Ahh I just answered about gender blame saying that I never like to see biased gender statements about men or women. Online they seem most often to be about women.. and almost always quite negative.. And what people who say those things seem to totally miss, is that the exact same can be said of their own sex.. Men are often accused of only hearing what they want to, (this isn't me saying it) for instance when their wife asks them to take the trash out, or feed the dog, men allegedly don't hear, but their hearing returns remarkably fast when you tell them lunch is ready, or do they want a coffee..
Now, this IS me saying this bit.. it has been identified that GENERALLY speaking, men have a greater propensity to compartmentalise.. this means that if they are concentrating on work or a project, fixing something, they can often turn a deaf ear when their wife asks them to come in and get ready to go out.. Men, GENERALLY seem more able to switch off say date of anniversary, wife's birthday, kids appointments, remembering to text their gf when they are working on something or have something else on their mind... so technically speaking, if anyone is inclined not to listen it can be said to be men.. but it's usually because they are concentrating on something else..
I think that all that's at play here is that men and women are entirely capable of not hearing when they don't want to..
But I think such questions do deserve straight and honest answers, if there are any, whether or mot their intent is entirely honorable. In this case I think we all tend to hear what we want to hear. We can say OK men this and women that but we are maybe 90% or more the same just as human beings. Still men are curious about us and how we think and act so I think we should try and explain if we possibly can - even if we think or know they won't get it. I think just the proper thing to do.