While humans are considered intelligent beings, sometimes we end up spouting complete nonsense. Well, maybe that sounds harsh, but can you deny that it's true? Sometimes this nonsense comes as a form of entertainment or teasing, while other times it comes from a genuine belief.
For instance, when folks spit nonsense about what "real men" should and shouldn't do, it usually gets out of hand pretty quickly. So, today we collected a full-blown list of such statements that are both amusing and enraging. So, before diving in, be aware that you might get exposed to some rather dumb declarations here.
More info: Reddit
#1
Like cats. No less a luminary than Mark Twain said "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction." So there.
Image credits: weird-oh
#2
“Real Men Don’t Read Books”
Sure sure sure sounds good my guy.
Image credits: KhronicDreams
#3
I was at a party with a mixed crowd. Myself and some friends in our mid '20s, but there were also teenagers there. The legal drinking age where I live is 16.
Some kid was standing with his friends and they were giving him grief because he was drinking a cherry beer. Culturally, fruity beers are considered 'girly' drinks here. One of the s****y friends turns to me and asks me to confirm to his friend that real men drink normal beer. I'm a muscular, bearded, masculine looking guy, so the shithead probably thought I would be on his side. I just replied 'a real man drinks whatever the f**k he likes' and lifted my beer to the guy with the cherry beer.
I could actually see his eyes light up and his body energize a little bit after that. Poor kid just wanted to enjoy his drink in peace.
Image credits: ilikedmatrixiv
If you've spent some time online, it’s likely you have encountered men genuinely using terms like alpha, sigma, and whatever else they come up with in this area.
Or maybe you've even encountered such people in real life – those with very strong opinions about what a “real man” should look like. And these people tend to like expressing such opinions, no matter how crazy they actually are.
Today’s list is a collection of various bizarre statements of the “real men don’t do” mentality netizens have heard throughout their lives and decided to share in an online thread under a question: "What's the craziest thing you've heard that 'real men' don't do?” Here you’ll find a whole spectrum of things, from reading books to liking cats.
#4
I saw a picture of a well-toned gym-babe with the comment "Men who like this are gay".
Liking women is, apparently, gay.
Image credits: lurgi
#5
Cook / bake
From a woman at work, after I brought in some cakes I made. ( F**k her, they tasted amazing, she wouldn't even try one after I mentioned it.)
She had all sorts of (mostly negative) things to say about how men are or "should be".
It wasn't a suprise to hear she had been single most of her adult life.
Funny how those who complain the loudest often have the least understanding.
Image credits: worldworn
#6
Real men don't drink from straws. Really?? Your masculinity is so fragile that you are unmanned by a small cylindrical utensil that helps facilitate hydration?
I guess that tracks since some men also refuse to drink plain water. 😑.
Image credits: AccessibleBeige
Well, some folks will dub anything “unmanly” just to feel more “manly” themselves. Yet, the irony, as this person on Quora pointed out, is that usually, actual real men aren’t that preoccupied with defining these things. Basically, what they imply is that insecurity is the drive behind folks obsessing with this label.
And what blossoms under insecurity about manliness? Toxic masculinity, yes. In a nutshell, this term refers to a collection of offensive, harmful beliefs and behaviors taken to the extreme, which are rooted in and “excused” by traditional male roles.
Typically, the “victims” of this syndrome believe 3 key things. The first one is that men have to be “tough” – physically strong, emotionless, and aggressive.
#7
Wipe their butt properly because it's "gay".
Image credits: MushLampMaker
#8
Eat bananas, popsicles, anything phalic shaped in public.
I once worked with a guy who wouldn’t eat Mr. Goodbar or drink Mr Pibb because he didn’t want anything that has a male identified name in his mouth.
Image credits: Ok-Emu-2690
#9
Let a woman be on top during [intercourse]. Apparently, that is gay. A man having [intercourse] with a woman. Gay. 🙄.
Image credits: noeinan
Then, they tend to believe in “antifemininity” too – anything that’s somehow related to feminine behaviors is unacceptable to them. As we saw in today’s list, anything, even something as human as showing emotions, can be assigned to this category. While from a side view, these categorizations look irrational, for some they apparently make sense.
The third key belief of toxic masculinity is “power.” Essentially, they believe that men should work toward obtaining influence and status, as it’s what makes others respect them.
As you can probably tell, toxic masculinity doesn’t seem like a very healthy lifestyle, neither for a man himself nor the folks around him.
#10
They don’t cry during movies, as if expressing their emotions makes them less of a man.
Image credits: Danigricee
#11
I once had a dude make fun of me for lifting weights because according to him by lifting weights that means I like to be around large sweaty men and "real men don't do that because that's gay".
I couldn't argue with his galaxy brain logic.
Image credits: twilighttaffy
#12
Go down on a woman.
