What does it mean? (to be a man)

by adhervey

November 5, 2018

Hey you. Yeah, I mean you. Mind if I rant to you a bit? I know it’s weird of me to ask this,

but I need to rant to anyone at this point. I have a couple of things on my mind, and they’ve

been bugging me for a while.

Anyway, I just wanted to ask: what does it mean to be a man? Wasn’t expecting that

were you? Well, that’s it. It’s been bugging me for some time, and I need an opinion from

someone or someone to listen at least.

But really, what does it mean? Does it mean that I can’t act the way I do? That I can’t be

more feminine than most guys, or that I can’t act like most girls or hang out with a lot of them?

Just because I’m male, do I have to follow what you think I should be, and your rules?

Does it mean that I have to play sports? That I can’t sit in my home and play games or

work with electronics, or just watch TV? Do I have to like sports to be a man? My mom seems to

think so, but what's wrong with me not liking them? Call me wrong for trying to stereotype all

men, but sports seems to be something most of them like, so do I have to be like everyone else

and hop on the bandwagon.

Does it mean I have to be masculine? That I have to be tough and walk around with

muscles. Knowing that your masculinity is oh so fragile. That I have to be bold and stop acting

the way I do? And hey maybe I don’t, maybe that's not what you're implying. Maybe you're

simply implying I just stop acting a little less “feminine.”

Does it mean that I have to like girls? Every “man” seems to feel some type of way about

me not liking them. What’s wrong with it? Is it too “feminine” for you, or just downright

unacceptable? Can’t I just have them as friends, and not be into them? Does your homophobia

have to matter to me, or have to play a part in who I am?

Does it mean I just can’t be happy? Everything I embody seems to embody the opposite

of what a “man,” or what society thinks a man should be. It’s hard to ignore it when everyone

breathes down your back about it, hell even my parents do. It’s just, why do I have to be a man

or be a certain way to be one? I just want to be happy, and surely you can relate. I think

everyone can, but at the end of the day, I guess it doesn’t matter.

Society is a stubborn thing, and so are the minds of those who live in it? It’s sad to say. I

just thought I’d call some things into question. Thanks for listening.

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Comments (1)

OWOAug 8, 2019

<p>To be a true man doesn't mean to have physical strength.  To be a man is the same thing as to be a women, there are no specific requirements, really.  So be yourself and dont let anyone tell you you aren't a man.  If you feel like youre not, then discourage that thought.  Let me be blunt with you.  Thinking that there are requirements to existing as any gender is NOT TRUE.   So be any kind of man you want.  Thanks for listening.</p>