[WingsOnFire]

Great post Gemme... I love it!

I personally believe that life experiences can greatly hinder or benefit someone in their maturity growth. I grew up in a very dysfunctional home. I left at the age of 17 to learn what it was like to be "normal" for me. To this day I visit sparsely and know that I have worked hard to become the mature and self-functioning independent woman I am today. I persevered and by surrounding myself with people I could look up to I have matured in to the woman I am today. Possibly someone who grew up in a more loving, nurturing family would have matured faster than I did because they would have the right role models to assist in that? I dont know... That is another thought to ponder. I missed out on a lot because of that. To this day I dont have a mother (she passed away when I was 19), a father (he also passed away when I was 19) or sisters or brothers that I would feel comfortable calling for advice. Does that hinder me? Yes. But it is what I "DO" with my life to persevere beyond those limitations that matters to me.

I know both femmes of my age and much younger than I that are as mature, more mature and less mature than I am. Same with butches. My Sir is younger than I am yet in many ways he is much older and wiser than I am. Maybe that is because I believe he has an old soul. Whatever the reason is, I could not and would not compare femmes to butches in maturity growth. In my humble opinion they, femmes and butches, can not be put into one category of more mature or less mature than the other. It is really a personal journey.

I also dont agree that butches equate to male. So I dont think you can use the same analogy of girls mature faster than boys. It just doesn't fit in the same category as femme and butch. Again, I feel it is ones own internal self awareness that reflects their maturity level.

Sorry if this rambles... I am trying to compile my thoughts in a room full of 50 women scrapbooking