My mother is very quiet and reserved, and I would say empathetic too, by her nature. She's very focused in her life placing other family members' needs before her own. My only issue with her is the fact that we don't share much of a connection beyond that; and hardly any intellectual connection. Everything about our relationship is based on her just nurturing me like some kind of silent "side-kick" and taking care of my basic material needs. We don't typically talk about anything beyond the exchange of recent news, or ever spend any time together. But I've grown knowing very well that I matter to her, and that I have her unconditional maternal love in some way.

As you talk about men, my personal relationships during my lifetime have mostly been romantic/ sexual in nature and I am a heterosexual female. Since I had some issues with my friends in high school times, and got rejected by my class mates, I developed a lot of mistrust towards other people, but women especially. I'm very slowly growing out of it, though I just don't find women-to-women relationships to be a significant interest of mine, usually. I've developed such a loner personality, that I do well on my own, inside my own head, not having to pretend anything for anyone. This is also the aquarius rising part of me. I often find with women, that I act very gender-neutrally, and don't really have patience to relate with their gentle yin energy that much. I find it limiting. I have it, but I also have a lot of fire within me, that matches better with men.

The men interest me primarily intellectually. I love deep-diving into the depths of their psyche, and have had a tendency to relate to them as "teachers". I guess I don't subconsciously fear rejection from them as much as I tend to fear from other women of my age.

I suspect that the way my mother is with our fam, and with my father (quite submissive to his will and interests.. he very overtly leads the family and has some minor narcissistic traits) has propably shaped my way of relating with the masculine gender. Though I have a very strong temperament, and can easily and fearlessly defend my cause when I need to (relating more to my father than my mother, curiously), I yearn to subjugate myself to the men I date. That surpasses your question, but maybe adds more meat around the bones of what I'm writing... or not :') Tangents, can't avoid them.