Men and women differ from one another both physically and psychologically. Those differences are entirely demonstrable, undeniable, and measurable.
Research shows, however, that they are somewhat smaller than is commonly assumed. When ordinary men and women are asked about the ways the sexes differ, they are generally quite accurate in identifying the areas of distinction. What they misjudge is the scale. They tend to believe the differences are far greater than they truly are.
In that sense, feminists are correct when they argue that a substantial part of human belief about the differences between men and women is shaped by culture, tradition, customs, and similar influences. It is difficult to attribute this simply to oppression, since men and women alike hold similarly exaggerated views of those differences, including women who are wealthy and powerful. More likely, it reflects the way people simplify orientation in a complicated world: we often see things in stark black and white while ignoring the subtler shades in between. Masculinity and femininity are no exception.
The same optical illusion appears in perceptions of sexuality. Yes, men are by nature more sexually driven, but the gap is nowhere near as large as people tend to imagine. There is another interesting finding as well. Research has shown that all of us tend to overestimate the sexual inclinations and sexual interest of other people. Men and women alike overestimate the libido of both men and women.