is sort of an interesting thread.
And I also believe gender identity is 100% real.
But I donno if much of it could be based of societal influences... the fact that women are expected to be 'submissive' (wear the 'skirt' in a relationship, been oppressed for years, not be professional, domestication, can't sleep around without being looked down upon, play with dolls etc, etc) while men are expected to be domineering (be professional, wear the 'trou' , play sports, etc) ... but those things, masculinity/feminism, its all made up if you think of in.
In fact while a the gym, I was thinking on this the other day (just cos I tend to be quite the contemplative individual
) in the sense that I saw a couple o kiddos towards the care centre; A little girl and a young lad probably no older than 6 or 7 each. The lass was in teeny shorts, doll in hand, long hair, floral printed shirt... the lad was in a baggy t-shirt, longer shorts and video game portable thing in hand. And I was just thinking how these kids are already moulded, from birth most likely, to be a 'girl' or a 'boy' and act that way. There was never a choice to drift towards one's actual interests, but they were conditioned to act one way or the other.
Erm and I think that could cause gender distress. Whose to say that you are a gender satisfied bloke who just enjoys doing 'girlish' things, moreso? And in that sense you feel alienated by your own gender cos societally, it aint acceptable for you to enjoy those things?
Yeeargh, just a potential theory to think about. Sometimes I think the societal expectations are irksome. Like... why am I *** if I don't wanna sleep with every girl I see? Why is it *** to want to wait with my girlfriend? Those sorts of things... I'd rather it be considered respectable, as it is for girls!