"'A real man orders a beer!' No, a real man orders whatever he wants." Here are 25 in-your-face responses by men who are practicing positive masculinity.
Everyone should be able to care for themselves and their loved ones. Knowing how to sew a button, cook a meal more sophisticated than cereal, or even take care of your lush garden should be as basic as eating and drinking. Unfortunately, some people continue to categorize some activities and behaviors based on gender, some pretty ambiguous assumptions, and, of course, a little power play. Toxic masculinity or the idea and expectations of a 'real man' often socially pressurize men to behave in the most stereotypical way. With the "I can't's," "I shouldn't" and "I must not," many men who consider behaviors or habits that pertain to all human beings as "unmanly" keep propagating toxic masculinity. It all started when Reddit user u/international_red07 asked everyone to share some "unmanly" things that are actually the opposite (pretty 'manly' and human). It sparked a lot of responses that were not only true but also savage enough to make us laugh hard in the face of toxic masculinity. Here are a few of the most on-your-face responses to the question that debunk the myth of what all is manly.
"I have a beard that would make sasquatch jealous. I like scotch whiskey, Dominican cigars and American motorcycles. I worked most of my adult life as an ironworker. But none of that is the manly part:
When my daughter was 3 to about 6 or 7, it was common for me to go to work with my nails painted every color of the rainbow. Letting your little girl paint your nails is manly as f**k, gentlemen." - u/punksmostlydead
"Supporting women's rights. Real men don't need to control women." -u/sagan_drinks_cosmos
"Ordering a fruity drink. 'A real man orders a beer!' No, a real man orders whatever the f**k he wants." -u/Incredible_Mandible
"If someone tells you something is 'unmanly', tell them a real man would be secure enough in their manliness to not give a s**t what they think." -u/TheMan5991
"When I was a kid I was once at a clothing store and I saw a pink men's shirt. I said out loud 'what kind of men wear pink shirts???' and my mom said 'secure men.'For some reason that always stuck with me." -u/anon
"Had guys tell me it's unmanly to use/carry an umbrella. Those wet, insecure b*stards can go screw themselves!" -u/IntergalacticPopTart
"Being an attentive and involved father. I can change a diaper one handed and I'm proud of that fact." -u/probabletrump
"Sewing. When you're stuck on a boat in the Pacific during WWII, you'd better know how to stich up your own uniform. Source: both of my grandfathers." -u/DrSmartron
"Buying feminine products for your SO. I have no shame buying tampons or pads when I do the grocery shopping, which is always. Men that get all embarrassed or won't do it are the 'unmanly' ones." -u/atreus227
"I heard cooking for your family labeled as unmanly due to men wearing an apron around a gas stove by the same people who grill for their family while wearing an apron around a gas grill." -u/Qimmosabe_Man
"Hygiene and cleanliness. I live on my own and I love having a clean and neat house." -u/TheMonkophile
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"Talking to cats in a cute voice." -u/learnersnation
"Wearing sunscreen. Nothing looks dumber than a guy who's so afraid to seem 'girly' that he gets turned into a lobster." -u/an_ineffable_plan
"Holding your friends accountable and calling them out when they’re being a d**k towards women or just in general." -u/4231297
"Ballet. Those dudes are strong!" -u/neocondiment
"Cooking, cleaning, folding laundry, being good with kids, being patient, crying, hugging your good guy friends" -u/National_Square_3279
"When my dad was a kid, a bully told him to meet him after school for a beating. Dad simply never showed up and went directly home instead."-u/ugagradlady
"Crying; men can have feelings, too!" -u/_magicalmomo_
"Walking away from a physical fight, instead of getting involved/the whole 'I could put you in hospital but I won't' nonsense. A true 'alpha,' if you must use that word, doesn't need to assert his dominance like that." -u/tihurricane
"Taking care of your skin. I hate how some of the guys I work with and serve with (I'm in the army) give me s**t for using products for my face and skin. But they also wonder why I get told I look like I'm 25 even though I'm almost 36. Because I take care of my body." -u/Reasonable_Spare_870
"Gardening. I've also been called a homosexual by multiple other guys for saying I like gardening." -u/exit-life
"Tea party with toddlers" -u/knockfart
"Respecting boundaries." -u/Unsolicited_Spiders
"Being a gentleman: polite, courteous, respectful, tactful, manners, some style, some sophistication, educated (you don't need your masters from an Ivy league, but just being well read is enough sometimes), friendly. Far too many guys I see think it's still cool to be rude, lazy, unkempt, and stupid." -u/MrPelham
"I was out on a walk with my kids one day, and one of my neighbor's commented 'Ah, Mr. Mom out for a stroll with the kids?' I responded with 'No, just a walk with Dad' and we continued on our way. It annoyed me more than it should have but I really hate the unspoken assumption behind the 'Mr. Mom' label." -u/sc1003
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