permeable ego boundaries: masculine or feminine?

How permeable are your ego boundaries? If you have more permeable ego boundaries, how do these enrich your life and relationships? How might they constrain and restrict you? If you have more rigid ego boundaries, how do these enrich your life and relationships? How might they constrain and restrict you?

Permeable ego boundaries are typically associated with women, and feminine characteristics. This means that women typically are more empathetic and means that there are less distinct boundaries between the person and other people, whereas the characteristics associated with the masculine gender are a less permeable ego, meaning sympathy rather than empathy, and a more rigid boundary between the self and others.

I would say I have a less permeable ego boundary than is typical for most women. I have been socialized to understand that women empathize, and feel the feelings of others, and yet, if a friend is sharing something with me, I often have a difficult time experiencing the emotions they are going through and rather look at it as a completely objective third-party. This has caused quite a few interesting conversations that used to leave me feeling drained and dissatisfied with who I was as a person. I feel sympathy, but not so much empathy. I also tend to be less eager to share my own feelings with others, and maintain a more rigid line between who I am and who others are. I wouldn’t say my ego boundary is completely impermeable, because I do enjoy association and being with other people, however, I think I might be somewhere in the middle… I have a medium-level permeable ego boundary!