Image credits: Designer-Carpenter88
On a personal level, it harms a person's mental well-being, as non-stop clinging to the mentioned ideals might actually not be in the man's nature.
For instance, he might be rather an emotional person, but according to these beliefs, showing emotions is a no-go, so he’s forced to hold back this part of himself. Suppressed emotions lead to increased stress, and mental struggles and can even negatively impact physical health.
Then, on a societal level, the spread of such toxic ideas leads to aggression, discrimination against women, homophobia, transphobia, and other similar nasty things.
#13
"Eat quiche." That's not even a euphemism.
Image credits: ChemistryPerfect4534
#14
Wear ear protection while using loud tools.
Image credits: MostBoringStan
#15
I've heard someone say real men don't have children. It's a feminine trait.
He was impotent.
Image credits: Desperate-Exit692
Sadly, while stopping this whole toxic “movement” in one go is impossible, all we can do is try to educate ourselves and as many other people as possible so they won’t fall down this rabbit hole.
Examining and challenging unconscious biases, taking a stand against harmful speech and behavior (making sure it’s safe for you to do so), avoiding gender stereotyping (especially in front of very impressionable children), and so on – there are plenty of ways to fight it. Maybe one day, step by step (no matter how small), it will get better. Or we’re just too naive.
#16
Umm "go to the supermarket" and "wait in line at the coffee shop". I dated a crypto bro lol his networth was in the 8 digits for like 5 minutes THIS ONE TIME and apparently that changes people.
Image credits: ohwhereareyoufrom
#17
When I was in college, I was in a student group. One of the other members was in a fraternity (it was not a group that lended itself to the sort of thing fraternity members would like). After one meeting, he was clearly in a bad mood and we asked what that was all about and when we found out we were all boggled:
The upcoming week was a long weekend, and this guys girlfriend's parents were going out of town, and she had invited him over to spend the weekend alone with her. However, this weekend was also a weekend when there was some college football game, and the fraternity was having a watch party. When he told his fraternity brothers that he could not go to the watch party because he was going to go spend the weekend alone with his girlfriend, they ... accused him of being gay, and not a 'real man'. Because the thing a 'real' straight hetero man would prefer doing was spending all weekend with a bunch of other men, NOT spending all weekend having [intercourse] with his girlfriend.
Image credits: Footnotegirl1
#18
Sit in the bath tub
-written from a bath tub full of foam and candles and a cishet male.
Image credits: Delicious-Animal5421
#19
Show affection.
Image credits: kurtrussellfanclub
#20
Wash their legs. Seriously the runoff from your shampoo doesn't clean your legs, and it definitely doesn't clean your balls. Wash your twig and berries guys, nut sweat can be smelled by everyone around you.
Image credits: MisterBaker55
#21
Just the basic ” men don’t cry”, it’s something human beings do, if men weren’t supposed to do it, then their body wouldn’t be trying.
Image credits: heppapapu1
#22
“If your man isn’t even 200 pounds, are you with a real man?” A question asked by my bartender coworker’s friend. Good thing I’m a 250 pound bouncer, otherwise I would have been emasculated.
Image credits: OkRecommendation4040
#23
Eat honey. Real man eat bees.
Image credits: anon
#24
Someone told me my boyfriend holding my (his female girlfriends) hand was “pretty gay”. In fact anytime my boyfriend shows me affection this is labelled as unacceptably non masculine according to this guy. Remember boys you’re gay and simp if you kiss a girl!
Image credits: Svg47
#25
"Real men don't go out dancing because it's feminine and gay." For context, I was going out dancing with two women I knew.
Image credits: Belteshazzar98
#26
Use an umbrella🙄.
Image credits: daisydozen
#27
Make things. A friend thought it was "gay" that i grew plants and made hot sauces. But cooking and making bread.
#28
REAL MEN, doesn’t just throw out emotions.
Image credits: its_lirarush30
#29
Display any emotion other than anger.
Image credits: hennowade
#30
Cross their legs. That's gay, apparently.
Image credits: ClowninaCircus12
#31
Flinch when slamming a hammer on their fingers, cry about kneepain when working on their knees for the entire day without protection, cry in general and the most funny thing is that this was told to me by a woman.
Image credits: blazin_f1re
#32
Wash behind their ears.
#33
Apparently, real men don't speak about anything of consequence or value. My brother was going through an awful divorce. I called him at Christmas that year to see how he was doing since it was his first Christmas alone. For calling to check on him, I got called gay, a woman, and was told that I was soft like a marshmallow peep. I was so furious that I hung up the phone. About 3 months later, I called to explain why I was so irritated. Rather than apologize, he tells me about some movie with Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner where they drive cattle and are about to get in some gun fight, so decide they should exchange names for the first time. He cited that as the pinnacle of how real men act.
