Healthy Masculinity

Men, Bros, Gentledudes... lend me your eyes.

The time has come to discuss what it looks like to express 'healthy' amounts of masculinity.

First, The Context.

• We grew up in a world which allowed men exactly one emotion to use without being called... [insert slew of homophobic terms we all know and don't need to be repeated]. That one approved emotion? Anger.
• Simultaneously, we grew up in a world which was becoming hip to the fact that men can't just be pissed off and abusive all the time. What do women really want? A sensitive man. A man in touch with his emotions.

^See the problem?

Second, The Deepening.

Over the course of the past few years, a very necessary and correct 'swing back' or 'correction' has taken place.

The rise of the Feminine Principle (the word Feminine here is used more in the sense of physic-al power, not gender) is something our world needed.

We have now arrived at the point where, if we press further into the Feminine Principle, we will create the same problem we had 'back in the day' with the runaway Masculine Principle... just on the other side of the spectrum.

Third, The Solution.

The Solution then, is to find the harmonious mid-point which I am calling, 'Healthy Masculinity'.

Healthy Masculinity looks like this:

• Men who are in touch with their emotions, but not ruled by them.
• Men who are allowed to cry, be hurt, feel something without being marginalized by other men (& women) (& society at-large).
• Men who are allowed to still be 'men' in whatever traditional way they choose to be. Fart, drink beer, watch football, play video games... run a company, coach a peewee sports team... chop firewood, cook meat over a fire, climb trees, build muscles.
• Men who are allowed to be 'men' in some new ways which men are not traditionally thought of as being. Dance, paint a landscape, sit quietly in nature... help an injured animal, volunteer at a senior home... be a stay-at-home Dad, sew clothing, cook, do laundry.
• Men who can still become angry, but they do so when the context is appropriate... when anger is called-for. And then (this is key), they have the patience to stick around afterward, to listen to feedback from others who had to experience/be on the receiving end of their anger, and grow from the experience.
• Men who can take the best of traditional Masculinity (it did have some up-sides)... and blend that with the best of modern/new Masculinity; the Masculinity which has benefitted from/been tempered by the recent rise of Femininity. Blend both, take the best of both versions.

Healthy Masculinity is an ongoing conversation.

It's not a box that is checked once and then done.

(Sidenote: The above section also applies in-structure to Healthy Femininity. Some of the details may change around, but the structure is the same.)

What else is Healthy Masculinity, to you?

How would you describe it?

Would love to hear/read your thoughts in the comments. 🤘💙

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